New York · National Seashore trail

Barnyard Trail: Old Shop

in New York · centroid 34 mi from Bridgeport

Constructed in the early 19th century, this structure was originally used as a granary, used to store grains like wheat and rye that were harvested on the site. As farming became less important at the William Floyd Estate, this building was converted into a workshop for Charles H. Ross.

Windows were cut into the structure to let light into the old shop, as boxes for tools and nails began to litter the space. Over his 37 years at the Floyd Estate, Ross experienced the changes of the estate, from the decline of the working farm to the use of the estate for gathering friends and family together in the summer sunshine. He spent much of his time here building and repairing the equipment he needed to manage livestock.

For Cornelia Floyd Nichols, the shop became forever associated with Charles Ross. She reflected: “There were countless broken things being kept seven years to ‘come in handy’, and handy they did come in for Ross. He could make anything out of anything, from ‘springes to catch woodcock’ or a figure 4 rabbit trap to the set of furniture made of crooked cedar branches which we found at the end of a snowy winter.

States: New York
Trail type: National Seashore trail
Centroid nearest city: Bridgeport, CT · 34 mi · ~60 min drive
Centroid coords: 40.7742°, -72.8304°

About Fire Island National Seashore

National Seashore

This trail is inside Fire Island National Seashore, a national seashore managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/barnyard-trail-old-shop.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Barnyard Trail: Old Shop and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

Stay nearby

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