Sandy Hook is a sandy spit (narrow piece of land) that reaches north from the New Jersey coast into New York Bay. Sandy Hook Bay is on the west side of the spit, and the Atlantic Ocean lies to the east. The Hook is covered with many plants, including poison ivy, holly trees, and beach-plum bushes. It is 18 miles (29 kilometers) south of Manhattan Island. It is 6 miles (10 kilometers) long, and 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) wide at its widest point.
In 1972, Sandy Hook became part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Fort Hancock, on the tip of Sandy Hook, was formerly used by the United States Army to test heavy guns. A 103-foot (31-meter) high lighthouse stands about 11/2 miles (2.4 kilometers) from the tip of the hook. Completed in 1764, it is the oldest U.S. lighthouse still in use.
