Backpacker – August 2019

JULY/AUGUST 2019

30 BACKPACKER.COM

PHOTO BY FLORIS VAN BREUGEL

Play List
WEEKENDS

LIFE’S A BEACH

FIRE ISLAND NATIONAL

SEASHORE, NEW YORK

I DON ’ T H AV E T O go fa r t o lose t he

tourists on Fire Island. That’s really

saying something—it took me only a

couple of hours to get here from

New York City. Hoisting an

overnight pack, I squeeze past

the day trippers and storefront

shoppers and journey into solitude, following

the empty shoreline through the hazy blur of sun

on sand. When it feels right, I veer into the dunes

and make a private, oceanside camp. I sit, I think,

and I savor the way the low, evening sun turns

the Atlantic orange. Seems simple, but this time

tomorrow I’ll be back in the fray, so I might as well

take it slow. By Justin Bailey

TURN-BY-TURNFROM DAVIS PARK FERRY TERMINAL

1) Follow Trustees Walk. 2 mile south to the ocean.

2) Turn northeast and follow the shoreline 1.5 miles to the

Western Zone boundary. Camp anywhere in the subsequent

2.6-mile-long swath; the writer stopped at mile 3.4 overall.

3) Next day, retrace your steps to the ferry terminal.

CAMPSITE WESTERN ZONE DUNES (MILE 3.4)

The tent real estate in this 2.6-mile-long area is virtually

endless. Camp close to the dunes to avoid high tide—

currents here are strong enough to sweep you out to sea—

and consider bringing an umbrella or rigging a tarp for

shade. The soft sand makes for a luxurious night’s sleep, but

also makes setup a nightmare if you don’t stake your tent

properly (buy sand-specific stakes or read up on deadman

anchors at backpacker.com/tent-anchors before heading

out). Pack in all water; there’s a spigot on Trustees Walk.

WILDLIFE

In summer, look for humpback whales and bottlenose

dolphins just offshore. Harbor seals occasionally take

snoozes on the beach. Red foxes like to patrol the shoreline

at dusk (store your food in a hard container). Summer

bummer: Bring bug spray and beware the ticks.

GETTING HERE

Nice perk: You can reach Fire Island via public transit. Take

the Long Island Railroad out of NYC Penn Station to the

south shore of Long Island (Patchogue). Walk 1 mile south

along Cedar Avenue to the Davis Park ferry terminal.

DO ITTRAILHEAD 40.6858,

-73.0046; a 20-minute ferry ride

($17 round-trip) from Patchogue

SEASON April to October PERMIT

Required ($25); reserve online.

CO NTAC T nps .gov/fiis

14

Distance 3.4+ miles

(out and back)

Time 2 days

Difficulty

Photinus carolinus

“Promiscuous,” Nelly Furtado

featuring Timbaland

The Smokies’ famous synchronous

fi refl ies stage a fl ickering fl ash mob

each summer in order to fi nd mates.

Well, temporary mates: Although

they have only three weeks of

adulthood, fl ashing females will

select with numerous partners.

See it G reat Smok y Mountains

National Park, TN/NC

Phausis reticulata

“Ghostbusters,” Ray Parker, Jr.

Known as “Blue Ghosts,” these

fi refl ies exhibit an eerie glow on

the forest fl oor during midsummer.

The 1984 movie didn’t include

these spooky bugs, but its theme

song is still a suitable soundtrack

for their luminescence. See it

Chattahoochee National Forest, GA

Photuris frontalis

“Till the World Ends,”

Britney Spears

These females of ten fl ash in sync

with Photinus females. B oth species

try to attract males, but Photuris

hope to eat—not mate with—the

poor suckers. Jam along to their

mimicr y with this song—an ode

to the males whose worlds are

about to be ended. See it Congaree

National Park, SC

Photinus pyralis

“Firefl ies,” Owl City

If you watch fi refl ies in your

back yard , these are probably the

bugs putting on the show. They’re

the most common species in Nor th

America , spread all along the E ast

Coast and Midwest—and probably

what Owl City had in mind with their

2009 bop. See it E ast of the Rockies

15 FLASH DANCE.

Pair summer’s regional fi refl y shows with inspired tracks for best

viewing. By David Gleisner

Little River, TN