McKenna Marsh Conservation Area - North and South Rivers Watershed Association

130 Scotland St, Hingham, MA 02043, USA

Owned By: Town of Hingham

Accord Brook flows through the McKenna Marsh Conservation Area, a 100-acre property in Hingham. A trail, suitable for horseback riding, extends for 1 mile through woodlands and along the edge of a freshwater marsh. You’ll find more conservation land to explore just across the street, at Marchesiani Farmlands.

Seasonal hunting is permitted on this property, with a town-issued permit. Hunting is prohibited on Sundays. See the hunting pages on Hingham’s website for details.

Features

According to the Hingham Conservation Land Trust, the freshwater marsh here was once used as a waterfowl preserve. McKenna Marsh is immediately adjacent to some of the town wells for Hingham and Norwell.

Spring turkey and fall deer bow hunting are allowed, by Special Permit only, through the Hingham Conservation Commission.

This land is within the region of the Massachusett (or Massachuseuk). To learn more about local Native American tribes, we encourage you to interact with their members. The Massachusett tribe at Ponkapoag and the Mattakeeset band of the Massachusett share information on their websites.

Trail Description

A property sign on Scotland Street marks the trailhead. The approx. 1-mile trail leads through an open woodland to a bridge over Accord Brook, and then along the edge of a large freshwater marsh. From there, it continues through a more dense pine forest, ending at the Norwell Water Department land on Grove Street. Within the pine grove, a spur trail leads to the Wanders Drive neighborhood.

Habitats and Wildlife

Beavers have been spotted on this property. Look for evidence of them in the area around Accord Brook. You may see a dam, or some chewed-up trees. Some of the trees present here include pine, oak, maple, cedar, and beech.

Accord Brook flows through this property and eventually into Wompatuck State Park, through Triphammer Pond, to the Weir River.

Formed at the confluence of Crooked Meadow River and Fulling Mill Brook, the Weir River flows north through Hingham, with Tower Brook and Accord Brook joining it in its first mile. It gradually turns northeast and flows for another 1.4 miles, through Weir River Farm and eventually into Foundry Pond. The Weir River Estuary, designated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as an Area of Critical Concern, begins just below the manmade dam at the pond. The mile-wide estuary — with numerous acres of undisturbed salt marsh — forms the border between Hingham and Hull, and empties into Hingham Bay. For more information about the Weir River, follow the Weir River Watershed Association.