Bay Circuit Trail
Encyclopedia
The Bay Circuit Trail or Bay Circuit is a Massachusetts
recreational trail which, when complete, will form an arc through the outlying suburbs of Boston
from Plum Island
in Newburyport
to Kingston Bay in Duxbury, a distance of 200 miles (321.9 km). 150 miles (241.4 km) of the trail were complete as of 2007. The trail, first proposed in 1929 and imagined as an outlying version of Boston's Emerald Necklace
trail, spans fifty towns and cities and four counties.
The trail links together conservation land, nature sanctuaries, national historic parks, state parks, and other public green space. The diverse topography of the trail includes beaches, cranberry
bogs, salt marsh
es, woodlands, cliffs, drumlin
s, lakes and reservoirs, river corridors, swamps, historic sites and ruins, museums, farmland, meadows, kettle ponds, and esker
s. Highlights include Henry David Thoreau
's Walden Pond
, Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
, the Charles River
, Massachusetts Audubon's Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, Minute Man National Historical Park
, Lowell National Historic Park, the Merrimack River
, and Plum Island.
Portions of the Bay Circuit Trail coincide with other long distance recreation trails including the East Coast Greenway
, the Warner Trail
, and the Minuteman Bikeway, (providing a potential connection to Downtown Boston via the Somerville Community Path
). The Bay Circuit is open to hiking
, picnicking, and in the winter, snowshoeing. Certain parts of the trail are suitable for bicycling and cross country skiing. Swimming, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, and car top boating are also permitted in some properties the trail passes through. The Bay Circuit Trail is managed by the Bay Circuit Alliance, a confederacy of state, town, and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and individuals.
.
The Bay Circuit passes through Plymouth County
, Middlesex County
, eastern Worcester County
, Bristol County
and Essex County, Massachusetts
.
, and Pembroke
, then continues as primarily one route through Hanson
, East Bridgewater
, Bridgewater
, West Bridgewater
, Easton
, and Sharon, Massachusetts
. Features along this route include Bay Farm (Massachusetts DCR), Cranberry bogs, Silver Lake Sanctuary, the Central Greenbelt, Willow Brook Farm Preserve, Hanson Town Forest, Hockomock Swamp
, Little Cedar Swamp, Bridgewater Iron Works Park, Lake Nippenicket
, the Reverend James Keith House, West Bridgewater State Forest, Satucket River Conservation Area, Sachem Rock, Borderland State Park
, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary (Massachusetts Audubon Society
), Hill top Farm, Adams Farm, Great Cedar Swamp, The Pinnacle, and the Old Indian Trail.
, Medfield
, Sherborn
, Ashland
, Framingham
, Southborough
, Sudbury
, Wayland
, Lincoln
, and Concord
. Features along this route include the Noon Hill Reservation
, Medfield Rhododendrons Reservation
, the Charles River
, the Rocky Woods Reservation and Fork Factory Brook
, Little Farm Pond, Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, Sherborn Town Forest, the Rocky Narrows Reservation, Ashland Town Forest, Sudbury Reservoir
, Callahan State Park
, Nobscot Conservation Land, Turenne Wildlife Habitat, Garden in the Woods, Devil's Den, Heard Farm, Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
, Mount Misery, Round Hill, and Haynes Meadow. Smaller networks of interconnecting side trails are prevalent throughout.
, Billerica
, and Tewksbury
while the western track passes through Acton
, Carlisle
, Westford
, Chelmsford
, Lowell
, and Tewksbury
. The two branches converge in Andover
and continue through North Andover
, Boxford
, Georgetown
, Rowley
, and Ipswich
before splitting again into two terminal routes. The southern route continues east through Hamilton
to end at the Atlantic Ocean
in east Ipswich while the northern route passes northeast through east Rowley, Newbury
, and Newburyport
ending at the Atlantic Ocean at Plum Island. Features along this route include the Walden Pond State Reservation, Adams Woods, the DeCordova Museum
, the Dana Museum, Flint's Pond conservation areas, Drumlin Farm, the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
, Minuteman National Historical Park, the Assabet River
, Fawn Lake, Nashoba Brook, the Sudbury River
, Lowell National Historic Park, the Merrimack River
, Kerouac Park, Lowell Heritage State Park
, Carlisle Pines State Park, Middlesex Canal, Wilderness Park, the Concord River
, the Minuteman Bikeway, Indian Springs, Deer Jump Reservation, Harold Rafton Reservation, Haggetts Pond, Indian Ridge Reservation, Harold Parker State Forest
, Ward Reservation
, Boxford State Forest, Bald Hill Reservation, Phillips Wildlife Sanctuary, Pomp's Pond, Georgetown-Rowley State Forest, Cleaveland Farms State Forest, Willowdale State Forest, Bradley Palmer State Park
, Appleton Farms
, Prospect Hill, the Ipswich River
, Castle Neck River, Castle Hill Reservation, Castle Neck, the Ipswich Lighthouse, William Forward Wildlife Management Area, Parker River
, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
, Old Town Hill Reservation, Joppa Flats Wildlife Refuge, and Plum Island
.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
recreational trail which, when complete, will form an arc through the outlying suburbs of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
from Plum Island
Plum Island (Massachusetts)
Plum Island, Massachusetts is an island located off the northeast coast of Massachusetts, north of Cape Ann. It is a barrier island approximately 11 miles in length.-Captain John Smith:...
in Newburyport
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
to Kingston Bay in Duxbury, a distance of 200 miles (321.9 km). 150 miles (241.4 km) of the trail were complete as of 2007. The trail, first proposed in 1929 and imagined as an outlying version of Boston's Emerald Necklace
Emerald Necklace
The Emerald Necklace consists of an chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways in Boston and Brookline, Massachusetts. It gets its name from the way the planned chain appears to hang from the "neck" of the Boston peninsula, although it was never fully constructed.-Overview:The Necklace...
trail, spans fifty towns and cities and four counties.
The trail links together conservation land, nature sanctuaries, national historic parks, state parks, and other public green space. The diverse topography of the trail includes beaches, cranberry
Cranberry
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In some methods of classification, Oxycoccus is regarded as a genus in its own right...
bogs, salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
es, woodlands, cliffs, drumlin
Drumlin
A drumlin, from the Irish word droimnín , first recorded in 1833, is an elongated whale-shaped hill formed by glacial ice acting on underlying unconsolidated till or ground moraine.-Drumlin formation:...
s, lakes and reservoirs, river corridors, swamps, historic sites and ruins, museums, farmland, meadows, kettle ponds, and esker
Esker
An esker is a long winding ridge of stratified sand and gravel, examples of which occur in glaciated and formerly glaciated regions of Europe and North America...
s. Highlights include Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, and leading transcendentalist...
's Walden Pond
Walden Pond
Walden Pond is a 31-metre-deep lake in Massachusetts . It is in area and around, located in Concord, Massachusetts, in the United States...
, Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
The Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge, is a twelve-mile long river wetlands conservation area, in two major parcels, stretching from the towns of Billerica, Massachusetts to Wayland, Massachusetts , along the Concord and Sudbury rivers...
, the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
, Massachusetts Audubon's Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, Minute Man National Historical Park
Minute Man National Historical Park
Not to be confused with Minuteman Missile National Historic Site.Minute Man National Historical Park commemorates the opening battle in the American Revolutionary War. It also includes The Wayside, home in turn to three noted American authors...
, Lowell National Historic Park, the Merrimack River
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
, and Plum Island.
Portions of the Bay Circuit Trail coincide with other long distance recreation trails including the East Coast Greenway
East Coast Greenway
The East Coast Greenway, or ECG, is a project to create a nearly urban path linking the major cities of the Atlantic coast of the United States, from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Florida, for non-motorized human transportation...
, the Warner Trail
Warner Trail
The Warner Trail is a New England hiking trail which extends from Diamond Hill in the northeast corner of Rhode Island northeast through Norfolk County, Massachusetts to Canton, south of Boston. Its route winds through what has become a primarily suburban landscape punctuated by significant...
, and the Minuteman Bikeway, (providing a potential connection to Downtown Boston via the Somerville Community Path
Somerville Community Path
The Somerville Community Path is a project to build a mixed-use path in Somerville, Massachusetts, from the Cambridge border near Davis Square to the Cambridge border near Lechmere Square. Roughly 0.8 miles of the path is finished and in use...
). The Bay Circuit is open to hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, picnicking, and in the winter, snowshoeing. Certain parts of the trail are suitable for bicycling and cross country skiing. Swimming, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, and car top boating are also permitted in some properties the trail passes through. The Bay Circuit Trail is managed by the Bay Circuit Alliance, a confederacy of state, town, and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and individuals.
Geography
The Bay Circuit forms a rough "C" shaped arc between 15 miles (24.1 km) and 30 miles (48.3 km) north, west, and south of Boston. Although much of the trail follows a single route, several sections split in two and rejoin. The northern terminus of the trail is also divided, its northernmost section ending at Plum Island in Newburyport, with a southerly branch extending to the sea in the town of IpswichIpswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
.
The Bay Circuit passes through Plymouth County
Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Plymouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of 2010, the population was 494,919. Its county seats are Plymouth and Brockton...
, Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...
, eastern Worcester County
Worcester County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density...
, Bristol County
Bristol County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 534,678 people, 205,411 households, and 140,706 families residing in the county. The population density was 962 people per square mile . There were 216,918 housing units at an average density of 390 per square mile...
and Essex County, Massachusetts
Essex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
.
Southern third
The southern third of the Bay Circuit begins at Kingston Bay as a loop between Duxbury, KingstonKingston, Massachusetts
Kingston is a coastal town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, it had a population of 12,629.-History:Before European settlers arrived in Kingston it was within the tribal home to the Wampanoag people...
, and Pembroke
Pembroke, Massachusetts
Pembroke is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,927 at the 2000 census.The southwestern section of Pembroke is also known as Bryantville...
, then continues as primarily one route through Hanson
Hanson, Massachusetts
Hanson is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,495 at the 2000 census.-History:Hanson was first settled in 1632 as the western parish of Pembroke. The town was officially incorporated in 1820, and was named for Maryland newspaper publisher and U.S. Senator...
, East Bridgewater
East Bridgewater, Massachusetts
East Bridgewater is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,974 at the 2000 census.-History:The lands that would become East Bridgewater were first settled by Carlos Mencia in 1630 A.D. as an outgrowth of the Plymouth and Duxbury plantations...
, Bridgewater
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...
, West Bridgewater
West Bridgewater, Massachusetts
West Bridgewater is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,634 at the 2000 census.- History :West Bridgewater was first settled in 1651 as a part of Olde Bridgewater...
, Easton
Easton, Massachusetts
Easton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 23,112 at the 2010 census.Easton is governed by an elected committee of selectmen and a town administrator.- History :...
, and Sharon, Massachusetts
Sharon, Massachusetts
Sharon is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,612 at the 2010 census. Sharon is part of Greater Boston, about 17 miles southwest of downtown Boston....
. Features along this route include Bay Farm (Massachusetts DCR), Cranberry bogs, Silver Lake Sanctuary, the Central Greenbelt, Willow Brook Farm Preserve, Hanson Town Forest, Hockomock Swamp
Hockomock Swamp
The Hockomock Swamp is a vast wetland encompassing much of the northern part of southeastern Massachusetts. This land is considered the second largest wetland in the state...
, Little Cedar Swamp, Bridgewater Iron Works Park, Lake Nippenicket
Lake Nippenicket
Lake Nippenicket, known locally as The Nip, is a freshwater lake in the town of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and immediately adjacent to Raynham, Massachusetts. The lake borders a tiny portion of Route 104, and is near the junction of I-495 and Route 24...
, the Reverend James Keith House, West Bridgewater State Forest, Satucket River Conservation Area, Sachem Rock, Borderland State Park
Borderland State Park
Borderland is one of Massachusetts' state parks, located in the towns of Easton and Sharon. The main entrance and visitor center are located in Easton. The area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Borderland Historic District in 1997.In 1906, Oakes Ames, a Harvard botanist...
, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary (Massachusetts Audubon Society
Massachusetts Audubon Society
The Massachusetts Audubon Society, founded in 1896 by Harriet Hemenway and headquartered in Lincoln, Massachusetts, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to "Protecting the nature of Massachusetts." Mass Audubon is independent of the National Audubon Society, and in fact was founded...
), Hill top Farm, Adams Farm, Great Cedar Swamp, The Pinnacle, and the Old Indian Trail.
Middle third
The middle third of the Bay Circuit passes through the towns of WalpoleWalpole, Massachusetts
Walpole is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located about south of Boston and north of Providence, Rhode Island. The population was 24,070 at the 2010 census. Walpole was first settled in 1659 and was considered a part of Dedham until officially incorporated in 1724...
, Medfield
Medfield, Massachusetts
Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,024 according to the 2010 Census. Medfield is an affluent community about 17 miles southwest of Boston....
, Sherborn
Sherborn, Massachusetts
Sherborn is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is in area code 508 and has the ZIP code 01770. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the town population was 4,119. The assessed value of the town for the fiscal year 2005 is $1,008,146,994....
, Ashland
Ashland, Massachusetts
Ashland is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the MetroWest region. The population was 16,593 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Framingham
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
, Southborough
Southborough, Massachusetts
Southborough is an affluent town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It incorporates the smaller villages of Cordaville, Fayville, and Southville. Its name is often informally shortened to Southboro, a usage seen on many area signs and maps. Its population was 9,767 at the 2010...
, Sudbury
Sudbury, Massachusetts
Sudbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, population 17,659. The town was incorporated in 1639, with the original boundaries including what is now Wayland. Wayland split from Sudbury in 1780. When first incorporated, it included and parts of Framingham, Marlborough, Stow...
, Wayland
Wayland, Massachusetts
Wayland is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,994 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on Cochituate, which is part of Wayland, please see the article Cochituate, Massachusetts.-History:...
, Lincoln
Lincoln, Massachusetts
Lincoln is a town in the historic area of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,362 at the 2010 census, including residents of Hanscom Air Force Base that live within town limits...
, and Concord
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
. Features along this route include the Noon Hill Reservation
Noon Hill (reservation)
Noon Hill is a open space preserve located in Medfield, Massachusetts and centered around Noon Hill, a prominent summit and scenic vista. It is managed by the land conservation non-profit organization The Trustees of Reservations and offers of trails available for hiking, horseback riding,...
, Medfield Rhododendrons Reservation
Medfield Rhododendrons
The Medfield Rhododendrons is a nature reserve established in 1934 in Medfield, Massachusetts and is managed by the Trustees of Reservations. The site contains the largest area of Rhododendron maximum in the state, which are currently listed as threatened by the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and...
, the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
, the Rocky Woods Reservation and Fork Factory Brook
Fork Factory Brook
Fork Factory Brook is a 135 acre historic site, open space reserve, and agricultural reserve located in Medfield, Massachusetts. The reserve, managed by the land conservation non-profit organization The Trustees of Reservations, is notable for its wetlands, ledges, 300 year old hayfields, and...
, Little Farm Pond, Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, Sherborn Town Forest, the Rocky Narrows Reservation, Ashland Town Forest, Sudbury Reservoir
Sudbury Reservoir
The Sudbury Reservoir is a former Boston metropolitan water reservoir located in Framingham, Marlborough, Southborough, and Westborough, Massachusetts, USA...
, Callahan State Park
Callahan State Park
Callahan State Park is a Massachusetts state park partly located in Framingham and Marlborough, Massachusetts. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation .The park was named in honor of Raymond J. Callahan in 1971 by an ....
, Nobscot Conservation Land, Turenne Wildlife Habitat, Garden in the Woods, Devil's Den, Heard Farm, Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
The Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge, is a twelve-mile long river wetlands conservation area, in two major parcels, stretching from the towns of Billerica, Massachusetts to Wayland, Massachusetts , along the Concord and Sudbury rivers...
, Mount Misery, Round Hill, and Haynes Meadow. Smaller networks of interconnecting side trails are prevalent throughout.
Northern third
North of Concord, the Bay Circuit splits into two tracks. The eastern track passes through the towns of BedfordBedford, Massachusetts
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, Billerica
Billerica, Massachusetts
Billerica is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,243 at the 2010 census. It is the only town named Billerica in the United States and borrows its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England.- History :...
, and Tewksbury
Tewksbury, Massachusetts
Tewksbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,961 at the 2010 census.- History :Tewksbury was first settled in 1637 and was officially incorporated in 1734 from Billerica. Like Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, it is named after the town of Tewkesbury,...
while the western track passes through Acton
Acton, Massachusetts
Acton is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States about twenty-one miles west-northwest of Boston along Route 2 west of Concord and about ten miles southwest of Lowell. The population was 21,924 at the 2010 census...
, Carlisle
Carlisle, Massachusetts
Carlisle is an affluent, rural town northwest of Boston located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the town is 4,852.-History:...
, Westford
Westford, Massachusetts
Westford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,951 at the 2010 census.-History:Originally a part of neighboring Chelmsford, West Chelmsford soon grew large enough to sustain its own governance, and was officially incorporated as Westford on September 23,...
, Chelmsford
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Chelmsford is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 33,802. The Census Bureau's 2008 population estimate for the town was 34,409, ranking it 14th in population among the 54 municipalities in...
, Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
, and Tewksbury
Tewksbury, Massachusetts
Tewksbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,961 at the 2010 census.- History :Tewksbury was first settled in 1637 and was officially incorporated in 1734 from Billerica. Like Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, it is named after the town of Tewkesbury,...
. The two branches converge in Andover
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
and continue through North Andover
North Andover, Massachusetts
North Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. North Andover is the home of Merrimack College, a private, Catholic four-year institution ....
, Boxford
Boxford, Massachusetts
Boxford is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,965 at the 2010 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Boxford.-Geography:...
, Georgetown
Georgetown, Massachusetts
Georgetown is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,183 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1838 from part of Rowley.-History:...
, Rowley
Rowley, Massachusetts
Rowley is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,500 at the 2000 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Rowley.-History:...
, and Ipswich
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
before splitting again into two terminal routes. The southern route continues east through Hamilton
Hamilton, Massachusetts
Hamilton is a town located in the eastern central portion of Essex County in eastern Massachusetts. It is primarily a suburban bedroom community, most commonly known for its equestrian estates...
to end at the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
in east Ipswich while the northern route passes northeast through east Rowley, Newbury
Newbury, Massachusetts
Newbury is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,666 at the 2010 census. Newbury includes the villages of Old Town , Plum Island and Byfield, home of The Governor's Academy , a private preparatory school.- History :Newbury Plantation was settled and incorporated...
, and Newburyport
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
ending at the Atlantic Ocean at Plum Island. Features along this route include the Walden Pond State Reservation, Adams Woods, the DeCordova Museum
DeCordova Museum
The DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is a sculpture park and art museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts focused on modern and contemporary art, and holds a collection focused on work in all media, especially works by artists with connections to New England...
, the Dana Museum, Flint's Pond conservation areas, Drumlin Farm, the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail is a rail trail in Massachusetts. On August 29, 2009, the first segment opened in Lowell , Chelmsford, and Westford ....
, Minuteman National Historical Park, the Assabet River
Assabet River
The Assabet River is a small river about west of Boston, Massachusetts. The river is long. The , headquartered in West Concord, Massachusetts, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, protection, and enhancement of the natural and recreational features of the Assabet River and...
, Fawn Lake, Nashoba Brook, the Sudbury River
Sudbury River
The Sudbury River is a tributary of the Concord River in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States.Originating in the Cedar Swamp in Westborough, Massachusetts, near the boundary with Hopkinton, it meanders generally northeast to its confluence with the Assabet River at Egg Rock in...
, Lowell National Historic Park, the Merrimack River
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
, Kerouac Park, Lowell Heritage State Park
Lowell Heritage State Park
Lowell Heritage State Park is located in Lowell, Massachusetts. The State Park was established in the mid-1970s as a precursor to Lowell National Historical Park with the purpose of preserving the city's seminal role in the American Industrial Revolution...
, Carlisle Pines State Park, Middlesex Canal, Wilderness Park, the Concord River
Concord River
The Concord River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. The river drains a small rural and suburban region northwest of Boston. One of the most famous small rivers in U.S...
, the Minuteman Bikeway, Indian Springs, Deer Jump Reservation, Harold Rafton Reservation, Haggetts Pond, Indian Ridge Reservation, Harold Parker State Forest
Harold Parker State Forest
Harold Parker State Forest is a Massachusetts state forest located in Andover, North Andover, North Reading and Middleton . The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.-Description:...
, Ward Reservation
Ward Reservation
The Ward Reservation is a open space reserve located in Andover and North Andover, Massachusetts, north of Boston. The reserve, managed by the land conservation non-profit organization The Trustees of Reservations, is notable for its open drumlin hilltops and vistas encompassing Boston and Salem...
, Boxford State Forest, Bald Hill Reservation, Phillips Wildlife Sanctuary, Pomp's Pond, Georgetown-Rowley State Forest, Cleaveland Farms State Forest, Willowdale State Forest, Bradley Palmer State Park
Bradley Palmer State Park
Bradley Palmer State Park is a Massachusetts state park located in Hamilton, Massachusetts and Topsfield, Massachusetts. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The park is based on a former estate willed to the state expressly for the use of its citizens on the death...
, Appleton Farms
Appleton Farms
Appleton Farms is a park in Ipswich, Massachusetts, that is owned and maintained by The Trustees of Reservations.-References:*...
, Prospect Hill, the Ipswich River
Ipswich River
Ipswich River is a small river in northeastern Massachusetts, USA. It is long, and its watershed is approximately , with an estimated population in the area of 160,000 people. - Geography :...
, Castle Neck River, Castle Hill Reservation, Castle Neck, the Ipswich Lighthouse, William Forward Wildlife Management Area, Parker River
Parker River
The Parker River is a river in southwestern Victoria, Australia. It lies wholly within Port Campbell National Park in the Otway Ranges and enters Bass Strait near Cape Otway....
, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1942 primarily to provide feeding, resting, and nesting habitats for migratory birds. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, the refuge is of vital stopover significance to waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds during migratory periods.The refuge...
, Old Town Hill Reservation, Joppa Flats Wildlife Refuge, and Plum Island
Plum Island (Massachusetts)
Plum Island, Massachusetts is an island located off the northeast coast of Massachusetts, north of Cape Ann. It is a barrier island approximately 11 miles in length.-Captain John Smith:...
.