Photo Credit: Peter Marotta
This family-friendly farm—one of the last in Hingham—captivates visitors with its own livestock family of horses, pigs, cows, chickens, and sheep.
Plan Your Visit
- Overview
- Ideas for Your Visit
- Admission & Hours
- Directions & Contact Info
- What You'll Find
- Facilities & Accessibility
- Venue Rental
- Property Map
- Regulations & Advisories
Overview
Originally part of the picturesque, early-20th-century country estate of renowned artist Polly Thayer Starr, today Weir River Farm is a 75-acre working farm comprising fields and pastures surrounded by oak and red cedar woodlands. The farm supports diverse wildlife habitats, including upland grasslands, while the Weir River passes through the farm at its northwest edge. A Garden Path bordered by flowering shrubs and flowers within the woodlands creates a serene sanctuary.
Ideas for Your Visit
From the entrance at the top of Turkey Hill, follow a meandering footpath downhill through open fields and woods. For families with young children and strollers, an easier approach can be found directly across the street from the lower parking lot on Turkey Hill Lane. Another route cuts across two pastures before entering The Grove, woods with an open understory reminiscent of a British woodland.
From the trails on Weir River Farm, you can visit the adjacent Whitney & Thayer Woods, whose trails connect to nearly 5,000 contiguous acres of open space. Trails are open year-round daily, sunrise to sunset, while the barnyard is open seasonally for visitation.
The South Shore’s second annual Reindeer Quest returns to Weir River Farm from January 16–February 27. Search the trail for all six reindeer, home-made by local scout troops!
Admission & Hours
No fees for trails. Barnyard admission varies depending on program offerings, please visit our Things to Do page for more information.
Directions & Contact Info
140 Turkey Hill Lane
Hingham, MA 02043
Telephone: 781.740.7233
Email: weirriver@thetrustees.org
Get directions on Google Maps.
Please note that there are two parking lots to access Weir River Farm. For public parking, please use the 140 Turkey Hill Lane parking lot.
Weir River Farm Barnyard Parking Area: From Rt. 228, turn onto Leavitt St. next to the Hingham Town Library. Follow for 0.6 mi.; bear left onto Turkey Hill Lane. Lot is on right, just past 140 Turkey Hill Lane. This is the closest lot to our barnyard and Market. To access the barnyard, cross the street carefully, then walk the grassy “chute” path down the hill towards the big red barn.
Top of Turkey Hill: Follow directions above, but go past lower lot to dead end. Entrance and parking (5 cars) on left.
What You'll Find
The South Shore’s second annual Reindeer Quest returns to Weir River Farm from January 16–February 27. Search the trail for all six reindeer, home-made by local scout troops!
Facilities & Accessibility
During hours of operation, restrooms are available in the building at 140 Turkey Hill Lane.
Accessible Features
The Studio (our classroom/engagement space) is accessible, with accessible parking, bathrooms, and picnic tables.
We are pleased to share that we have partnered with Autism Alliance to make Weir River Farm an Autism Welcoming and sensory responsive business to better serve individuals with autism and their families and caregivers. The staff at 75-acre Weir River Farm has been trained by Autism Alliance to provide simple yet impactful accommodations and Autism Welcoming options, which help families with autism have a better experience while hiking the trails and visiting the barnyard.
Venue Rental
Please click here to learn about opportunities for private events on Weir River Farm.
Please email weirriver@thetrustees.org if you would like to inquire about renting an area of the property.
Property Map
Free trail map distributed from bulletin board in the parking area. Please understand that supplies periodically run out.
We recommend that you take a photo of the map on your phone so you can refer to it during your visit, or download a trail map before you head out
Regulations & Advisories
As a working farm, there are things to consider when visiting this unique property.
- Please keep to trails.
- Please do not open gates, disturb livestock, or interrupt farm operations.
- For health and safety reasons, please do not feed the animals.
- Dogs are not permitted anywhere at Weir River Farm or the trails surrounding the farm. Weir River Farm is adjacent to Turkey Hill and Whitney & Thayer Woods, which do welcome dogs.
- Hikers should be aware of the farm’s use of electric fencing around the perimeter of the livestock acreage.
The barnyard is open to visitors only in season, May through October, on Saturdays from 10AM to 2PM and during other special events throughout the year. Learn more about Open Barnyard and other events >>
We invite your family to enter the barnyard area only during these scheduled programs. Entering pastures, pens or other livestock areas without farm staff is strictly prohibited and can be extremely unsafe.
In cooperation with the Town of Hingham authorized bow hunting is allowed at this reservation. Authorized hunting is permitted from ½ hour before sunrise all day until ½ hour after sunset Monday through Saturday. Hunting is not allowed on Sundays. Signage is posted at the property listing safety precautions, requirements, and rules. Learn more about hunting on Trustees reservations >>
Photography
We welcome photographers to the property, but please note – we do require a Supporting Level Membership for professional photographers. Like all Trustees memberships, this goes toward Weir River Farm and our mission of preserving, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. We do not have a site fee associated with those profiting from commercial portrait photography sessions held at Weir River Farm.
Be aware that this is a public space and there may be programs or events running at the same time. Other requirement include (but are not limited to):
- All photographers must schedule their sessions well in advance of arrival to the property. Allow 5-7 days for approval.
- Photography sessions are strictly limited to 9AM until posted closing time (property generally closes 15 minutes before sunset).
- All photographers are required to read and complete our photography use agreement.
Photographers must present a completed photography use agreement form to property staff prior to their session. A new supporting membership may be purchased at the property prior to the session. Photographers must receive a photo credential lanyard from property staff and wear it at all times when on the property. Photographers are not allowed to set up equipment that interferes with property maintenance or stewardship operations or shoot inside of any of our structures. Please call the South Shore office at 781.740.7233 for more information.
