Massachusetts State and Local Parks North of Boston

Greater Merrimack Valley

61 Market Street, Unit 1C Lowell, MA, 01852 Phone: 978-459-6150

Engaging & popular museums give visitors a pathway to America’s past

Two hugely significant eras in the nation’s history come alive at two engaging, interactive parks in the Greater Merrimack Valley. The multi-faceted Lowell National Historical Park brings visitors back to the Industrial Revolution, inviting them, at the Boost Cotton Mills Museum, to visit a 1920s-era weave room (Iisten for the roar of 85 operating looms) and the Mill Girls Boardinghouse Exhibit. Take a walking or canal tour to learn about the life of mill workers in the “Spindle City.” Over in Concord and Lexington, the Minuteman National Park sits where the American Revolution began in 1775. Walk in the footsteps of colonial militia and British regulars along the Battle Road Trail and visit the North Bridge, where the “shot heard ‘round the world” was fired.

Maudslay State Park

74 Curzon Mill Road Newburyport, MA, 01950 Phone: 978-465-7223

This park features gardens from the 1800s, other plantings, rolling meadows, and huge groves of mountain laurel. Loved by visitors for the may-to-June blooming period of large beds of azaleas and rhododendrons. An exquisite place for walking, biking, and informal picnics. Portions closed in winter, but still fine for walks. Special use permits allowed for weddings. - Trail Map (PDF)

Minute Man National Historical Park

210 North Great Road Lincoln, MA, 01773 Phone: 508-369-6993

The starting point for the American Revolution happened here. Visitors will enjoy tours, exhibits and talks. Sites include the Minute Man statue and the North Bridge, site of the first shot fired in the Revolution.
Hours: The park itself and Hartwell Tavern are open year-round, sunrise to sunset. Visitor Centers are open early May thru the end of October, 9am - 5pm.

Halibut Point State Park

Gott Avenue Rockport, MA, 01966 Phone: 508-546-2997

On a promontory beyond Rockport Between Ipswich Bay and the Atlantic, Halibut Point is a beautiful place for viewing the seascape, walking, birdwatching, and picnicking. It is a former granite quarry and is now run the Trustees for Reservations . On summer weekends tours of the quarry are offered. There are wildflower walks and tide pool education programs in the summer and bird tours in the winter. Most of the park is wheelchair accessible. - Park Map (PDF)
Season and Hours: Open daily 8am to Sunset. Parking fee charges between mid-May and the end of October.

Lawrence Heritage State Park

1 Jackson Street Lawrence, MA, 01840 Phone: 978-794-1655

This is the place to learn about this city’s industrial history. Interactive exhibits in a genuine and restored mill workers’ boarding house describe life in this early planned city. The Visitors Center includes a replicas of the mills and boarding houses, telling the life histories of the three dozen immigrant groups who settled in Lawrence. A video of the Great Strike of 1912 describes a piece of this country’s labor history. The Bread and Roses Festival on Labor Day is an annual highlight. Guided tours are offered. Pemberton Park, off Canal Street near the Central Bridge, offers views of the mills and dam, along with places to fish. The area has walking trails and benches. Open daily 9am – 4pm.

Harold Parker State Forest

133 Jenkins Road Andover, MA, 01810 Phone: 508-686-3391

Harold Parker State Forest is a large property of hardwood and pine forests just 20 miles from Boston. Camping at Lorraine Park campground, at 133 Jenkins Road, is a real in-the-forest experience. There are 89 spread-out camp sites with picnic tables and grills and bathrooms with hot showers. No electrical hookups. Camping is done from late May to early September.
More than 35 miles of logging roads are available to hikers and off-road bikers. Horseback riding is allowed. Fishing and paddling with canoes and kayaks (no motor boats) are allowed on the forest’s eleven ponds. The property does not offer boat or bike rentals. - Trail Map (PDF) - Reserve a Campsite

Lowell Heritage State Park

160 Pawtucket Boulevard Lowell, MA, 01854 Phone: 978-458-8750

This park illustrates the life of Lowell’s 19th-centry textile mills. Among the things to see here are a network of canals that furnished power to the textile mills along the water. The park includes two miles of landscaped esplanade where summer concerts take place, and a Victorian garden in the downtown. To get access to the walking paths, park at Rynne Bathhouse.
The park offers swimming and boating in the Merrimack River. Boating access to the Merrimack River is at the Rourke Brothers State Boat Ramp on Route 113. It has 44 trailer lots and 20 car-top lots. The entrance to the ramp is across from 1011 Pawtucket Blvd. and one-half mile west of the Rourke Bridge. There is an easy walking trail of 1.5 miles in length along the Lowell Esplanade. Park at Rynne Bathouse located at 160 Pawtucket Blvd.
Note that Lowell National Historical Park, operated by the National Park Service, is a similar but separate entity from Lowell Heritage State Park.

Breakheart Reservation – Pearce Lake

177 Forest Street Saugus, MA, 01906 Phone: 781-233-0834

Breakheart Reservation is a 640-acre hardwood forest with a supervised swimming area at Pearce Lake, one of the few freshwater swimming spots north of Boston. An extensive trail system through the forest touches many remote areas of the reservation. Popular activities are fishing in Silver and Pearce Lakes, hiking the trails, and wildlife watching by the Saugus River. Open year-round, dawn to dusk. - Trail Map (PDF)

Salisbury Beach State Reservation

1 Beach Road - Route 1A Salisbury, MA, 01952 Phone: 508-462-4481

This beautiful ocean beach stretches almost 4 miles along the Atlantic. Activities include ocean swimming, boating, fishing, and camping. It is very popular for trailer camping, offering 484 trailer sites. The property has bathhouses, parking for day visitors, boardwalks, a pavilion and a playground. Two boat ramps are on the Merrimack River.
Camping is done from May to October. Off-season camping on weekends is October to late November. Hunters may use the island and Sandy Point State Reservation. See park website for rules about hunting. - Camping Area Map

Bradley Palmer State Park

40 Asbury Street Topsfield, MA, 01983 Phone: 508-887-5931

This former estate has many pleasant, shaded walking trails and old carriage roads. Lots of rhododendron bushes blaze in June. The park/estate is bordered on its north end by the Ipswich River, and a kayak and canoe rental business is located just east of the park, on Ipswich Road. There is a wading pool for young children and areas for picnicking. Hunting is allowed at Cleveland Farm. Archery hunting only at Prospect Hill. Horseback riding is allowed on trails, but there are no rentals of horses or equestrian equipment. - Trail Map (PDF)

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North of Boston/Merrimack Valley boasts state and local parks with fun activities all year