Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area map (click to enlarge)
There are thirty islands in Boston Harbor and all are part of Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. However, ferry service only runs to four of them during the tourist season. The other twenty-six islands can only be reached by private boat (five are closed to the public as far as landing is concerned). Granted, most are rocky islands with perhaps a few trees, and the National Park Service asks that many of them be left alone due to bird nesting, but a few do have historic ruins on them, and just landing on a “deserted” island is sort of neat.
Those with small boats, kayaks, or canoes can land directly on the islands, while larger boats must anchor offshore. You may have to scout out a landing zone because some have steep cliffs and ledges on multiple sides and hidden rocks just below the surface of the water. Another thing to consider is that many of these islands nearly double in size during low tide. This means that if you land your boat at low tide and then venture off, your boat isn’t going to be there when the tide comes in—it will be floating somewhere in the bay. Be aware of the tides and keep an eye on your boat.
The following web pages describe what is on the islands, if they are open to the public, and include a satellite image so you can see what area might be a good spot for landing. Check out Google Earth if you want to get a better look at the islands (images on National Park Planner are from Google Earth).
Shag Rocks, which is considered one of the thirty islands, is just a bedrock ledge that boats try to avoid, not land on. It is located just to the east of Little Brewster Island. At high tide there is about an acre’s worth of land.
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Last updated on January 16, 2024
