Horseneck Beach State Reservation
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The Horseneck Beach State Reservation is a large public state beach reservation on Westport River, Westport Harbor, Horseneck Channel, The Let, Rhode Island Sound, and Buzzards Bay, in the southern portion of the town of Westport, Massachusetts, USA.
Contents
Composition
The state reservation is an oddly-shaped peninsula sticking out from Westport's mainland and mostly into Rhode Island Sound (southwest) and Buzzards Bay (southeast). It's comprised of about 600 acres (2.4 km²) of barrier beach, marshland, a two-mile coastline beach, and a protected esturary habitat. Most of the marshland is concentrated at the northern portion of the peninsula bordering Horseneck Channel and The Let. The coastline beach is located along the southern portion of the peninsula, bordering Rhode Island Sound and Buzzards Bay. Gooseberry Neck is an offshoot peninsula of its parent peninsula, which is Horseneck. It divides part of Rhode Island Sound from Buzzards Bay in the Atlantic Ocean.Accessibility
The state reservation is very easily accessible from the Bascule Bridge via Route 88, an offshoot of I-95. Route 88 is the main (and direct) route, and one of two only accessible land routes to Horseneck. The only other accessible land route to Horseneck is East Beach Road via Horseneck Road, on the peninsula's connector, near the Westport/Dartmouth town boundary. The beach on the state reservation is accessible from the several large designated parking lots on the beaches via toll gates.Establishments
There are several roads, mostly paved, located on the state reservation. Route 88 ends at its terminus on Horseneck, via the Bascule Bridge. Route 88 ends when John Reed Road begins. John Reed Road is the main road used for vehicle travel via parking lot offshoots, along Horseneck. John Reed Road ends at the intersection of John Reed Road and East Beach Road, on the eastern portion of the peninsula. There are restroom facilities, a management office, a food bar, designated on-duty lifeguard towers, paved walkways, etc. alongside the beach.Recreational opportunities
(according to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's Official Website)- Accessible Beaches
- Accessible Camping
- Accessible Picnicking
- Accessible Restrooms
- Boating (all types)
- Boat Ramp
- Fishing
- Historic Site
- Picnicking
- Showers
- Swimming
- Trailer / R.V. Dumping
Contact information
Rte. 88, Westport Point Telephone: 1-508-636-8816External links
- [Horseneck Beach State Reservation] from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation website
- Horseneck Beach is rated among the [Top 10 New England Beaches].
- [Pictures of Horseneck Beach from the Westport Historical Society website]
- [Horseneck Beach State Reservation] from L. L. Bean website
- [Maps and aerial photos]
- * Street map from [Google Maps] or [Yahoo! Maps]
- * Topographic map from [TopoZone]
- * Aerial image or topographic map from [TerraServer-USA]
- * Satellite image from [Google Maps] or [Windows Live Local]
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