Rockport Quarries Hike

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Rockport, MA, US

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Route Overview

All Day Adventures

Hiking, Cyclo-Cross, MTB, Fat Bike, Road Bike: in Eastern Mass, and New England www.AllDayAdventures.org

8 mi.

437 ft.

7 Mile round trip Hike from the Rockport Train Station. See the best of the Rockport Quarries, Rockport Coastline, and Downtown Rockport

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Route Details

The Rockport Quarries Hike is a great way to see some woods and see some sights that make Rockport a destination for many tourists. Rockport is Beautiful. Expect 4 hours and near 8 miles for this hike.

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This Hike starts and ends at the Rockport Train Station. So a day trip from Boston on the train is the best way to start this hike. At the end of this hike is the World Famous Motif #1.

How Motif No. 1 Got Its Name:

*Images of Rockport’s iconic fishing shack on Bearskin Neck are known and recognized throughout the world, and instantly familiar to any student of art or art history.

 “ROCKPORT’S trademark is the dark red shack on a Bearskin Neck Wharf. Motif No. 1 is recognized in far-away places, thanks not only to visitors who spread its fame, but to the innumerable paintings and prints that have carried its likeness abroad.*

Long before you get to Bearskin Neck Warf, you will have been hiking for 5+ miles of the Dogtown Commons.

The trails are easy to hike on. While I do recommend hiking boots on this hike, you will not need full hiking equipment. Just bring a camera, lots of time, and something to drink. 70oz water is recommended.

Right out of the train station, you head straight up a very tall hill to enter the park. Once you enter the park, I take you on a little side tour to see the “Big Pile of Rocks”.

From here, you will head out into the forest and some of the interesting terrain of Dogtown Commons. At Mile 2, you will see the Johnson's Quarry, while it is an industrial setting, it still has it moments of beauty.

Next up is the Carlson Quarry which has many viewpoints from around the perimeter. Once you are past the pump house, I take you on a ½ mile out-n-back to the Flat Ledge Quarry and the Rockport Granite Bridge, both are great sights to see. The bridge is only visible from under the bridge, so many folks may have been on it, not knowing the beauty of the work to build it.

The Rowe Quarry is by far the main reason why you did this hike. A full walk around the perimeter will show you many reasons why this is the main swimming hole for all the locals.

As you exit this quarry area, you will come across the abandoned Quarry House, where most of the management for the excavations took place. Now it is a building make of quarried granite where all other traces of this building have vanished over 100 years of weather.

As you exit the Dogtown Commons, you will be across the street from the Famous Rockport Granite Pier. It is well worth the walk to the end of the pier to see some great views of Rockport Harbor and the coastline of Cape Ann.

Heading over to Back Beach, I do route you to walk across the beach if you care to.

Around the corner is Bearskin Neck a very famous collection of artisan shops for the local artists and craft makers. There are a few cafes and places to eat too. Behind one of the artisan buildings is the Motif #1 as mentioned earlier.

From here, is a walk up Broadway and back to the train station. Trains do not run very often up here, (every 2 – 3 hours on weekends) so plan accordingly. Have a fun Hike.

Rockport Quarries Hike

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