Rocky Run Photos Rob MacDonald Photos

Lower trail along the base of the Rocky Run outcrop.

Rocky Run as it descends from Trout Pond just above the point where it enters the Indian Head River. The headwaters for this stream are sourced from the wetlands just to the north of Oldham Pond.

This photo shows the old bridge crossing where State St Hanson crosses the Indian Head River. The current bridge is just to west of the one shown here and its foundations are still visible at the site. The building straight ahead at teh top of the hill is what now hoses Myettes Country Store in Hanover.

The dam shown in this photo along with the one at Luddams Ford are the two dams on the Indian Head River that will be evaluated for removal in the next few years. If completed, it would restore free flowing water and unencumbered fish migration all the way from mouth of the North River to the dam at Factory Pond in Hanson.

E. Phillips & Sons Tack Factory - State St Hanson. This was located at the Hanson entrance to the IHRT on State Street. The factory spanned the river and had buildings on both the Hanson and Hanover side.

Feb 2023, sunrise at Rocky Run.

This is the old crossing where the Indian Head River Trail passes over the Rocky Run stream. In 2022, the Town of Hanson Conservation Commission constructed a new crossing that no longer restricted waterflow and at the same time, greatly improved the "passability" for fish, amphibians, and other aquatic life.

After the Rocky Run crossing reconstruction.

The design selected by the Hanson Conservation Commission allows free flow of water and a much safer crossing for foot crossing. Note the clearly visible stream channel now visible above the crossing. In the many years I've been crossing over Rocky Run, I'd never seen the actual stream bed upstream from this crossing.

August 21, 2022. Wood frog along the bank of the Indian Head River at Rocky Run. These frogs have a wide-spread distribution from the mid Atlantic to the arctic region. Wood frogs are the only frogs that live north of the Arctic Circle and they are unique in that their body can completely freeze.

At Rocky Run on the Indian Head River, Hanson

Hemlock Stump at Rocky Run.

At Rocky Run Conservation area in Hanson. Looking west (upstream) along the Indian Head River at the site of a former dam. June 2022.

Another view of the former Indian Head River dam at Rocky Run conservation area Hanson. According to Wikipedia "In 1812, James Reed constructed a gristmill on the Hanson side of the river at its intersection with Rocky Run Brook, then built a dam across the Indian Head River for a tack and nail factory. " A long stretch of that dam is still in place and stretches from the base of the rocky outcrops to the edge of the river shown here on the right.

Looking down stream along the Indian Head River from the Rocky Run dam.

Seasonal fast flowing water as the Indian Head River passes under the State Street bridge in Hanson. This is just upstream from the Rocky run Conservation property.

New kiosk at the State Street entrance for the Indian Head River Trail. For the entire IHRT system, each kiosk's content was arrived at after collaboration with the respective towns and WIldlands Trust. Kiosk design and installation was done by Wildlands Trust.

Historical and current day information.

At Smith-Nawazelski. Listed on the Mass Wildlife NHESP on their Plant Watch List (WL). This list is an unofficial, non-regulatory list of plants of known or suspected conservation concern that NHESP is interested in tracking.

ALong the IHRT in Hanson.

Rocky Run Conservation area along side the Indian Head River

Moss sporophytes - Rocky Run Hanson

Starflower at Rocky Run Conservation area along side the Indian Head River

A common sight on the woodland floor is the Starflower.

Another easily found flower at Rocky Run is the Lady Slipper.

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Rocky Run Photos