Ditch Plains is where Montauk surfs. From the sand on a summer morning, the first thing you see is the lineup, and the lineup is why most people come.
The break is an exposed reef that works in every season, best on a south-southeast swell with the wind out of the northwest. It is often crowded and the rocks are real, so beginners do better on a sand-bottom beach break with a lesson. The Ditch Plains surf guide covers the break itself.
You do not have to surf to spend the day here. Swimming is allowed inside the guarded area from 9am to 5pm, and the guards decide where surfers and swimmers each go, so ask where the surf area is set that day. A food truck feeds the sand, and trails run from the lot into Rheinstein Park and on to Shadmoor when you want to walk it off.
Before you drive out
The Town lot is for East Hampton residents with a permit. What Ditch Plains requires is on Hamptons Beach Pass, and it is worth reading before you leave, not at the gate. Renting for the season? Most rentals do not include a permit, and how renters get one in East Hampton is on Hamptons Beach Pass. Current Montauk rentals are on Hamptons Key.
The beach stays open all year. The restrooms close after mid-October, and the free surf wheelchair is out whenever guards are on duty. Kirk Park is the easier guarded swim closer to the village, and the Montauk beach-day itinerary shows where Ditch Plains fits a longer day.
Good to know
Can you swim at Ditch Plains when surfers are out?
Yes, inside the lifeguards’ marked area. Ask the guard where the surf area is set that day.
Is Ditch Plains good for beginners?
Only on a small day, and with a lesson. It is a reef break with rocks, and often crowded.
