Jayne's Hill is the highest point on Long Island. At an elevation of 401 feet, it isn't quite Everest, but it is still a nice place to visit with plenty of trails in the area to explore and enjoy.
Over the years, Jayne's Hill has gone by multiple names including Oakley's Hill, High Hill and Janes Hill. The "official" elevation has also been quite varied with lows near 325 feet and highs near 428 feet. It was even considered only the 3rd highest point on Long Island until 1901 when the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported that Jayne's Hill (named after its property owners) was the tallest.
Walt Whitman was born near the site of Jayne's Hill, and visited the summit. In 1881, Whitman wrote: "I write this back again at West Hills on a high elevation (the highest spot on Long Island?) Of Jayne's Hill. . . . A view of thirty of forty, or even fifty or more miles, especially to the east and south and southwest: the Atlantic Ocean to the latter points in the distance - a glimpse or so of Long Island Sound to the north.
I guess the trees were much shorter in 1881!
Today this remains a really nice place to visit. On the way up Resevoir Road (if you come up the easy way) you will see a sign representing Jayne's Hill before you reach the top. At the summit you will see a boulder bearing a plaque inscribed with Walt Whitman's poem "Paumanok" from his Leaves of Grass, as well as a small "Kindness Rocks" garden. So why just look at pictures when you can come here in person and see all of this in 3D?
Thanks to RoandJoe for the container that I used for this hide. Happy caching!