Halibut Point State Park

Small Park, but we’ll worth it. Lots of very easy, slow going trails weaving in and out towards the ocean and back to a beautiful quarry. We’ll worth a quick visit, especially with kids

Halibut Point is Ia protected area on the border of Rockport and Gloucester (Gloss-​ter) with an old granite quarry, some trails through the woods, and a beautiful craggy shore line (no beach, just rocks and cliffs – and no swimming). It’s breath-​taking and reminds you how much fun it is to hike around outside and enjoy the beauty surrounding us. On a clear day you can see Crane Beach in Ipswich, Mount Agamenticus in Maine and the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire.
Plan to spend a couple hours hiking around – particularly if you have kids because there are so many spots to explore or play. But you can make this hike as long or as short as you want. It’s dog friendly but dogs should be leashed.
There are places to stop and take photos on the cliffs by the sea, but there’s also a quarry to hike around, little ponds to explore, side trails that take you into the woods to little clearings that are ripe for kids imaginations and dogs noses. There are wildflowers, tide pools, little plaques with historical information.
The trails are pretty flat, but there are rocky areas where you can climb around. Depending on the weather there may be some mud puddles to avoid.
When to visit:
I recommend going to Halibut Point in the spring or fall on a nice day, not too hot, not too cold (it is on the Ocean, so it’s usually a few degrees warmer, but also pretty windy, particularly since it’s on the point of Cape Ann).
What to bring:
Plan to bring water, snacks (carry in/​carry out), sunscreen, a sweatshirt in case it’s chilly, binoculars if you like birds, a camera because it’s so beautiful. Keep an extra set of socks or shoes in the car in case you accidentally step in a puddle.
Getting there:
Halibut Point is not 30 minutes outside of Boston… it’s more like 1:15/1:30… But it is absolutely worth it.
Info:
Daily Parking Fee: $ 5 MA Vehicle, $ 6 non-​MA Vehicle, though if capacity is reached they may close the parking lot until people leave.
The park is open year-​round from sunrise to sunset for day use only.
There are tours during the peak season (Memorial Day-​Columbus day) on Saturdays.
There are bathrooms
Trash is carry in carry out

Nice place to come for an easy hike. Beautiful ocean views! Parking is very cheap for the day. Worth a visit!

Three and a half stars. Observation tower was closed, and the weather and foliage were somewhat sub-​optimal during our visit. Sufficient parking in the lot, low difficulty with light gravel at intervals, no especially steep grades on the scenic loop around the quarry. Evidence of drilling for abandoned blasting plans, which is neat. Nice, windy overlooks along the ocean, sparse wildlife primarily in the lake. The optional rocky scramble along the shoreline can be treacherous after rain, and not all the stone slabs are fixed in the ground; exercise caution and common sense where applicable.

Beautiful. I’d classify it as more walking-​through-​nature paths that were fairly easy, though quite gravelly, but have some decent hills. You can get pretty close to the ocean, and see up the coastline. There’s great views from Halibut Point. I highly recommend a visit, though perhaps not right after inclement weather.

This is a great hiking trail for enjoying nature. You can see the quarry. It would be somewhat unsafe during snow and rain as you might slip and fall into the water. Just be cautious of the surroundings. Autumn is a good season to go as you can see the leaves changing colors!

What great history here. I have never been here before. I have been coming up to Rockport and Glouster for years. Beautiful ocean views and learning about the quarry was alot of fun too. Had no idea it exsisted. It’s 6 dollars to park with an out of state plate but that’s totoally work it. Getting to climb on rocks and feeling the ocean waves are just relaxing.

My wife and I visited Halibut Point State Park on December 23^rd. It was almost 4 pm and nearing sunset when we got there, so was becoming dark. There were two other cars in the parking lot and we were a bit spooked. Nevertheless we ventured onwards through the woods towards the ocean. When we got past the woods, we saw this huge lake that is comprised of water filling the rock quarry. The sight was so pretty that we forgot that we had come also to see the Atlantic Ocean! After looking down over the high cliffs and taking a few pictures of the quarry, we headed back to the parking lot. It was only on our drive back to Boston that I realized that we missed seeing the ocean, haha. Nevertheless, the rock quarry itself is a sight to behold, and we hope to return and complete our mission the next time we come to Massachusetts.

Absolute favorite place in the world! It’s beautiful no matter the season. I could go here everyday and be happy forever.

I went here for the 1^st time yesterday and while I expected it to be good, it turned out to be great! Its very rocky, but its still pretty easy to walk around and get to the water. Take a chair to sit in or a towel to lie by the water on some rocks.
The history is pretty interesting too and there is a nice visiter center (with clean bathrooms) to get a map and other information. Parking is also only $ 2 for the day! This is really a special place and if you are going to go to Rockport, MA, you better make your way to this park!

A whole
lot
of
rocks
Cape Ann is a rocky place, it probably wouldn’t even exist anymore if not for all granite holding the land together and resisting the power of the wind and ocean.
Halibut Point State Park use to be a huge granite quarry that was closed back in the 1920s but sign of the old quarries are obvious. Huge holes in the ground that were carved out and massive chunks of granite are still just lying around everywhere.
The park is open all year long and is a very cool place to feel and see the ocean and lots and lots of rocks. Parking is free in the off season and only two bucks during the summer. Hard to beat that deal.
Some easy and pleasant trials for hiking, as long as you don’t get stupid and get to close to the edges of the quarries. This can get really bad really quickly in the ice and snow.
Several great places to get views of the angry ocean but this is not a beach for swimming. Just too many rocks and some really nasty rip currents out there. Even when kayaking, Halibut Point is somewhere to be really, really careful. People that underestimate the ocean out here usually end up in serous trouble.
A absolutely wonderful park any time of the year. You get great views of the ocean, learn about old quarries and history and of course get to see lots and lots of really big and cool rocks.

Came up for the first time yesterday (4÷6÷14) and wandered around for a good while. Very enjoyable, even though there isn’t any green sprouting just yet. I am looking forward to coming on back to explore again soon!

Drove up from Boston to check out this park on an unseasonably warm winter weekend. Came looking for an easy hike — it’s more of a stroll — and found a gorgeous set of short trails leading down to the ocean. Quiet, serene, and beautiful location. Couldn’t recommend it more for a relaxing afternoon walk (even in the off season)!

I just had an amazing time at Halibut Point. The views, the quarry, trails, birds, snakes…
i posted a photo at Facebook when i was there and on the description i wrote:
I just found Paradise…
the visitors center is a must see, Susan was working at the time, she is a lovely person and very helpful…

This park is amazing. You park your car at a nearby parking lot (and pay a small fee) then you walk a few minutes and you’re in a very beautiful and clean area with stunning views of a small lake and the ocean.
If you do visit the park, I highly recommend watching the sunset at the ocean. It’s one view you will never forget.

I love the Halibut Point State Park. Thanks to Unilocal and the 5 Star reviews. The reviews are spot on!
Pros:
— Gorgeous (especially near the Quarry and Lookout Point)
— Easy Hike
— Some Rocks to Climb on for the adventurous ones
— Clean Bathrooms
— Only $ 2 for parking
Conclusion:
A place to go to quiet the mind of a New Yorker. calm, cool, collected!
BRING YOUR CAMERAS!
ENJOY!

Halibut Point is a beautiful escape from the city with tree-​lined trails to stroll, rocks to climb, woodpeckers to hear, and the ocean to watch. There is also a beautiful blue lake in the middle that is stunning and serene.

I came here two summers ago after spending the day in Rockport with my family, visiting me from Pennsylvania. The views of the ocean were breathtaking, and there is also a small lake surrounded by rocks on the way down to the coast (which used to be a quarry). There’s a lot of climbing up and down rocks and hills when you come here, which is great if you’re in good shape but can be rough when it’s really hot and you’re not used to it. Still, I would really recommend it if you’re in the area– plan to spend a few hours here, because it’s captivating.

Halibut Point is a beautiful, easily walkable state park. I’ve been here in all 4 seasons and each one is unique. I’m not too much of a fan in the summer just because it can get kind of crowded but there’s still always a spot along the ocean or bay where it’s quiet.
The park is the old Babson Farm granite quarry. There is a tower that was installed in the 1940’s to guide the artillery stationed on the coast that’s now turned into a visitor’s center and bathrooms. There are trails that run through the park but the main attraction is rocky shoreline where you can sit and enjoy the view, search the tidal pools or just lay back on the rocks and take a nap.

Halibut State Park is just a wonder place. We didn’t go exploring as much as we should have but what we were able to do was simply breath taking. There were 14 of us. We took the walk upwards to see the Ocean and while we were, there was a huge quarry along the way with a very high cliffs. The scenic was just breath taking. If you’re adventurous you can even take a walk downwards and sit/​lounge on top of the rocks and swim.
The OCEAN view as just beautiful. You can see ships and boats from close and afar, as well as people kayaking along the shoreline. You can also walk downwards and sunbath as well as swim. The water gets cold and be extremly careful of some rocks as it can be very slippery.
Really enjoyed the walk here. Very cool place!