I’ve been hiking Halibut Point State Park in Rockport for years. Let me give you some tips to make your outing there fun and memorable.
My first visit to Halibut Point was in the mid-2010’s. I’d been visiting Rockport since the mid-’90s, but always the usual haunts: Bearskin Neck, Front Beach, and the like. It was Father’s Day and I was looking for an easy, fun hike to take my kids on, preferably on the coast. I stumbled upon Halibut Point State Park, and now my kids and I have made a tradition of visiting every year.
Halibut Point is, as you can see, a State Park. It’s located a few miles from Rt. 128 and, because it’s a State Park, there is parking…but you have to pay for it. It’s only $5 for the day, though, if you’re a MA resident (it’s $20 if you’re not). Or, if you’re a regular outdoorsperson in Massachusetts, buy the DCR’s annual pass for $60. I get my money back on it from my trips to Walden Pond alone.
Hiking Halibut Point in Rockport: What to Know
Once you’ve arrived and parked, you’ll cross the road to the trailhead, which is marked clearly and easy to find. The trail is a loop trail, about a mile and a half long. You’ll start by passing through a wooded area, which opens up into the old Rockport Quarry. The view facing east gives you the quarry in the foreground and the Atlantic Ocean in the background It’s both unique and breathtaking.
Keep scrolling and I’ll take you for a virtual tour around the quarry and down to the shore, with a few tips thrown in. It’s a relatively easy hike for all ages and abilities, kids especially. Just one important thing to keep in mind: no swimming in the quarry!
