You will find Eastern White Pine, Hemlock, Maple, Oak, Cedar, Birch, and many more types of trees. The ammo dumps (bunkers) are to the north and east and have been completely destroyed. Dogs: Dogs must remain on leash. there is a huge ex-ammo depot up there, fenced but accessible very easily. In addition to a large campground and an extensive trail system, the park is noted for the free spring water that can be obtained at Mt. The Annex was known by locals as the Cohasset Annex. Soon after it exits the pond, it flows into the Weir River. Wompatuck State Park Wompatuck State Park is a state-owned, public recreation area of about 3,500 acres in size located primarily in the town of Hingham with portions in the neighboring towns of Cohasset, Norwell, and Scituate, Massachusetts, in the United States. The Burbank Boulder is located in the northeast area of the park near Whitney Thayer Woods. The park is built on the former Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex (known by natives as the "Cohasset Annex"), which was in use from 1941 until 1965. The route continues on the road straight past NN10 and turns right onto a dirt trail. Lastly, Beechwood Street ran east from Union Street through the site of Aaron River Reservoir to Beechwood Street in Cohasset until the reservoir was formed by a dam in 1976-1978. alot of lead experements, and at one time a piece of the manhatten project was worked on there. Due to the number of trails, a map is necessary to explore the park. Jim R., the FOW historian A section of the now-aging chain link fencing that once demarcated the parks boundaries can be found a short distance down the trail. THERE IS A $4.50 NON-REFUNDABLE TRANSACTION CHARGE FOR EACH RESERVATION MADE. It is located within one mile of the ocean. Tickets cost $6 - $11 and the journey takes 30 min. Overall Rating. The 1.5-mile Whitney Spur Rail Trail now connects the Cohasset MBTA station to Wompatuck State Park. There are several old military buildings on the property, as well as an abandoned railroad. The U.S. Navy deactivated the Cohasset Annex in 1963 and declared the land as surplus. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts took possession of the land in 1966, and began developing it as a public park the following year. Scattered throughout the property are over 100 decommissioned military bunkers, which were used to store ammunition. Below the dam, the river continues to flow through Cohasset. Many are intended for mountain bikes, but are also ideal for hiking. It was reactivated for the Korean conflict and once again went into full military operation. 100,000 Approximate number of people visiting the park each year. It is a place that transports you away from the stresses of life and allows you to just be. a recent history walk sponsored by FOW, Looking at a 1950s map of Wompatuck next to an old military bunker. Privacy Policy DisclaimerTerms and ConditionsAccessibility Statement, Fall In Love with Kanopolis Lake Hiking Trails Ellsworth, Kansas, Buffalo Track Canyon Trail Kanopolis State Park, Kansas, Hiking Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area- Hanson, MA, 3 Epic Hiking Trails in Myles Standish State Forest- Carver, MA, Cave-like shelter between N32 and N33 close to the missile test building, Stone paving circles used as a floor near the Aaron River Reservoir, Another cave-like shelter is located on the right-hand side of NS10 when entering from the northeast direction, It is also believed that Burbank Boulder at NS9 could be a Native American sacred perched boulder, Union Street and 100 on either side of the street, Doane Street (from the Cohasset gate to the power line). Until 1775 Cohasset was part of Hingham, referred to as the second parish. A large bunker with a loading dock off Union Street, known as N-9, was recently restored by three Eagle Scouts to preserve a piece of munitions history. The hiking trails at Ames Nowell State Park are plentiful. During WWII and the Korean War, it served as an ammunitions depot for the U.S. military. The park features numerous seasonal campsites, plus fishing and non-motorized boating on the Aaron River Reservoir. Originating at Accord Pond it flows along the southwest boundary of the park near Prospect Street north to South Pleasant St. The railroad tracks fan out throughout the property from what is now known as the Whitney Spur Rail Trail at the northwest corner of the park. Parking: Limited; heed posted signs regarding parking as the school bus uses the circle for turning around and police will ticket drivers parked during school hours Dog Restrictions: Allowed Hingham, with its immaculately preserved homes from a bygone era lining Main Street, Central Street and the town center, seems worlds away from nuclear ammunition, bunkers and machine gun shells. A lock icon ( It remained in use until 1965, and served both World War II and the Korean Conflict. Distance. Wompatuck State Park is a state-owned, public recreation area of about 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) in size located primarily in the town of Hingham with portions in the neighboring towns of Cohasset, Norwell, and Scituate, Massachusetts, in the United States. After years of requests, demolition of the buildings began in April 2014. Chief Wompatuck sold the land to settlers in 1655 who went on to use it to harvest timber needed for shipbuilding. Blue Street, Norwell. This is an excellent alternative to the unofficial Prospect Street entrance, around the corner, which lacks sufficient parking. click for Fullsize. The rail spur entered the ammunition depot at its northern boundary near Leavitt Street and served military warehouses, a cluster of which were in the area of the spur and Leavitt Street. This entrance features a new ADA trail that connects via a boardwalk and a crushed stone pathway to established trails within the park. Not all maps have been updated to include this entrance. When World War II ended, this area reverted to maintenance status only. Explosives such as TNT loaded depth charges, bombs, fuses, projectiles, and cartridges were produced and stored along with the assembly of rocket motors. In addition to being a popular camping location, Wompatuck is a favorite among hikers, bicyclists, kayakers, and those who like to fish. Tickets cost $0 - $10 and the journey takes . More about park features and permitted uses can be found at mass.gov/locations/wompatuck-state-park. Land was acquired from private homeowners for the purpose of expanding the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot nearby. Read Expedia's guide to find out everything you need to know about visiting South Shore Art Center! At trail marker NN6 the route turns right onto another trail. Thank you for your website feedback! Visit the MBTA website for further information. I'm sorry to point out that this is incorrect but not far off. It has multiple entrances in each of these places. It should be open. In 1967 the Massachusetts Department of Natural Resources purchased the 3496 acres to convert it to a public park. Season: Any time between late spring and late fall. Parking: Two informal roadside parking areas, each for 3-4 vehicles, on Prospect Street in Norwell, close to the Hingham town line. Common species include: muskrat, raccoon, cottontail rabbit, skunk, painted turtle, bullfrog, coyote, deer, bobcat, fisher cat, red & grey fox, yellow spotted salamander, yellow spotted turtle, and box turtle. It is a wonderful place to spend a weekend exploring. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Inside the park along Union St - afterpark entrance,Visitor Center area,Orchard Triangle,Transfer Station, Mt Blue Spring and MtBlue Stgate. What a treat! Campsite fee is $17/night for Mass . yes it was declared a superfund site, and their 2 reasons why. A few other pics from the Annex from this spring. A low risk may warrant limited use controls - trails could go through the area, but no digging would be permitted, and signs would be posted to warn the general public not to disturb the soil. You can find it in a shed with an adjacent parking area, on Union Street in the park, between markers E14 and E1, not far from the Transfer Station area. Wednesday: 9:00am-5:00pm We utilized this park as an economical . Union Street, the main road through the park, begins in Hingham and extends south, all the way through the park, becoming Mount Blue Street as it enters Norwell. u have to see it to belive how big it is. hiking trails of abington. The Friends of Wompatuck have made it a little easier to navigate with a downloadable map on your device that has a GPS locator. Below the dam, the river continues to flow through Cohasset. Campers may choose from an extensive array of trails for biking, hiking, horseback riding, and ski touring. Scattered throughout Wompatuck State Park are remnants of bunkers, railroad tracks, fences, and light posts. Explosives such as TNT-loaded depth charges, bombs, fuses, projectiles, and cartridges were produced and stored here. In addition to being open to the public for . Federal engineers also discovered the land mine area of suspected unexploded ordnance buried near a bike trail, Boles said. The loop trail connecting these two points to S11-S14 crosses the Aaron River twice. Via Car Use the address of Faneuil Hall as a guide for GPS directions: 1 Faneuil Hall Square, Boston, MA 02109. Throughout the park, you will encounter a lake, a cave, forests, and breathtaking views. Our main concern is public safety, he said. Accessible. Scattered throughout Wompatuck State Park are remnants of bunkers, railroad tracks, fences, and light posts. Much of the park is undeveloped and is heavily wooded. Blue Spring was commercially bottled. 6 ft. . If you have, please let us know if you saw the abandoned buildings. It remained in use until 1965, and served both World War II and the Korean Conflict. The state park was formerly a munitions depot during WWII. Land and water creatures abound in the park. it is a wonderful place . . Among the most common are Swamp Azalea, Solomons Seal, While Geranium, ladies slipper, and Sheep Laurel. In addition, Accord Brook flows northward along the western edge of the park, eventually into Triphammer Pond. Trees include Atlantic white cedar, American holly, chestnut oak, shagbark hickory, mountain laurel, pink dogwood, white pine, American beech, and hemlock some estimated to be 175 years old. Wompatuck State Park is located south of Boston in a small town called Hingham. The caretakers / local authorities have seen fit to seal up or backfill much of what was at Wompatuck in the last few years, but it is still a good place to visit. Several routes around the area lead to the park, but the main entrance is located on Union Street. Facilities available at the Main Entrance include the Visitors Center, 400 campsites, boat ramp, paved bike paths, picnic areas, restrooms & showers, Trailer/R.V. If you get to the small brook, then you have gone too far. State park in Massachusetts, United States, Black-and-white warbler in Wompatuck State Park, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, "THE LIST: What to know about Wompatuck State Park", "Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth", 10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2, "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA District 1964-2016", "Demolition work will open up trails at Wompatuck State Park", "Bike trail to come to Wompatuck State Park", "Rep. Bradley secures free parking for Cohasset trail", Longfellow HouseWashington's Headquarters, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wompatuck_State_Park&oldid=1136502999, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Note: Municipalities not listed have a town meeting form of government (see, This page was last edited on 30 January 2023, at 17:11. At this time, the agency is reviewing these concerns and is also exploring possible alternatives that would establish recreational access while being cost-effective, Zimmerman said. Be on the lookout for a dirt path that goes downhill on the left-hand side. The park itself opened in 1969. Of those 600 acres, 88 of those acres contain Cleveland Pond. Many of these bunkers have been backfilled, but some remain exposed. February 27, 2023 equitable estoppel california Habitats include semiconserved oak-conifer transitional forest, hemlock groves, ponds, palustrine wooded swamps and early successional shrubland. Theyd use them as echo chambers, recalled Friends member Steve Cobble of Quincy. Stroller-friendly in some sections. Wompatuck State Park. In addition, Accord Brook flows northward along the western edge of the park (including the section abutting Prospect Street), eventually into Triphammer Pond. While those sites have been judged safe for peacetime uses, the parks burning grounds still feel the fires of war. Ancillary Activities: Horses (permission may be required), Birding, Hunting (permission may be required), Camping (permission may be required), Snowmobiles, Historic Sites. The nice thing about this park is that there is an abundance of trail types from wide paved paths to dirt and rocky hiking trails to choose from.