Black Rock

Black Rock

This is one of the most beautiful places on the island. It is a little tricky to get to but well worth the trip. The entrance to Black Rock is on Cooneymus Road. Getting there from town is a pretty long ride with some very big hills. With kids I recommend driving. There is a parking lot. The trail to the beach is about a mile long and accessible only to walkers, bicyclers or horse-back riders. With kids walking is definitely the best way to go. For bicyclers it is very rough riding in spots. For those with babies I recommend a back pack. For those with toddlers I recommend a jog stroller. Once you reach the beach you can easily walk down with a baby on your back. A jog stroller can be left at the top of the bluff and you can carry your toddler down or just enjoy the view from the top. Older kids can do this walk. Although there may be some complaining it is worth it. Bring water!

Black Rock is a point made up of huge, black colored boulders. The beach is normally covered in rocks with some sandy patches. Sometimes there is even enough sand for wading but do not swim here with kids. The water is very rough and there are sharks. Although you may not go in the water here, rugged surfers often do and it is fabulous to watch them. There are often very interesting things washed up on the beach here because of the power of the surf. We have found, literally boats, sharks, buoys, all kinds of fish bones and much more of interest. The surfers and other beach partiers build shelters made of drift wood on the beach and in the bluffs, which are a lot of fun for kids to explore. Very occasionally we have seen naked people here sunning themselves but pay them no mind. Another fun thing to do is collect the greenish clay-like mud from the springs that seep from the bluffs and cover your body with it. Let it dry. Take a lot of pictures. Rinse it off. Kids and adults alike love this. And it is good for your skin!

If you simply can’t do the walk to Black Rock but you have a four-wheel drive vehicle with very high clearance you can drive. Turn at the Painted Rock at the intersection of the Mohegan Trail and Lakeside Drive turn right on Lakeside Drive. (It is an island tradition to paint this rock nightly to commemorate something, anything, that might be going on. The original rock was probably only the size of a pebble made large by so many layers of paint.) At the end of this road there is a house and a small parking area with a bike rack. This is the launching point for the beach Snake Hole (see listing below). Turn right on the dirt road and continue. This road travels along the tops of the bluffs on the south end of the island. There are a few very nice homes here. The road is very, very rough. There will be a small parking area on top of the bluffs.. This is generally where the surfers park. There is a very steep trail leading down onto the beach. There is also trail leading along the top of the bluffs to Black Rock but I don’t recommend either of these for folks with young children. It is easier to park here and continue to walk down the dirt road, which becomes essentially impassable by car. This road leads to the same spot where the trail described in the last paragraph arrives at the beach. It is easier to descend to the beach at this point.