North Fork, Suffolk County, New York
The
North Fork of
Suffolk County,
New York, is a
peninsula in the northeast part of the county on the
North Shore of
Long Island. The southeast part of the county is an even longer peninsula, called the
South Fork.
The North Fork is composed of all of the
Town of Southold in the east and part of the
Town of Riverhead in the west. The body of water north of this region is the
Long Island Sound. The southern water boundary is comprised of several connected bodies of water, including the
Great Peconic Bay,
Little Peconic Bay, and
Gardiners Bay.
Lying between the North Fork and the South Fork, are several islands, including the two large islands of
Gardiners Island and
Shelter Island. The dividing line between the two forks in the west is the
Peconic River.
The easternmost tip of the North Fork is
Orient Point. Beyond that point is one additional significant part of the Town of Southold,
Plum Island.
The North Fork offers beautiful views of the Long Island Sound and Peconic/Gardiners Bay.
Long Island Wine vineyards, raspberry patches, and sod farms are what characterize the North Fork. The tip of the fork is Orient Point State Park. Areas like East Marion, Southold, and Greenport are just some of the towns to see along the way on the North Fork. The North Fork also offers great fishing, crabbing, and clamming spots along the bay or sound. Greenport often sells these fish in their incorporated village. Also from the North Fork, you can access
Shelter Island, which sits in the Peconic Bay. Ferry service is available on the bay side of the fork as well.
The entire North Fork is covered with roadways accessible from the west. In addition, the
Long Island Rail Road provides service as far as
Greenport.
Ferries connect the North Fork to Plum Island and
Connecticut. Ferries also connect the North Fork to the South Fork by means of Shelter Island roads.
