Halibut Point State Park

June 13, 2020 Sunny

Halibut Point State Park is a very popular destination on Cape Ann in the summer. There is almost always a line of cars waiting to get in. Rangers are posted at the front gate to turn people away. When we came in the early afternoon of a beautiful summer day, we had to wait for over half an hour to get in.

Halibut Point was once a large granite quarry called the Babson Farm Quarry at the turn of the 20th century. There is a self guided trail around the perimeter of the quarry. A pamphlet from the visitor’s center provides a very detailed history of the quarry.

The quarry is beautiful on a sunny day. The water is blue and clear, and very inviting. However, swimming and diving are strictly prohibited. The only swimmers in the quarry are these geese.

Along the guided trail, there are many side paths for scrambling down to the water’s edge. Or one can stay on the main path which is level and easy, and still gets a great view.

Beyond the quarry, a side trail takes us to a scenic vista point for a panoramic view of the ocean. Another trail goes down to the rocky shore.

This is where the fun begins. The boys loved all the scrambling. They looked for crabs and other creatures in the crevices. They studied the seaweeds. They also loved to get really close to the tide, and then wait for the last minute before jumping out of way before the waves splashed down. Occasionally they got wet, and it proved their courage somehow.

The rocky shore of Cape Ann is very dramatic. In the distance there are many lobster traps. We also saw a seagull catching and taking a fish to a large rock and was prepared to eat it, when a wave swiped the fish off the rock into the ocean. It was like a nature show for the kids.

Some families and couples spread out a picnic on the rocks by the sea. We went to a fried seafood shack called “Lobster Pool” just outside of the state park. This place has outdoor seating with a commanding view of the sea. The food was delicious and the view of the sunset was breathtaking.

Halibut Point State Park is always one of our favorite places, and it didn’t disappoint this time.

• This is an amazingly picturesque state park. Especially great for kids to explore the coastline.
• One of our favorite! Absolutely stunning quarry and ocean views. Parking could be tricky in the summer.
• Big quarry filled with water right by the beach. Very epic.
• The quarry was filled with lots of water, and the walk was short. It was fun to see the waves crash against the shore.
• We went to a big quarry with a bunch of rocks and we went up close to the water and I threw rocks in it and it was cool.

For more information: Halibut Point State Park official site