Halibut Point Review

A very nice hike, enjoyed it with the kids. The scenery is breath taking.

We love Halibut Point State Park. However for the 2nd time in 2 years after paying for parking we were again disappointed that the museum was closed. I have been trying for 2 years to get into the museum with my grandchildren and could not. There should be a sign that says the museum is closed before a visitor pays to park.

It's a worth while short hike/walk around a, now water filled, Quarry right next to the Bay. Parking is currently $5 per car, cash/card accepted at the Kiosk. There is a self-guided tour map that explains at the details of the Quarry and its history next to the parking lot.

Also don't miss the carved statue on the east side of the trail next to the picnic tables. I could not find any detailed information on it, but it was beautifully carved.

This park has it all: ocean, rock quarry, fantastic views.

Beautiful place for a walk in summer! The quarry is quite beautiful, and great views of the shoreline.

Great place for family. There are nice hiking trails and beaches for everyone to enjoy.

For those who love nature great place. The trails are well marked in the park It has signposts sensational sea of rocks and the silence ...

Gorgeous state park, but parking lot fills up quickly.

Nice walk down to the rocky shoreline. Beautiful views and very peaceful. The visitors center is interesting and you can climb the tower for better views.

beautiful day, beautiful views. interesting hike through an old quarry that ends with a really nice vista out toward NH and ME. Could be done easily in an hour but enough to stretch out half a day.

Went here today and it was beautiful! They did have a nice porta potty open even with the pandemic.

A great place to hike and very close to the ocean. Very quiet. Massachusetts residents only pay $5.00 to park all day. Must have a credit to use in kiosk machine though.

It was interesting for me, but the kids were bored and looking into the quarry on a hot summer day without being able to swim in it is such a bummer.

Peaceful not crowded and very beautiful place to go with family

To say this place was quintessentially New England really wouldn't do this park justice. A light house, a stormy shore, great trails. This place had it all. I felt ready to start a novel by the end of my trip. Do yourself a favor, search for an appropriately overcast and windy day, put on a windbreaker, and make your way over to Halibut. Take in the salty smell of New England and reminisce upon the maritime greatness that was Massachusett's past.

Very beautiful place to go not to far from Boston!!

It was my first state park I ever worked. Myself, my husband and our boss were the first caretakers of this new park back in the early eighties. Emjoy,we did!

Great place to explore with the kids.
Lots of history.

Long line of cars to get in so go early. It's definitely worth the wait. We went on a Saturday and while it was busy, it didn't feel crowded. We were able to walk the paths and sit on the rocks by the ocean in peace. Everyone was maintaining mask and social distancing rules. It's an easy hike that leads to gorgeous views.

Great park that is family friendly and easy to access. Trails are well kept and very wide. Both the beaches and quarry beautiful! The park can be busy but it is very spacious so it doesn't feel too cramped. A great spot to visit if you are vacationing on the North Shore!

Really gorgeous and awesome view of the ocean. You can practically walk right into it and there s a maze of paths so that you probably won t bump into too many people. Look for the rainbow in the last photo!

I've found my new favorite destination in Massachusetts. This park is amazing. The Quarry Lake offers spectacular view and the rocky beach nearby is amazing especially for sunrise and sunset.

Beautiful short trail
Mostly flat
Worth a visit, can be explored in half hour

Great location for a reading of Melville's "Moby Dick" Just beautiful!

Great people, family owned and run, and great food at a fair price!

Great walk and views! I really enjoyed how unique the location and the scenery was.

So beautiful. It is good place to take a walk with family and dogs. In every season,it is different to view and enjoy. Quarry and ocean is very beautiful.

I love this park. Really beautiful at sunset. Just bring extra warm clothes because it is windy at the lookout!

Such a fun place to take kids to play climbing on the big rocks. It is fun only for the fit and mobile. Not a good trip for anyone that has a hard time on uneven terrain, but the kids and athletic adults will have a ball!

Halibut offers short trails to an overlook of an impressive quarry now filled with water and a nice strip of the rocky shoreline.

A family place...no sand, rocks instead. Not a swimming spot to be sure, but who wants to swim in the shark infested waters off the coast of New England. Bring a picnic basket and sunscreen it up.!

Great for a summer walk and short trip to the beach and enjoy the sun and sound of the sea. Simply peaceful.

If you love the outdoors then this is a place for you, regardless what season it is. Beautiful walking trails, access to the oceanic coastal area, and a bit of history too! My kids And I have been here many times, walking, picnics, geocaching and then some.

Parking costs a few bucks but that all goes to keeping this place nice and clean. Great to experience warm or cold weather!

Really enjoyed my visit here! Well worth strolling around here and viewing the Quarry and ocean setting

Fine place for a walk with the dog. Lots of picnic tables.

Nice park with access to the old quarry and the ocean. The paths are well-maintained and easy, so it s a good place to bring kids. It s dog friendly as well.
The pricing on the official website isn t correct for out of state visitors, it s $20 instead of $6 during COVID. You can only pay by card.

Seriously - this place is beautiful. A must see. And dog friendly! (but please pick up after your pooch - it was a little ridiculous to see bags and things left on the trail. Just be courteous it's not that hard)

This is one of the most relaxing, peace restoring, soul filling places I have been to in the entire state of Massachusetts. I highly recommend this gem to all.

I've been going here for decades. The view from the top of the rock pile is spectacular . Going the low route takes you down to where the breakers crash against the huge rocks. Be advised that dogs on leashes are allowed, but, of course, there will always be the few who would ignore this. The beauty of this place is spectacular.

Great foot trails along the coast. Old granite quality and WW 2 era spypost.

Sea & rock a beautiful combination.
Colorful trees in the last of September are very nice to see. In a word awesome.

The park itself is great. The parking situation is stupid to put it mildly. If the residents want a private parking lot maybe they should buy it. Or at least warn visitors before they drive hours to get here.

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 short hike and enjoy the ocean view and the quarry