Slate Island (click to enlarge)
Slate Island in Boston Harbor consists of nearly thirteen acres above high tide, but most are covered in vegetation, and there is plenty of poison ivy. The island gets its name because slate was quarried from it in Colonial times, and remnants of the quarry still exist. It was a private island all the way up until the 1970s.
There are no trails on Slate Island, but based on the satellite image, it looks like it is possible to walk entirely around the island along the shore at low tide, a journey of a half mile. The only tricky spot is the steep ledge on the northwest corner. At low tide the island is supposedly connected to the mainland at Hingham.
Slate Island is not serviced by the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area public ferry.
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on January 18, 2024
