The Light Station is surrounded by a Town park, approximately 20 acres, including 1.8 miles of marked trails offering scenic views and access to two beaches. One trail is located on the ocean side of Hockamock Head and includes a cobble beach.
The other trail is located on the harbor side of Hockamock Head. It can lead the visitor to a sandy beach. All of the trails immerse the visitor in typical Acadian Spruce forest.
Trail entrances are marked. A map is posted at the Information Kiosk. Maps are available at the Keeper’s House during open hours.
Trails are of moderate difficulty, except for the ADA accessible trail. See below. Trails can be slippery in foggy and wet conditions. There are roots and rocks along the paths, which are steep in places.
Please exercise appropriate care at all times. The road into the park is not accessible in icy conditions and is not plowed in winter. There is a vault toilet near the Information Kiosk, which is open during the summer months.
Long Point Beach Trail
On the ocean side of Hockamock Head, the Long Point Beach Trail can be accessed from the parking lot by the sign as you enter the park. The trail goes through spruce woods and over a bog bridge to rocky Long Point Beach, with views of Marshall Island. This portion of the trail borders private property. Please be respectful of this.
At the eastern end of Long Point Beach, an artists’ bench provides a place to stop before traveling the more difficult coastal path, joining the ADA Accessible trail. Stop at the natural stone bench at the end of the ADA trail. Here you will see spectacular ocean views of Marshall Island, Merchants Row, Isle au Haut, and the wind turbines on Vinalhaven. From the end of the ADA path, the trail loops through a patch of ferns into the dense forest, along the edge of a utility easement, and back down to the entrance parking lot.
Burying Point Trail
On the harbor side of Hockamock Head, the Burying Point Trail can be accessed from the summit parking lot or the trail behind the Light Station fuel house. This trail has a very different environment from the oceanside (Long Point Beach) trail. Beneath a forest canopy lies a stony, mossy path down a steep hill and along a high, treed bank at the water’s edge.
The trail ends at Burying Point Beach. A return loop will take you up stone stairs to the summit parking lot. Keep your eyes peeled for bald eagles, ospreys, and other coastal birds. A nature guide is available at the keeper’s house, an excellent resource for identifying common birds and plants on Hockamock Head and around the island. Also, pick up a free brochure on the geology of the headland.
ADA Accesible Trail
There is a short (about 200 feet) hardpacked reclaim trail starting across the road from the summit parking lot leading to Hockamock Head’s summit, where there is a natural stone bench. The trail is a perfect way for people who use wheelchairs or have limited mobility to experience the natural environment with spectacular ocean views to the west and southwest. There is an ADA accessible vault toilet adjacent to the summit parking lot.