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Ellisville Harbor State Park

Link to website

Location on a map

There is no PDF trail map for this park.

Our visit to Ellisville Harbor State Park was near the start of the coronavirus pandemic. We almost didn't stop here, because there were a number of cars in the parking lot, but the maps indicated that this was a large enough park so we ventured in. And, indeed, it worked out fine although on the way out we had to step off into the woods several times when we saw other people approaching. From the parking area is an easy trail that goes almost a half mile to a long beach, or it can be made slightly longer by taking a detour through some fields.

View of beach and water at Ellisville Harbor State Park

Although Plymouth is not part of Cape Cod, it shares some of the same sandy shoreline characteristics. The erosion is evident in this photo.

plant covered sand dune being eroded by the weather

There is also a large salt marsh inland from the beach. It is alongside the trail but not accessible from the trail since the trail is on a slight cliff; you can see the ground rise on the far side of the marsh in this picture. If you to the 'location on a map' link above and use the satellite view you can get a better idea of the park geography. You can also see an Osprey Nest in this photo.

Marshy area of Ellisville Harbor State Park

A rivulet going through the marsh

The park description says a visitor might see harbor seals, and indeed we did! Aren't they cute?

harbor seals in the water

They look a bit ungainly on a rock.

harbor seals on a rock with head and tail raised

A seal can get up on the rock to get a little sun,

Harbor seal getting on a rock with another looking from the water

but how to get down?

harbor seal on a rock seemingly pondering its situation

This is how: they roll!

motion gif of harbor seal rolling off rock into the water.

These Common Mergansers were also enjoying the rocks and water. (These are either female or immature male Common Mergansers, since the males look more like Mallards and don't have the reddish head fringe.)

Common Mergansers

This was an unusual flier:

Coast Guard helicopter in flight

The Osprey nest (shown in the marsh picture above) was occupied.

Osprey approaching its nest

Osprey landing in nest

Osprey in flight

See these pretty spring leaves?

Leaves unfolding on a bush

Don't get too close to them! These briars are from the same plant.

Briars

Here are a few random pictures to end this page.

Barnacles

driftwood against the sky

A small piece of driftwood standing upright next to a blade of grass on a beach

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Updated May 2021