Paved path on Bumpkin Island, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

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Bumpkin Island Main Page

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Public ferry service to Bumpkin Island has been suspended since 2020 and will not be resumed any time soon (perhaps never). Since visitation by everyone, including park Rangers, is now extremely low, most likely the trails on the island have not been maintained. When I recently (Jan. 2024) asked a park Ranger about this, I got a typical BS government answer, which meant the Ranger really had no idea what was going on with the trails. Therefore, if you do visit the island in your own boat, be prepared for the worst. The following information pertains to the trails when they were maintained.

The trails on Bumpkin Island, part of Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, mainly serve as a way to get to the historic ruins and picnic areas. There are no printed trail maps, but there is a wayside exhibit at the boat dock that has a map. Take a photo of the panel and refer to it as you make your way around the island. I suppose it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have a map, because you can’t get lost forever. Bumpkin Island is only a half-mile long and a quarter-mile wide.

Bumpkin Island map (click to enlarge)

I hiked every foot of every trail on the island, which often required doubling back on routes I had already taken, and I covered just a little over two miles. The main trails are old paved roads, but there are a few earthen trails here and there. Nearly all are out in the open, so wear a hat and apply sunscreen if avoiding the sun is important to you. Also, the island is crawling with poison ivy. The established trails are well groomed, but venture off-trail at your own risk.

Earthen trail on Bumpkin Island, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

If you are looking to picnic, at the end of the boat dock is a dilapidated paved trail that forks to the left. A short ways down are some stairs that lead up a rather steep hill. Two picnic tables and two grills are located in an open field at the top of the hill.

Stairs lead up to the picnic area on the west end of Bumpkin Island, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

If you take a right at the end of the dock, you’ll head in the direction of the campground (camping on the island has been suspended as of 2020). Though it is not noticeable, an earthen trail begins behind the old Ranger Station, the small cabin next to the dock. This trail eventually dead ends into a paved trail that runs the length of Bumpkin Island. Take a right to reach the campsites. If you continue all the way to the end of the trail, you will come to a second picnic area on the eastern side of the island.

Earthen trail behind the Bumpkin Island Ranger Station, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

If you want to see the ruins of a children’s hospital, a World War I mess hall, and an old farmhouse, from the dock take the paved trail to the left and follow it until coming to a fork. You’ll need to make a loop to see all three sites, and the simplest way to do this is to take a left at the fork. You will come to the mess hall first, and just past it the trail becomes a grass path and forks once again. Stay right to get to the farmhouse, which is clearly in sight. Continue on the grass path until it dead ends back onto the paved trail a little farther down from the original fork. Take a right to reach the hospital ruins and to return to the start of the loop.

Farmhouse ruins on Bumpkin Island, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

At low tide you can walk around Bumpkin Island on its gravel beach. Total distance is one mile. However, at high tide the water comes all the way up to the vegetation, and the beach disappears completely in some areas. Before setting off on the hike, be aware of the tide schedule for Boston Harbor.

Shoreline between low and high tides on Bumpkin Island, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

High tide on Bumpkin Island, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

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