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Gilbert Hills State Park

Massachusetts > Eastern, MA

Description

This is a state park littered with boulders and short cliffs. There is great access as the Massachusetts DCR allows climbing in their state parks. There has been lots of recent activity with more new stuff on the way.\

As well as the information here, there is a recent guide by Dana Seaton available through the Gunks+ app.

Getting There

This is located in Foxborough, Massachusetts (3/4's the way to Providence from Boston) just off of Route 1 near its intersection with Route 495.

The High Rock entrance parking area (at the very end of High Rock Road near the cell tower) has coordinates 42.071823, -71.289321.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Map showing the major boulders.
[Hide Photo] Map showing the major boulders.
A small area within Gilbert Hills showing the location of Goat Rock and other smaller boulders/cliffs. Phantom Tower and Train Tracks are also shown. Map IDs correspond to photo IDs.
[Hide Photo] A small area within Gilbert Hills showing the location of Goat Rock and other smaller boulders/cliffs. Phantom Tower and Train Tracks are also shown. Map IDs correspond to photo IDs.
Train Tracks Boulder.
[Hide Photo] Train Tracks Boulder.
Elliot on Hitch Spiker.
[Hide Photo] Elliot on Hitch Spiker.
Rocky.
[Hide Photo] Rocky.
Mike Robin.
[Hide Photo] Mike Robin.
Brian Cowles on a V5 on the Train Tracks boulder.
[Hide Photo] Brian Cowles on a V5 on the Train Tracks boulder.
Gritish Invasion, V7.
[Hide Photo] Gritish Invasion, V7.
Rocky on Phantom Power.
[Hide Photo] Rocky on Phantom Power.
Jeremy Wall Memorial Problem V5, a must do if you find yourself in the area.
[Hide Photo] Jeremy Wall Memorial Problem V5, a must do if you find yourself in the area.
Cube Boulder (the trees).
[Hide Photo] Cube Boulder (the trees).
Train Tracks Boulder.
[Hide Photo] Train Tracks Boulder.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

patrick donahue
Bend, OR
[Hide Comment] Does any one have any good beta topos or know where I could find them. Jul 1, 2010
Joe M
MA and NH
[Hide Comment] What's here on mp is the best available information so far. We have tried to put the best stuff on here, though there is plenty more out there.... Jul 28, 2010
Joe M
MA and NH
[Hide Comment] Be sure to let me know, I will give you a tour. Nov 5, 2010
patrick donahue
Bend, OR
[Hide Comment] I'm going to be off for a school break in March and was wondering if the snow here will be a problem at all. Feb 26, 2011
DFrench
Cape Ann
[Hide Comment] March can be a complete toss-up, especially in the area around Foxboro. And much of Gilbert Hills is forested, so it doesn't quite get the sun needed to melt things quickly.

However, if the weather holds right you could have some nice conditions, albeit a bit muddy/swampy.

Another thing to consider depending on the forecast is shoveling off the top-outs and landing zone early in the week and hope for some meltage, then go back and climb later.

Yet another option is always Lincoln Woods, RI which seems to melt pretty fast and may have easier access if the weather has been poor. And there's also a much greater chance that someone will have already shoveled out the landing for you. Feb 26, 2011
Joe M
MA and NH
[Hide Comment] Lincoln Woods is already mostly climbable. We have been shoveling most of the winter, so things are good there. Like Dfrench said, Ghills tends to have more pine trees and thus be more shady and takes longer to melt. Mar 1, 2011
Timcollins
[Hide Comment] Anyone wanna boulder? I have 1 pad. I'm home for holidays, need a spotter and more pads maybe. 4349871971 holla. Dec 25, 2013
Tim McGivern
Medford, ma
[Hide Comment] A few of us from the north side of the city are coming down to check out some of the blocks on Friday morning 10/13. Looking forward to it! Oct 11, 2017
Tim McGivern
Medford, ma
[Hide Comment] Big fan of the Train Tracks boulder and Phantom Tower. Looking forward to climbing more rock here! Oct 13, 2017
Curtis Tripp
Seattle, WA
[Hide Comment] I also happened to check this place out for the first time today. Good problems and great stone, should see more traffic. Oct 13, 2017
Corey Janusz
[Hide Comment] Hoping to get some climbs in here the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and/or the following Friday. Anyone else interested? Nov 10, 2018
Sawyer W
NH
[Hide Comment] (Snarky comments removed due to user being hangry after getting lost in the woods, my b)

Anyone have train tracks approach beta? Oct 17, 2019
Joe M
MA and NH
[Hide Comment] The green map is correct. The white map shows where Nick's Boulder is not the Train Tracks Boulder. I didn't make that graphic, so the guy who made it kind of messed up. The Train Tracks Boulder is on either the yellow or green trail and can be found by taking one right hand turn off the Megley Road and heading kind of down into the valley. Oct 18, 2019
Jonathan Gregg
Eastern MA
[Hide Comment] Here is a Youtube playlist of all of the videos I have posted of climbing here: youtube.com/playlist?list=P…. Dec 12, 2021
Dana Seaton
Rhode Island
[Hide Comment] Finally finished up the Gilbert Hills Gunksapps with my friend Brian O'Leary. It should help with the years of DMs I have received about climbers getting lost. gunksapps.com/. Sep 23, 2023
Michael Diiorio
[Hide Comment] Dana, just wanted to say thank you for making the GunksApp guide. I used it the other day and found it incredibly helpful. It is honestly one of the best of the bunch with all of the helpful parking beta! Hoping it makes GH more popular, so we can all work to reclean some of the great problems there. Oct 21, 2023
Dana Seaton
Rhode Island
[Hide Comment] Thanks, that’s really kind of you to say. I made a quick update with park hours so as to deter night bouldering which could jeopardize climbing access. Oct 21, 2023