Demarest Lloyd State Park

Barney's Joy Road, Dartmouth
508-636-8816 (winter)
508-636-3298 (summer)

This park is one of the best kept secrets in the Massachusetts forest and park system. Here, an 1800-foot saltwater beach is backed by rambling hills of beach grass and shaded, grassy picnic sites. A broad, scenic marsh lines the Slocum River on the park's eastern edge.

The beach is ideal for families with children. The Buzzards Bay surf is calm and shallow, giving rise to warm watertemperatures through most of the summer. It is also a great spot to see egrets, herons, ospreys, terns and hawks.

Things to know before you go...
The park is generally open from mid may to mid September. Park hours in season are 10 am to 6 pm weekdays and 8 am to 6pm weekends and holidays. There are absolutely no pets allowed on the beach at any time. Kite surfing, skim boards, boogey boards or flotation devices of any type are not allowed. Powerboats and Jet Ski's are not allowed to land on the beach. Shell fishermen must have a valid Dartmouth shellfish license. It is very helpful if youth groups call ahead of time to schedule visits.

Park Directions
From Rt. 195: take exit 12, Faunce Corner Road south. Follow Faunce Corner rd. to Rt. 6. Go Straight across Rt. 6 onto Old Westport Rd. At the Fork stay to the left onto Chase Rd. Follow Chace road to end and take right, past the Dartmouth DPW. Follow signs the rest of the way.

From Horseneck Beach: Follow John Reed rd. (Rte.88) to the end. Take left onto East Beach Rd. Follow East Beach Road to the end and follow left turn onto Horseneck Road. Approximately 1.5 miles take right onto Old Horseneck Road and follow to end. Take a right onto Barneys Joy Road. At Stop sign take left and follow to Park Entrance. Turn left into Park.