Welcome to Crystal Lake Conservation Area!

Crystal Lake, located off of Crystal Street in the northwest section of Haverhill, has several different trailheads to explore!

• Creek Brook
• Crystal Gorge
• Rurak Point
• Crystal Shores

Historical Background

Purchased in 2024 through Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) Grant funding, this property hosts a well-used network of trails that connect with adjacent protected lands, including Essex County Greenbelt Association-owned conservation land and a landlocked Haverhill Conservation-owned parcel.

Creek Brook is public open space that is permanently protected from development under Article 97 and with a Conservation Restriction. Enjoy activities such as: hiking, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, hunting, trapping, horseback riding, nature observation, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, etc.

Environmental Features

Encircling 1,500 feet of lakefront, Creek Brook adds to the 300+ acres of surrounding conservation land protected for water supply and biodiversity. Like the rest of the Crystal Lake area, this site is rich in diversity, containing a mix of streams, wetlands, mature forests, and rocky ledges along with all the plant and animal life associated with each of these habitats. Deer, beaver, mink, otter, wild turkey, osprey, owls, and a wide variety of waterfowl are just a few of the species you might encounter here. With ample fishing spots, you may have luck catching largemouth bass, pickerel, sunfish, perch, and more. Unique to this area, trails along Creek Brook take you to a double beaver dam. 

Historical Background

Crystal Gorge is one of Haverhill’s more recent conservation areas. The park was created when the City of Haverhill purchased 46.5 acres from a private land owner in 2000 with help from the state. The acres purchased were combined with an existing 19 acre lot to form the entire 65.5 acres. Here you will find many of New England's iconic stone walls, indicating that the land was previously used as pastures.

Environmental Features

The area is composed of both hardwoods like Black Oak, White Oak, White Ash, Red Maple, Black Birch, and Shagbark Hickory, as well as softwoods like White Pines and Hemlock. This area is also a good place to observe wetlands and vernal pools; both of which provide habitat to many unique species of plants and wildlife. Vernal pools, which dry up during summer months, provide excellent habitat for species like the Spotted Salamander and the Wood Frog which rely on these vernal pools to lay their eggs in masses around early spring when the pools are filled. The wetlands themselves are habitat to some species of turtles. Should you chose to stay in the uplands you might be able to catch a glimpse of porcupines, which use the rocky outcroppings as homes. If you want to see what a wetland or vernal pool is for yourself, Crystal Gorge is one of the more accessible ways to do so as most of the trails go through the swamp like terrain without the risk of your shoes getting stuck in mud.

Historical Background

Haverhill’s smallest and humble park, Crystal Point offers hikers a beautiful view of the Crystal Lake itself. Purchased between the 60’s and 70’s, this park is one of the city's efforts to provide a buffer zone around the lake, as it is one of Haverhill’s main sources of drinking water. Until recently, there used to be a small water treatment plant on the southern end of the lake which provided clean drinking water to nearby homes. Now, water from Crystal Lake is pumped into Kenoza Lake where A larger and more efficient water treatment plant provides all of the city’s water.

Environmental Features

Crystal Point has a wide variety of tree species but the two species that dominate most of the park are Red Oak and White Pine. Since the park provides a view of the lake it is very easy to spot waterfowl and other species of birds including birds of prey like the Osprey or Fish Hawk which hunt the fish in the Lake. You may also find signs of beavers nearby or may even catch a glimpse of small rodents like the chipmunk. The lake, like the surrounding areas, was created from the last ice age. As the glaciers moved, they carved out the lake of which many enjoy today.

Historical Background

Crystal Shores was purchased in 2011 as part of the effort to create a buffer zone around Crystal Lake. While walking through the park, you may find one of New England’s iconic stone walls which indicates that the land was pasture or farmlands in previous centuries. These stone walls are common in New England because the area was originally heavily forested. Early settlers cleared the forests to create those pastures and farms. Unbeknownst to them was that the tree’s roots held back rock below the surface. With the trees removed the rocks slowly “floated” to the surface causing problems for landowners as the stones hurt crops and ruined pastures. With all the stones that they dug up, landowners began to use the stones to create property lines. Eventually the United States expanded westward wand with it they discovered the fertile Great Plains. Most of the farmers in New England abandoned their farms to move to the promising Midwest where the geology of the land would not interfere with crop growth. Overtime nature reclaimed its land and created the New England we know today.

Environmental Features

Because the forests here are technically speaking “new”, most of the trees here are not mature or as large as their ancestors. However, in Crystal Shores you can find several large American Chestnuts that are 5” in diameter and White Pines that are three feet in diameter. These large trees are unique to this area and can be found in the very south-east part of the park. These trees can give you a small glimpse of what the area may have looked like before it was settled. Crystal Shores has a mix of wetlands, streams, hills, and the shoreline. The mixed habitat allows for a diverse range of wildlife. You can find animals such as beavers and otters as well as an abundance of fish and other aquatic life near the shore. There are also a wide variety of waterfowl from Mallards and Canada Geese to Wood Ducks and Hooded Mergansers.