Old Swamp River Trail

46 Abington St, Hingham, MA 02043, USA

Hingham Conservation: 781-741-1445

Owned By: Town of Hingham

• Directions
• Trail Map

The Old Swamp River Trail is a small property located in a remote section of Hingham, near the industrial parks, close to the Rockland and Weymouth borders. You’ll find an unnamed tributary to the Old Swamp River at the end of the 0.18-mile trail.

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

The Town of Hingham became the owner of this property in 2009. 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

Look for the “Caution: Blind Person” sign. Right behind it is the trailhead, which is marked with a sign and map. There is an additional property sign a little farther down the road.

The trail is narrow at first. It passes quickly through some poison ivy as well as a wet area before widening into a cart path. After passing through a small grove of pine, it continues to a sandy area, and then veers to the right, heading downhill. An unnamed stream that is a tributary to the Old Swamp River is at the bottom of the hill. This is also the terminus of the trail. (Total distance 0.18 miles.)

Habitats and Wildlife

An unnamed tributary to the Old Swamp River flows through the back of this small property. Along the trail, you’ll find maple, beech, yellow birch, oak, and pine trees, as well as wild grapes, sweet pepper bush, ferns, and poison ivy.

The Old Swamp River originates in Rockland, and flows for a while through the median between the south-and northbound lanes of Route 3, passing into Hingham, then Weymouth. Just north of Libbey Industrial Parkway, it enters the South Cove of Whitman’s Pond. The Old Swamp River is a headwater to the Weymouth Back River, which flows for about 10 miles and empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Hingham Bay, downstream of the park, and just south of Grape Island and Slate Island. For more information about the Weymouth Back River, follow the Back River Watershed Association. 

River herring swim upstream from the ocean to Whitman’s Pond (and beyond) every year to spawn. You may be able to catch a glimpse of them in April, at Herring Run Pool Park in Jackson Square, Weymouth. Other fish commonly found in the pond include bass, bluegill, crappie, pickerel, and lake trout.