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Greenwood Farm Five islands, salt marsh, tidal creeks, fields, wooded area, clapboard farmhouse, and historic First Period Paine House. Free parking.

Herring Way Right-of-way located between 84 and 86 Northridge Road on steep slope to rocky shore. No parking.

Ipswich Salt Marshes An extensive network of salt marsh and adjacent coastal forest owned by the town of Ipswich, Department of Fish and Game (DFG), and Essex County Greenbelt Association (ECGB). Most areas are accessible only on foot or by boat, with road access available mainly via Town Farm Road.

Newbury Beach Sandy beach with dunes and concession stand. Paid parking and access points in various locations along Northern Boulevard.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge - See "Coastal Focus" below.

Pavilion Beach Park and sandy beach with boat landing area, picnic tables, and playground. Parking lot.

Plum Island Beach Sandy beach and dunes adjacent to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. Small paid parking lot at end of Fordham Way.

Rowley Salt Marshes An extensive network of salt marsh and adjacent coastal forest owned by the town of Rowley, DFG, and ECGB. Most areas are accessible only on foot or by boat, with road access available mainly via Stackyard Road off Route 1A.

Sally Weatherall Memorial Reservastion Wooded area and salt marsh with trails. Access off Little Neck Road. Limited free parking. Includes salt marsh parcel owned by Ipswich.

Sandy Point State Reservation Sandy beach, dunes, trails, and boardwalk (handicapped-accessible) to beach. Admission fee. Located at the end of Plum Island Road, beyond National Wildlife Refuge. Free parking.

Sawyer's Island Natural area with small-boat launching area and trails. Camping allowed with advance permission from ECGB. Parking recommended at intersection of Patmos and Stackyard Roads. Continue on foot down Patmos Road to site entrance. Site map available at site entrance.

Spencer Pierce Little Farm Natural area adjacent to Merrimack River with farm fields and historic home/barn landward of Water Street. Access to home/barn via Littles Lane off High Street.

Town Farm Salt Marsh Expansive salt marsh with access for residents only. Access via Town Farm Road. Street parking.

Town Pier Pier and boat ramp for resident use with permit only on Parker River adjacent to salt marsh and pond. Resident sticker parking.

The following sites are accessible by water only: Cross Banks Island, Middle Ground Island, Moody Island Salt Marsh.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge contains 4,662 acres of sandy beach and dunes, bogs, freshwater impoundments, and tidal marshes on Plum Island, near Newburyport. It is one of the few natural barrier beach-dune-saltmarsh complexes left in the Northeast and is home to more than 800 species of plants and animals. The refuge, run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is known for its wide variety of bird species, and is one of the top bird-watching sites in the United States. It was initially established in 1942 to protect migratory waterfowl. The original objective has been expanded, and now the refuge protects all of the native plants and animals in the area, with special emphasis on endangered species.

The refuge is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and an entrance fee is charged. Once parking capacity is reached (usually by mid-morning during peak season), no additional access is permitted until parking spaces have been vacated. The refuge has a trail system designed for nature photography and observation, along with an observation tower, visitor station with handicapped-accessible restrooms, and handicapped-accessible boardwalks for beach access. The beach is closed starting on April 1 until July or August to protect the threatened Piping Plover.




Photos: Rebecca Perlo (top 2), Katie Lund (bottom).

PLEASE NOTE: Despite extensive quality control efforts, individual ownership of all parcels has not been independently verified. CZM makes no representations or warranties with respect to the definitiveness of the private or public ownership data presented in the Coast Guide. All issues related to questions of ownership of coastal property should be investigated at the local Registry of Deeds. In addition, while information about parking and available facilities for each site was checked in 2000, changes may have occurred since that time. Please look for parking signs and check with site owners for updated information as necessary.