Seniors Enjoy Wompatuck State Park

Wompatuck State Park, a recreational area of about 4000 acres in size, is located primarily in Hingham, Massachusetts, but the park extends into the neighboring towns of Cohasset, Norwell, and Scituate. Senior travelers will find the park is located just a 35-minute drive from downtown Boston. 

Wompatuck State Park offers campsites, 12 miles of paved bicycle trails, and many miles of wooded bridle paths and hiking trails.

‘Wompy’ as the locals refer to it, is close to Nantasket Beach, Boston Harbor Islands and Plymouth Rock. One of the most notable features of the Park is Mt. Blue Spring which is a popular source of fresh drinking water. Visitors can help themselves for free.

The water comes from an aquifer and is maintained by the park. Mt. Blue Spring was first bottled in the mid 1800′s and was forced to stop in the 1940′s when the US Army took over the land to create the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex.

Seniors, Meet Chief Wompatuck

The park is named for an Indian chief the local colonists knew as Josiah Wompatuck. In 1665, Chief Wompatuck deeded the park and the surrounding land to the English settlers. Wompatuck, who died in 1669, was a leader of the Mattakeesett tribe of the Massachusetts Indians.

This senior did not know that Massachusetts was the name of an Indian tribe.  Always wondered where a long name like that came from and now I know. Wompatuck was an early friend of European settlers. Being an entrepreneur, he sold the British the land upon which the city of Boston was established. Unfortunately he was slain in 1669 when he led a force of his warriors in an attack upon the powerful Mohawks.

Fun Park For Biking

Thirty-five years ago, senior visitors to Wompatuck State Park could still find open munitions storage bunkers and rusting barrels of toxic materials – remnants from a period when the military used the site to store ammunition and assemble explosives.

According to the park’s historians, the Navy also tested missile parts there in the early years of the Cold War and experimented with rocket fuels. Today the park’s munitions storage history survives in events such as the “Landmine Classic’’ bike race.

Mountain biking is popular in the park and many folks visit the park just to go riding. There are a number bicycling trails and paths for riders of all abilities. For those who seek off-road riding there is a vast amount of challenging single track.

There is also a large paved trail system which can be enjoyed by riders of all abilities. Seniors can spend some  fun time in this park.  Maybe bring your tent along and spend a few days here. Explore the old munitions plant and check out all the interesting graffiti.  All these will make for memorable times in the park.  jeb