In 1941, the United States government established the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex (known by locals as the Cohasset Annex). The dam that holds the reservoir in place was constructed from 1976-1978. The Annex was known by locals as the Cohasset Annex. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. 110+ underground bunkers stored munitions. cache 6h 0m The 1.4 mile route begins at the entrance at the end of Leavitt Street and loops around the northwest corner of Wompatuck park, an area that abuts the Whitney Spur Rail Trail. Wompatuck State Park Trail Map; Wompatuck State Park Trail Reports; Share. Many of the bunkers which were used to store ammunition have been filled in, but some remain open and can be explored. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. Wompy's trails can be wet in early spring. 100,000 Approximate number of people visiting the park each year. Recommended Trail Activities: Running, Walking, Hiking, Trail Biking Avoid riding on the trails in wet conditions. Wompatuck Trail Map. Were looking to complete the remedial investigation for the site, Charette said. During the 1800s, families maintained woodlots and grazing lands here, and the streams powered the Stockbridge Shingle Mill. Blue Street, Norwell. Corps officials are studying a report received in May on the projects analysis of the contamination and a range of proposed solutions, which range from removing contaminated soil to simply posting warning signs and taking down the wire fence that bars people from the site, not far from the parks campground. Length: 3.9 mi Est. Among the most common are Swamp Azalea, Solomon's Seal, While Geranium, ladies slipper, and Sheep Laurel. This alternate and unofficial entrance to Wompatuck State Park is located on Prospect Street in Norwell, very close to the Hingham town line. In 1966 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts took possession of the Cohasset Annex property. Wompatuck State Park is located in eastern Massachusetts, just half an hour south of Boston. Doane Street was created at the initiative of Doane to make it easier for second parish residents to attend Hingham town meetings at the corner of Leavitt and East Streets. Wompatuck kind of spoiled us a bit, as it was our first introduction to RV camping at a state park. I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. Other water features include: Mount Blue Spring, a source of potable spring water, and Woodpecker, Wildcat, and Heron ponds. The tall trees were used for masts and stone walls were built to denote survey and boundary lines. Most buildings have had their roofs and windows removed and are open to the elements. There are still bunkers all over the property, but most are locked up. This all came to an end in 1962. the dog but I have also ridden a great deal of the mountain bike trails.The trail system is well marked and the trail map is a very good . The Visitor Center is accessible from the Union Street entrance. Read Expedia's guide to find out everything you need to know about visiting South Shore Art Center! Encompassing 3,500 acres (1540 in Hingham), this heavily wooded park is one of the towns greatest conservation assets. Wompatuck State Park mountain bike trail map. Primarily located in Hingham, Massachusetts, Wompatuck State Park also extends into the nearby towns of Cohasset, Norwell, and Scituate. This park is said to contain approximately 600 acres. Approximately 400 campsites are open from late spring to early autumn. "Bears run; they . Wednesday: 9:00am-5:00pm OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Wompatuck State Park, Hingham: See 119 reviews, articles, and 40 photos of Wompatuck State Park, ranked No.2 on Tripadvisor among 20 attractions in Hingham. Hingham Historical Society Presents a Waves of Change Presentation:Lasting Imprints of WWI and WWII:Bare Cove Park and WompatuckCamp Hingham and the Munition. For thousands of years, the land that encompasses what is today Norwell was inhabited by indigenous people. giving a history tour of Wompy, Walking though the park during The Gulf River flows into the ocean at Cohasset Harbor. On January 1, 2004, a 125 acre parcel off of Leavitt Street was added to the park. The farmers used the fields to graze their horses, sheep, and oxen. 1941 Navy acquired the land for an ammunition depot. At trail marker NN6 the route turns right onto another trail. Hours: Sunrise to sunset, plus overnight camping with reservation. Explosives such as TNT-loaded depth charges, bombs, fuses . The Gulf River flows into the ocean at Cohasset Harbor. Accord Brook, which originates in Accord Pond, flows north along the parks border, from the Hingham-Norwell town line to S. Pleasant Street. Still some stuff there, but you can see that they are systematically taking it all down. In the 1700s, early settlers and ship captains held title to the area, but the land was never extensively developed. Wompatuck State Park Grove Street Entrance (Norwell), Count Fish Online South River, Marshfield, Dumpster Maintenance and Waste Materials Checklist. Its also great spot to begin a mountain bike ride through the park. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. Scattered throughout the property are over 100 decommissioned military bunkers, which were used to store ammunition. The Whitney Spur Rail Trail was built as part of the Greenbush Commuter Rail reconstruction project in 2003. From what I could see through the door it might be two rooms? For mountain bikers, the park is home to one of the longest sections of switchbacked singletrack in the state. Scattered throughout the property are over 100 decommissioned military bunkers, which were used to store ammunition. The area of the Leavitt Street entrance is characterized by Leavitt Street and the Whitney Spur Rail Trail. It is fairly quiet with a significant amount of trails to explore. Read more. The Friends of Wompatuck have made it a little easier to navigate with a downloadable map on your device that has a GPS locator. The Doane Street creates a direct connection between East Street in Hingham and the Beechwood area in Hinghams second parish (Cohasset). It joins with Brass Kettle Brook and eventually empties into the Gulf River in North Scituate. Read more about camping at Wompatuck State Park. Wompatuck State Park is located south of Boston in a small town called Hingham. As always, let's all help to maintain and preserve this park by not littering and treating this natural area with care. Compare 2,301 hotels, room rates, hotel reviews and availability. Streams powered the Stockbridge Shingle Mill and water from Mt. PO Box 43 The red train shop was always my favorite spot anyway, good to see it's still around. The park's campground offers 262 campsites, 140 of which have electrical service. In addition to the beauty here, the trail will lead you to numerous . I used to skateboard in the correct spot to the northeast with my friends in the 80's when I was a teen. You can find a map of Whitney and Thayer Woods Here, For a map of this route check out Mapy.cz. Monday: 1:00-5:00pm When the Civil War broke out all the local men were swept into the fight. The park features approximately 400 seasonal campsites, plus fishing, non-motorized boating and seasonal ice skating on the Aaron River Reservoir. Check out some of the older satt. The ammo dumps (bunkers) are to the north and east and have been completely destroyed. yea, i believe N-9 was made specifically to hold a certain anti-aircraft or anti-tank missile or something dont quote but something along those lines, RUR-5 ASROC, an anti-sub rocket. . Most buildings have had their roofs and windows removed, and are open to the elements. Scoop the poop! Wompatuck State Park Trails. There are ponds for fishing, and hunting is permitted in season. Is N-9 different than the other bunkers? 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 In 1986 the Park acquired an additional 600 acres from the government. There are numerous woodland trails within the park for hiking, dog-walking, horseback riding, cycling, and cross-country skiing. Monday: 1:00-5:00pm This 3,500-acre Massachusetts state park served as the Hingham Naval Ammunition Annex from 1941 to 1965. This boulder which balances itself at three points equally distant from each other, was left on the earths surface by glaciers. The land itself feels lush and magical. Historic site. The nearly 3,600-acre park contains more than 110 now-filled storage bunkers, including - according to the sites historians - one that housed parts of the Navys first nuclear depth charge. Theyd use them as echo chambers, recalled Friends member Steve Cobble of Quincy. Check out these highly recommended hotels in Accord for 2023! The Annex was connected to the Ammunition Depot on the Back River, at what is now Bare Cove Park by railroad. I prefer the dirt, but the occasional walk along the pavement was also welcoming. The Mount Blue Spring is currently closed. [5] Upland game bird hunting is allowed in season in the South Field area. The road loops past 2 trails on the right and another building foundation at trail marker NN10. In addition to being open to the public for . The park itself opened in 1969. The picture-perfect community has much green space, a good amount of which was once under the . For more Wompatuck history check out our newsletters. The sites are: Read the full Friends of Wompatuck Newsletter to learn more about Native American stonework in Eastern Massachusetts. Camping is open from mid-April until mid-October. Please let us know how we can improve this page. Parking: Two informal roadside parking areas, each for 3-4 vehicles, on Prospect Street in Norwell, close to the Hingham town line. The streams powered Stockbridge Mill, which was used to make shingles. Throughout the park, you will encounter a lake, a cave, forests, and breathtaking views. In 1969 the park opened for limited outdoor recreational use, and in 1973 it was dedicated as Wompatuck State Park. Among the most common are swamp azalea, solomons seal, white geranium, ladies slipper, and sheep laurel. Find cheap hotels near Old Ship Church in Plymouth County with real guest reviews and ratings. 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. In the spring some of the trails can be muddy so be prepared. The Wompatuck Trail is ADA accessible. Throughout Wompatuck State Park are remnants of the ammunition depot such as bunkers, railroad tracks, old fire hydrants, and many other fixtures. Access to the Boston public rail system was convenient and provided access to many parts of the Boston area. This land that we call Wompatuck State Park was originally the property of the Indian chief Josiah Wompatuck. Acquired by the state in 1967, the park offers some 40 miles of wooded mountain bike and hiking trails, 12 miles of paved bicycle trails, more than 250 campsites, and open water for boating and . The path will connect to N11 again. During WWII and the Korean War, it served as an ammunitions depot for the U.S. military. According to the parks historians, the Navy also tested missile parts there in the early years of the Cold War and experimented with rocket fuels. The state park was formerly a munitions depot during WWII. Most buildings have had their roofs and windows removed and are open to the elements. There are several old military buildings on the property, as well as an abandoned railroad. The land was originally owned by Chief Joseph Wompatuck, thus the name. 781-447-7223 | 242 Bedford St. Whitman MA 02382. . Exploring some building ruins. Offering an over 250 site campground, 12 miles of non-motorized roads and 40 miles of forest trails, the park is a great place to get into nature. The trail winds through the woods, passing rock outcroppings and loops back to the Whitney Spur Rail Trail at marker NN8. Some cool old bunkers (unfortunately some . Book Plymouth County Weir River Farm hotels and get the lowest price guranteed by Trip.com! The rest of the park contains a great many hiking trails. You can find it by navigating to S30 and S31 on the trail map. Robert Knox can be reached at rc.knox2@gmail.com. In 1655 he deeded the land we now call Hingham so that others . Fish commonly found in the 136-acre Aaron River Reservoir include bass, pickerel, sunfish, and perch. 451 trails on an interactive map of the trail network. the pictures up here are amazing, but they dont do the place justice. Many of these bunkers have been backfilled, but some remain exposed. This entrance features a new ADA trail that connects via a boardwalk and a crushed stone pathway to established trails within the park. A boat ramp allows access to Aaron River Reservoir for non-motorized boating. A few other pics from the Annex from this spring. Via Car Use the address of Faneuil Hall as a guide for GPS directions: 1 Faneuil Hall Square, Boston, MA 02109. The way the park is set up, you choose your own adventure. To get there, follow the trail from Marker S32 to S33 to S 34, and then onward to S3 and S4. The state last estimated its bear population at between 4,000 and 4,500 - up from about 100 in the early 1970s. The trail offers a number of activity options and is. Land and water creatures abound in the park. The episode led the 100-member Friends group to christen their annual bike race fund-raiser the Landmine Classic. It is a wonderful place to spend a weekend exploring. In their absence, the land was not utilized and the forest started to reclaim it. Have you hiked or biked the loop at Wompatuck State Park? 2023 North & South Rivers Watershed Association. The 1.5mile long Whitney Spur Rail Trail was constructed in 2003 on land owned by the Department of Conservation and Recreation from the MBTA Cohasset Commuter Rail Station parking lot to Wompatuck State Park. A lock icon ( It consists of 3, 526 acres and is surrounded by other conservation areas creating a beautiful area in which one can find solitude and quietness. This map is centered on the presently in-use state park camping area. . Much of the park is undeveloped and is heavily wooded. During the civil war, many of the men in the area left to serve in the war and never returned. Rich in history, this land was originally the property of Indian chief Josiah Wompatuck who deeded the land to English Settlers in 1665. Typically, the Mt. According to a former supervisor of Wompatuck, there are three sites in Wompatuck State Park which are believed to have been used by Indigenous people. Zimmerman said his department is unable to say when the closed area will be opened. A risk assessment will determine how much remediation is needed. The Aaron Reservoir Dam was constructed from 1976-1978. 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. 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. Sorry, we This land that we call Wompatuck State Park was originally the property of the Indian chief Josiah Wompatuck. Below the dam, the river continues to flow on to Lilly (formerly Scituate) Pond. This allows for no two hikes to be the same. A rail spur known as the Whitney Spur formerly connected the Ammunition Depot to the Old Colony Railroad's Greenbush Line. Wompatuck State Park. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream. Explosives such as TNT-loaded depth charges, bombs, fuses, projectiles, and cartridges were produced and stored here. Wompatuck State Park in Hingham is rated 8.2 of 10 at RV LIFE Campground Reviews. Ancillary Activities: Horses (permission may be required), Birding, Hunting (permission may be required), Camping (permission may be required), Snowmobiles, Historic Sites. Dogs: Dogs must remain on leash. For information on the Wompatuck State Park Big Loop Trail, head to the AllTrails website. There are several old military buildings on the property, as well as an abandoned railroad. When World War II ended, this area reverted to maintenance status only. Many cement bunkers were constructed and the area became a huge ammunitions storage depot. In the 1700s, early settlers and ship captains held title to the area, but the land was never extensively developed. In the 1700s early settlers and ship captains held title to the area, but the land was never extensively developed. 1665 Chief Josiah Wompatuck deeded the land to settlers. Blue Spring, Transfer Gate. But the new rail trail is a trail to nowhere, the Friends say, because it is blocked by the wire fence around the closed area. In 1969 the park opened for limited outdoor recreational use, and in 1973 it was dedicated as Wompatuck State Park. 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. You cant beat that. Every winter, the sailing vessel Noorderlicht is intentionally frozen into Tempelfjorden. Now a federal project to clean up the burning grounds at Wompatuck is expected to conclude a decades-long effort by the Army Corps of Engineers to resolve all the parks contamination issues dating to its history as an ammunition storage and weapons development site. Explosives such as TNT loaded depth charges, bombs, fuses, projectiles, and cartridges were produced and stored along with the assembly of rocket motors. Blue . You will pass a raised area, which is the foundation for an old warehouse on the left side and follow the road as it turns to the left and stays left at a fork in the road. Water from Mt. Reply #3 on: April 29, 2004, 02:54:39 PM . Take the red trail on the right and follow it until it becomes red and yellow. Water features include Cohassets Aaron River Reservoir which was created by damming the Aaron which flows east from Holly Pond. Some motor pool and factory buildings remain north-north-east but the asbestos abatement has reduced them to mere hulks. Get more stories delivered right to your email. The land at Wompatuck State Park was commonly used by the Massachusett tribe, led by Chief Josiah Wompatuck. Book hotels from Trip.com and get fantastic deals and exclusive discounts! 43 reviews of Wompatuck State Park "Wompatuck State Park is a huge (something like 4000 acre?) If you need assistance, please Learn About DCR| Mass.gov. What a treat! Some cool old bunkers (unfortunately some graffiti - seems like it is a trend around the area to tag historical stuff - such a shame) Date of experience: March 2020 Ask debbies556 about Wompatuck State Park Such great history!!! After years of requests, demolition of the buildings began in April 2014. a little known fact that many dont know about. In winter, the trails are perfect for cross . - Trail Map (PDF) - Recommended Spring '22 Hikes (PDF) Season: Camping Season is mid-May through mid-October. It joins with Brass Kettle Brook and eventually empties into the Gulf River in North Scituate. Leavitt Street, which continues into Doane Street and into Cohassets Beechwood area. Explosives such as TNT-loaded depth charges, bombs, fuses, projectiles, and cartridges were produced and stored here. Blue . In 1969, Wompatuck State Park opened to the public. Distance. Scattered throughout Wompatuck State Park are remnants of bunkers, railroad tracks, fences, and light posts.