The U.S. government abandoned Camp Hero on Long Island: 45 years after closing the military base has become a thriving state park

If you head east from New York City along Long Island to almost the very end, you’ll find yourself at the former military base, Camp Hero. Renowned for its eerie abandoned radar tower, it’s now a 754-acre New York State Park, and offers horseback riding, fishing and hiking trails, along with incredible Atlantic views and a wild dose of conspiracy theories.

What was Camp Hero used for by the military?

The original site was established in 1942 as a coastal defense station disguised as a fishing village, located at Montauk Point at the end of Long Island to protect New York from attacks from the sea.

To disguise the original military structures many of them were built to resemble standard structures, such as a church, cottages and even a bowling alley.

After World War II and with the intensifying cold war with the Soviet Union, the base became a vital radar station. The most recognizable landmark is the 126 feet tall AN/FPS-35 radar tower, one of the largest radar installations built during the Cold War.

Visitors can also see the huge concrete gun emplacements that once housed 16-inch coastal artillery designed to defend the approaches to New York Harbor. Although many structures remain, much of the site has been reclaimed by woodland.

Advances in radar and missile technology gradually made the installation obsolete, and the military decommissioned Camp Hero in 1981. There was an attempt in 1984 to sell the area to real estate developers, but after local environmental protests the facility was eventually donated to the National Park Service, who turned it over to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Camp Hero State Park was opened in September 2002.

Why is Camp Hero known for its conspiracy theories

In the 1992 book The Montauk Project: Experiments in Time, authors Preston Nichols and Peter Moon claimed the former military base concealed a secret underground facility where the U.S. government conducted experiments in mind control, psychic powers, time travel and even interdimensional portals. The story has never been supported by credible evidence, but it transformed Camp Hero into a destination for conspiracy enthusiasts.

The original concept for Stranger Things, Netflix’s most watched series of all time, was reportedly set in Montauk and was even titled Montauk before production moved elsewhere.

In the book Nichols claimed that upon visiting Camp Hero in the early 1980s, suppressed memories of working there suddenly resurfaced. Camp Hero proved an ideal setting for the story. The decommissioned radar base at the eastern tip of Long Island had been fenced off for years, its imposing structures and isolated location helping make the tale seem plausible. Local rumors about underground tunnels and secret military activity already surrounded the site, while the nearby Brookhaven National Laboratory added another layer of mystery.

The alleged Philadelphia Experiment mythology had already become popular in UFO and conspiracy circles during the 1980s, and Nichols presented the Montauk Project as its successor.

Can you visit Camp Hero?

The former military base is now part of Camp Hero State Park and is open to the public year-round from sunrise to sunset. Visitors can explore miles of hiking and cycling trails, walk among the remains of World War II gun batteries and other military structures, and view the towering Cold War radar installation.

Although much of the park is accessible, the radar tower and several former military buildings are fenced off and cannot be entered for safety reasons.

Camp Hero is also one of Long Island’s best-known surf fishing destinations. Anglers can fish from the park’s rugged Atlantic shoreline, which is particularly popular for striped bass. However, anyone wishing to use the designated fishing areas must purchase a Camp Hero fishing permit, which costs $40 for New York State residents and $75 for out-of-state visitors.

Camp Hero lies near Montauk at the eastern tip of Long Island, around a three-hour drive from New York City. Vehicle entry costs $8 during the main season.

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