Den Rock Park

GreatFeatures:
Dominating the park is Den Rock, an ancient outcropping of granite with numerous fissures and a cliff perfect for technical rock climbing.

Some areas suffered in the early 1960s from the excavation of material for constructing I-495. Here, tree growth is in early stages of succession, and small shrubs provide excellent habitat for various mammals and birds of prey. Deer, fox, coyote, beaver, hawks, and many songbirds are seen regularly.

In addition to the peripheral Great Blue Heron Trail, several miles of well-worn trails crisscross this park and lead to the climbing rock and also to the Shawsheen River.

History:
Purchased in 1877 for a cemetery but then changed into a city park in 1896, Den Rock was improved in the 1930s by workers with the Civilian Conservation Corps who installed rock steps, two amphitheathers, a boardwalk, and numerous trails. In 1995 an Andover town meeting approved rezoning property abutting the park from industrial to residential. Subsequent residential development produced significant additional protected open space on the park's western border. In the summer of 2003, the Student Conservation Association created an attractive stone pathway leading from Andover's Stirling Street into this park.

Two citizen groups are active in Den Rock Park. The Friends of Den Rock works to improve the public's access to the park through sponsoring guided walks, periodic cleanups, and rock-climbing demonstrations. The Lawrence Trails Committee has installed a blue-blazed peripheral walking trail. To obtain additional information about either group contact Groundwork Lawrence, 60 Island Street, Lawrence, MA, 01840, 978-974-0770.
 
Size: 20 acres

Parking Locations: street parking along Stirling Street in Andover (opposite house #35, please don't block driveways or on grass; small lot along Route 114 opposite North Andover Plaza

Suggested Walk: Great Blue Heron Trail (perimeter loop, marked with blue blazes and heavy dotted line on map) - 1.8 miles, 164 ft of elevation gain, 40 minutes walking time.