8 Things To Do At Camp Hero State Park In Montauk (the park that inspired Stranger Things!)

Camp Hero is a New York state park located on the far eastern end of Long Island in Montauk. It’s known for fishing, hiking, military remnants, and well, strange things.

Before becoming a state park, Camp Hero served as a military base for nearly half a century. This was during a time when neighboring Montauk was quiet and remote… a stark contrast to the tourist destination we know it as today.

If you like peaceful, crowd-free nature with a large dose of oddities, Camp Hero is the perfect place to explore! I spent a year living in the Hamptons and loved visiting this unusual park, I was shocked to learn it inspired the Netflix hit, Stranger Things.

Below are some of the best things to do in Camp Hero State Park, as well as details regarding the strange lore surrounding this former military base.

The Best Things To Do In Camp Hero State Park

See The Bluffs At Turtle Cove

Right off the main entrance of Camp Hero you’ll find the park’s most picturesque site, the Bluffs at Turtle Cove. 

Years of erosion have formed hoodoo-like formations along the land’s end, rising roughly 75 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. The area is small but gorgeous, the Montauk Lighthouse is even visible in the near distance.

The bluffs are very fragile, so it’s important to stay well back from the cliff edge. Additionally, there’s no beach access from here.

There’s ample parking and portable toilets at the Bluffs at Turtle Cove. 

Go For A Hike

There are a number of hiking trails through the park, most of which meander through dense forest and a few of which follow the bluff’s edge. Camp Hero’s hikes are short, flat, and suitable for most.

Check out the quick Battery 113 Trail, a 1.1 mile hike that is one of the most popular in the park. 

Thick vegetation, ticks, and potentially active landmines (according to trail signs) are all good reasons to stay on the trail in Camp Hero State Park. 

Explore The Old Military Base “Downtown” Area

As mentioned before, Camp Hero State Park formerly served as a military base and was disguised as an old fishing town. Most military buildings are now gone, but the few remaining are a National Historic Site. 

Today, the bowling alley, barracks, dining hall, and exchange stores still stand and are in the “downtown” area. Although, judging by their eerie exteriors, you’d have no idea those were the purposes they once served.

You can quickly drive through the “downtown” area or get out and walk near the buildings, the latter of which I recommend doing. The buildings are boarded up and marked with obtrusive “No Trespassing” signs, so don’t plan to go inside the *spooky* old buildings. 

While exploring the building exteriors, keep an eye out for the numerable manholes and other oddities. This area makes many wonder what exactly, if anything, is under Camp Hero State Park? A network of secret tunnels, perhaps?

This area has a large parking lot, picnic benches, and restrooms. 

See The Old Batteries – Battery 113 & 112

The park has three batteries, two of which are visible to park-goers. 

Both Battery 113 and 112 had two 16-inch guns in concrete casemates from 1944 to 1948. 

The sub-terrain batteries were camouflaged and blend so well into the hillside that it’s easy to pass right by them if you’re not paying attention.

Battery 112 has a few parking spaces. Battery 113 has no parking, but it’s easy to pull off alongside the road to view it. Both have distinct features and are worth visiting. 

Go Fishing At Camp Hero State Park 

Camp Hero sits on the far edge of Long Island surrounded by open ocean, making for some of the best fishing in the state. So much so, Montauk is dubbed the “Surf Fishing Capital of the World.” 

Striped Bass are most common if fishing from the shore, but you’ll also find Bluefish and False Albacore if the conditions are right.  

Any fishing here requires a permit, find more information at NY State Parks: Camp Hero. 

See The Camp Hero Radar Tower

A central point in the park, and a key to the park’s conspiracy theories, is the radar tower. The imposing structure is visible from most points in the park. It’s a 126-foot Cold War-era SAGE radar tower which was intended to provide the US a 30 minute warning in the event of a nuclear attack back in the 1950’s.

This was one of the largest air defense radars ever produced with the antenna able to produce a signal as high as 450MHz. While in use, this frequency would routinely obstruct the television and electronics in the homes of Montauk residents.

It was also a frequency rumored to interfere with the human brain… tinfoil hats anyone?

The radar tower cannot be accessed, but again, it’s visible from most points in the park. The “downtown” area has a good view.

Did You Know? Local fishermen lobbied to save the radar tower since the massive structure was a better daytime landmark than the Montauk Point Lighthouse. 

See The Ball Field

Camp Hero State Park has a baseball field located just of Montauk Highway. While the field is somewhat overgrown, it’s still in decent shape and even has bleachers and fencing. As a baseball fan, I enjoyed seeing the park!

The road connecting the main portion of the park to the ball park is closed to vehicles. If you wish to see the field, turn off Montauk Highway onto Camp Hero Road, west of the park’s main entrance. The road dead ends at the field and parking is very limited. 

Visit Montauk Point State Park

Your admission to Camp Hero State Park includes same-day access to its more popular neighbor, Montauk Point State Park, which is definitely worth a visit!

Montauk Point is popular for Hampton-goers thanks to the picturesque lighthouse perched atop the bluffs. Visitors are free to roam the rocky beach and boulders situated below the lighthouse and alongside the ocean. 

The park offers beautiful views of the intersection point of the Atlantic Ocean and Block Island Sound, in addition to popular hiking trails and fishing spots.

Tip: Hike the 1.6-mile out-and-back trail, Seal Haul Out, for a chance to spot seals up close in the cooler months.

Camp Hero State Park & Stranger Things

The now-decommissioned military base at Camp Hero State Park inspired the hit Netflix series, Stranger Things. 

The show was originally based in this seaside town, in fact, the original working-title of the project was Montauk. That was until producers moved the show’s setting to small town Indiana, and Stranger Things as we know it today was born.

Below I’ll dive into the park’s history, which sets the stage for its creepy theories, and include some things to do at Camp Hero State Park for Stranger Things fans.

Camp Hero State Park History

Camp Hero was a coastal artillery base commissioned by the army in 1942. It was charged with protecting against German submarine and naval attacks.

The base was transferred to the Air Force in 1951. The 126-foot SAGE radar tower, the largest and most powerful of its kind during this era, was built shortly after. Camp Hero was eventually decommissioned in 1981.

What actually happened here from 1951 – 1981, and the true purpose of the radar, is what’s up for debate — Was it Cold War defense? Or human experimentations and alien stuff? 

Following decommission, Camp Hero was eventually donated to the National Park Service, at which time all buildings were supposedly boarded up. Eventually, the state park opened to visitors in 2002. However, a majority of the park’s 415-acres are inaccessible to the pubic.

Camp Hero Urban Legends

Let’s dive into the theories surrounding the 1951 – 1981 time period a bit more…

Mind control, time travel, fourth dimensions spitting out demogorgon-like things, kidnapping, aliens, and psychedelic drug experiments are a few of the many theories which have caused both locals and outsiders to raise their brow at this former military base. 

The park owes its questionable reputation to a number of books and documentaries surrounding Camp Hero. The most well known of which, up until the release of Stranger Things, was a 1992 book by Peter Moon titled, The Montauk Project: Experiments in Time. If you really want to dive into the theories, this is the place to start.

While much of the legends have been debunked, there’s certainly still confusion regarding what actually did happen here.

Combine the base’s lack of public information with oddities such as the Montauk Monster, unexpected radar shifts in the night, the fact that “the government still retains ownership of everything below the surface of Camp Hero,” makes it hard to resist diving into the park’s dark legends.

In the word’s of the History TV Channel’s The Dark Files: “There’s no doubt some strange things occurred here, and the sum total of all these strange things is compelling.”

Things To Do At Camp Hero For Stranger Things Fans

Nothing has been filmed here, nor does the Hawkins National Laboratory resemble the military remnants we see at Camp Hero today.

But if you wish to catch a glimpse of the site which inspired the Duffer brother’s hit show, you’ll want to see the following things at Camp Hero State Park:

• Battery 112
• Battery 113
• The “downtown” area
• The radar tower
• Keep an eye out for the numerable manholes and other oddities throughout the park!

Aside from the “manholes and other oddities,” everything listed above can be found on the park map you’ll receive when entering Camp Hero. I also cover each of these sights in further detail above.

Camp Hero State Park Visitor Information

Camp Hero State Park Cost

It costs $8 per vehicle to visit Camp Hero State Park. Visitors will pay at a manned booth.

Camp Hero State Park Hours

Camp Hero is open sunrise to sunset, or 24 hours for those with fishing permits. 

Getting To Camp Hero State Park

The park is located on the far eastern edge of Long Island’s South Fork, just off Montauk Highway near popular Montauk Point State Park. 

You must enter at the park’s East Entrance. My GPS tried taking me to various park roads which were all closed. You will see a clear sign reading “Camp Hero State Park” with an arrow to the right when it’s time to exit Montauk Highway. 

Camp Hero State Park Parking 

There’s a large lot at Bluffs at Turtle Cove and in the park’s “downtown” area. There’s also smaller lots throughout the park and it’s easy to stop along the road for a quick photo since there’s so few people around.

There are signs clearly stating where parking is prohibited. 

Are There Restrooms At Camp Hero?

Yes, there are portable restrooms at Bluffs at Turtle Cove and vault toilets in the “downtown” area. 

Camp Hero State Park Camping 

No camping is permitted in Camp Hero State Park. 

Camping is allowed at nearby parks, Hither Hills State Park and Montauk County Park.

As you can see, there’s a handful of fun things to do at Camp Hero State Park, especially if you enjoy military history or Stranger Things! I hope you find this information helpful in planning your trip. 

Any questions or additional tips? Please leave a comment below or reach out on social media.

Looking for more ideas? Check out my additional Hamptons and New York guides below or head on over to NY Parks: Camp Hero!

More Information For Your Montauk Vacation:

• Montauk: The Best Things To Do
• Montauk Day Trip: Everything To Know
• Fall Weekend Itinerary: Montauk
• Top Hotels In Montauk
• All Montauk Guides

More Information For Your Hamptons Vacation:

• Amagansett Guides
• East Hampton Guides
• Sag Harbor Guides
• Southampton Guides
• North Fork Guides
• What To Know Before Booking Your Hamptons Vacation
• All Hamptons Guides