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Tompson Street Reservation with your dog: four loops and two lookouts

Tompson Street Reservation

Tompson Street Reservation with your dog: four loops and two lookouts

Tompson Street is the Greenbelt property that feels most like Cape Ann's rocky interior: granite ledge, a beaver-flooded swamp and colonial cart paths. Horses and mountain bikes share it, which shapes how a dog should walk it. This page covers the rule, the four loops, the six parking spots and the hazards on rock and boardwalk.

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A woman in a yellow hat walks a golden retriever down stone steps under autumn trees.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026 · by the Dogtown team · rules checked for fall 2026

The rule

Dog walking is listed here, and so are horses and mountain bikes

Greenbelt's property page lists dog walking with birdwatching, geocaching, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, trail running and winter recreation. That mix is the key to the dog rule. Greenbelt's Trail Safety Guidelines ask dog walkers to leash where required and follow posted rules, to step off the trail and hold the dog when hikers, riders or bikers pass, and to keep a dog from approaching horses, other dogs or people uninvited. Riders, in turn, are asked not to bring dogs while riding.

For meeting horses, the guidelines point to the S.T.A.L. approach: stop or step aside, avoid sudden movements and loud noises, and announce yourself when passing from behind. A dog that barks or lunges at a horse on narrow granite puts the rider at risk, so this is a place for the leash even where no sign asks for one. Greenbelt's standing policies apply as well: carry a leash, never leave a dog unattended, pick up the waste and visit only between sunrise and sunset.

Dog walking listed; leash where required or posted
Horses: stop, step aside, keep quiet
Bikes and runners: step off the trail and hold your dog
Sunrise to sunset; waste carried out

Four loops

Sunset Mountain and Eagle Rock are the lookouts; the swamp and beaver pond loops go longer

Greenbelt describes four marked loops. Sunset Mountain climbs granite steps from its gateway on blue markers to a summit of open ledge at 161 feet, then winds down past the cemetery. Eagle Rock follows red markers from the Bray Street entrance, across a boardwalk and over exposed granite to what Greenbelt calls one of the most spectacular views in Essex County, north over Ipswich Bay and the Great Marsh. The Red Maple Swamp loop starts at the Norcross Gateway on orange markers, passing the Split Rock erratic and crossing an elevated boardwalk.

The Beaver Pond loop follows pink markers from the southern Bray Street entrance over an old beaver dam, with views of the pond, and connects with the Sunset Mountain trail. Greenbelt's printed map lists slightly different loop distances from the property page used in the table below, and it warns that numerous small foot paths mean more trails on the ground than on the map. Follow one color of marker at a time, and keep the map on your phone.

Loop	Start	Markers	Length	Footing
Sunset Mountain	Sunset Mountain Gateway	Blue	0.8 mile	Moderate to difficult; granite steps and summit ledge
Eagle Rock	Bray Street entrance	Red	1.4 miles	Moderate to challenging; exposed granite
Red Maple Swamp	Norcross Gateway	Orange	2.1 miles	Moderate; elevated boardwalk over the swamp
Beaver Pond	Southern Bray Street entrance	Pink	1.6 miles	Moderate; old beaver dam and rolling hills

Parking

Six small parking areas, and the Norcross Gateway is the largest at about a dozen cars

Greenbelt lists parking on several sides of the reservation. The Norcross Gateway has space for about a dozen cars; the Sunset Mountain Gateway takes four or five; the Bray Street Gateway and the Beaver Pond trail parking take three or four each. Greenbelt also lists access at Route 133/Essex Street and at Bray Street/Old Tompson Street without a car count. Its 2022 map puts the Norcross Gateway on the Concord Street side near Route 128's Exit 54, and the Sunset Mountain Gateway beside Mount Jacob Cemetery, off Essex Avenue.

Lots this size fill quickly on a fine weekend. Arrive early, or let whichever lot has room choose the loop for you; Greenbelt describes the trails as interconnected, so any lot gets you into the network. Clip the leash on before the door opens, and stay on the marked trails, since the map shows private land along the edges near Bray Street and Concord Street.

01
Match the lot to the loop: Norcross for the swamp, Bray Street for Eagle Rock, the Sunset Mountain Gateway for the summit
02
Save Greenbelt's map to your phone before you leave home
03
Leash up in the car and follow one color of marker
04
Step off the trail and hold your dog for every horse and bike
05
Take wet or icy granite slowly, or switch to the swamp loop
06
Bag the waste, check for ticks and leave before sunset

Watch for

Wet granite, the swamp boardwalk, beavers and ticks

Granite is the theme, and it is hard on a dog in two ways. Wet or icy ledge is slippery for paws as well as boots, and the Sunset Mountain and Eagle Rock loops cross long stretches of it, so take them slowly and skip them after freezing rain. Rough rock also wears pads and nails, and a dog used to grass can come home sore after the full circuit. The elevated boardwalk across the flooded swamp has water on both sides; keep a dog that likes to swim on a short leash there.

Beavers have flooded the Red Maple Swamp and built a lodge beside the boardwalk, and Greenbelt suggests watching for them at dawn and dusk. Several vernal pools hold salamanders, fairy shrimp and wood frogs in spring, and deer, coyote and fox tracks show plainly in snow. Keep your dog out of the pools and the beaver water. Ticks are active on Cape Ann from April to November, so check your dog at the car after every loop.

Wet or icy granite: slow down, or choose the swamp loop
Boardwalk: a short leash, with water on both sides
Vernal pools and beaver water: keep your dog out
Ticks April to November: check at the car

Between hikes

Twelve miles of trail for the weekend, and a Dogtown walker for the weekdays

Tompson Street rewards a fit dog, but few people can hike it every day. Our at-home walks cover the weekdays from your door: 20 minutes for $25, a solo 30-minute walk for $35 or a full 60 minutes for $55, and every walk ends with a photo and a note. A 10-pack of 60-minute walks is $495. Walks need the free evaluation first, and whether we cover your street depends on the address and the season, so ask us.

If the granite wins, our bath and brush at 210 Eastern Ave starts at $55 for a small dog, and nail clipping for rock-worn nails is $16, booked online with no evaluation. West Gloucester is inside the Pup Van area, so a daycare day, $42 in a playgroup of 7 to 10 matched by size and temperament, can include pick-up and drop-off at $10 each way.

At Dogtown

Between the big hikes

Solo walks from your door on weekdays, and a bath and nail trim when the granite and the swamp have had their say.

Dogtown walker and dog on a coastal trail at sunrise in Gloucester

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Groomer blow-drying a red goldendoodle in front of the Dogtown Grooming sign

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Every price on one page

Asked and answered

Questions people ask about this

Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.

Are dogs allowed at Tompson Street Reservation?

Yes. Essex County Greenbelt lists dog walking at Tompson Street Reservation in Gloucester. Its trail guidelines ask you to leash your dog where required, hold it off the trail when riders or bikers pass, keep it from approaching people or horses uninvited, and bag and carry out the waste. The reservation is open from sunrise to sunset.

Which loop at Tompson Street suits a dog best?

It depends on the dog. Sunset Mountain is the shortest at 0.8 mile but climbs granite steps to a summit; Eagle Rock is 1.4 miles over exposed rock; the Red Maple Swamp loop is 2.1 miles of moderate trail with an elevated boardwalk. A dog new to rocky ground is better starting on the swamp or Beaver Pond loop.

Where is the biggest parking lot at Tompson Street?

The Norcross Gateway, with space for about a dozen cars, according to Greenbelt. The Sunset Mountain Gateway holds four or five, and the Bray Street Gateway and the Beaver Pond trail parking three or four each. On a busy weekend, arrive early and leash your dog before you open the car.

Will we meet horses at Tompson Street Reservation?

You may. Greenbelt lists horseback riding and mountain biking among the activities. When a horse approaches, stop or step aside with your dog, avoid sudden movements and noise, and announce yourself if you are coming up from behind. A dog that reacts to horses should stay on a short leash for the whole walk.