Visitor Center

The Lawrence Newcomb Visitor Center is the single-story building on the east side of Borderland State Park's main parking lot at 259 Massapoag Avenue, North Easton. It has the park's only public restrooms, the park office, exhibits on the Ames family, and the room where most DCR programs meet. DCR built it in 1993, along with the 250-car lot beside it, and it is the starting point for the Pond Walk, the disc golf course and most first visits.

What's Inside

• Restrooms. DCR's management plan says these are the only public bathrooms in the park, and they're accessible. Use them before you head out on a trail.
• A water fountain and a soft drink machine. DCR's hiking guidance warns that drinking water usually isn't available on the trails, so fill up here.
• Interpretive displays about the park's history and nature.
• The Ames Family Photo Exhibit, a self-guided look at the family and the building of the estate (DCR, October 2026 programs).
• Free self-guided brochures on the mansion's architecture and the grounds, in the entryway.
• A multi-function room used for meetings, talks and rainy-day programs.
• The park office, where staff answer questions and hold lost disc golf discs.

Who Lawrence Newcomb Was

The building is named for Lawrence Newcomb, the botanist who wrote the standard field guide for identifying wildflowers in the Northeast. DCR's management plan says he was one of the three people who incorporated the Friends of Borderland, served on the park's advisory council, and pushed for a visitor center. The name was set by the state legislature in 1995.

Parking at the Visitor Center

The main lot holds 250 cars, including 10 accessible spaces, and has two pay stations. The fee is charged every day of the year; the parking page has the rates, the Yodel app details and the other, smaller lots. On busy weekends this lot is the first to fill, and DCR closes the park to new cars until spaces open.

Programs That Start Here

Unless a program sheet says otherwise, DCR's free programs meet at the visitor center. In October 2026 that included kids' craft afternoons, guided hikes on varied trails, a weekly Sunday story-and-craft morning and a full-moon walk on the Pond Walk. A StoryWalk, a picture book posted page by page along the trail, starts here and follows the Pond Walk toward the Stone Lodge. See events and programs for how to find each month's schedule.

Accessibility

DCR lists an accessible visitor center, accessible restrooms and accessible educational programs at Borderland, and a beach wheelchair that can be used on trails. Call the park at (508) 238-6566 to ask about borrowing it. The Pond Walk is wide and mostly level, but DCR's plan notes it isn't rated ADA-accessible. For mansion tours, DCR's tour sheet lists an ADA and reasonable-accommodation contact at (617) 645-0358.

Next Stops From the Visitor Center

• The picnic tables just south of the building, which look across the lawn at the Ames Mansion.
• Shady Way to Lily Bay: DCR's 1.5-mile easy loop starts here and heads downhill to Leach Pond (hiking guide).
• The disc golf kiosk and practice basket, in the field beside the lot.
• The three DCR kiosks beside the building, with the trail map and current notices.