Join us for a a hike from the Pine Pit Conservation Area in Rockport that will take us along the former railbed of the Bay State Quarry Railroad (the "rail trail") out to the Bay State and Barker Quarries, Sherburne Motions, and Greenbelt’s Kleimola Reservation in Gloucester.
Along the way, we will take a detour into Rockport’s Woodland Acres, and proceed up the rugged westerly leg of the loop trail out to Hillside Road, where we will double back up Blueberry Lane to return to the Rail Trail.
The route is a mix of wide, easy "roads" and moderate narrow trails through thick woods, with rugged terrain, dramatic scenery, and many remnants of the granite quarrying that took place here 100 years ago.
At this time of year, be prepared for snow, ice, wet and muddy conditions. Total distance is about 3.7 miles, and the estimated time is about two hours.
Meeting spot:
We will meet at the parking lot for the Pine Pit Conservation Area at the north end of Curtis St. in Rockport, across from #63 Curtis St. See location in Google maps HERE.
Curtis St. is off Route 127/Granite St. and has two entrances: At the north end, it is on the right coming from Gloucester, a short distance past Halibut Point State Park; at the south end, it is on the left coming from Rockport, at Pigeon Cove Harbor.
Please arrive early (we recommend planning to arrive between 9:50 and 9:55 am in order to be ready for the group's 10 am departure). The hike will depart promptly at 10 am.
Please note that dogs are not permitted on the Sunday Morning Hikes. If you are interested in getting notified of Dog-Friendly hikes with the Cape Ann Sunday Hikes group, you can join their Google group list from The Cape Ann Sunday Hikes home page.
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