Merrimack River Watershed Council, Inc.

Georgetown-Rowley State Forest
This 1,112 acre forest offers a variety of year-round activities including horseback riding, hiking, walking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.

Maudslay State Park – Newburport
The former Moseley family estate on the Merrimack River, Maudslay features 19th century gardens and plantings, rolling meadows, towering pines, and one of the largest naturally-occurring strands of mountain laurel in Massachusetts. Ornamental trees and masses of azaleas and rhododendrons bloom in May and June. The park offers a perfect location for walking, biking, fishing, picnicking and cross-country skiing and hosts cultural events during the summer.

Moseley Woods – Newburyport
Moseley Woods is a 16-acre public park overlooking the Merrimack River in Newburyport, with hiking trails, picnic tables, a playground and a pavilion that is home to a summer concert series.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge: Plum Island – Newbury

Friends of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
The focal point for many birding trips is the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, a 4,662-acre sanctuary located on Plum Island and less than four miles from downtown Newburyport. The Refuge has a wide variety of habitats such as beaches, sand dunes, salt marshes, salt pannes, freshwater impoundments, and maritime forests. Walking, hiking, nature trails, sunbathing, fishing, canoeing and kayaking

Joppa Flats Education Center – Newburyport
Enjoy amazing views of the newly restored salt marsh and the Merrimack River estuary from the sanctuary. Owned by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, Joppa Flats Wildlife Sanctuary is located along the road to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. Check the kiosk at the entrance for information about programs and bird sightings.

Old Town Hill – Newbury
Owned by the Trustees of Reservations, Old Town Hill offers several miles of footpaths and old roads. Several trails encircle the "Great Hill," another leads to the river south of Newman Road, and a recent trail (part of the Bay Circuit Trail) connects Hay Street with Boston Road. Bird watching; Canoeing/kayaking; Cross-country skiing/snowshoeing; fishing; hiking; nature study; picnicking; scenic vistas.

Coastal Trails Coalition – Newburyport
A non-profit organization advocating for the Coastal Trails Network, a 30-mile public system of bicycle and pedestrian trails linking the communities of Amesbury, Newbury, Newburyport and Salisbury.

Weir Hill – North Andover
Weir Hill includes over one mile of lake shore frontage and four miles of woodland trails and former carriage oads. Trails climb to and descend from the 300-foot peak down to the shoreline of Lake Cochichewick. Bird watching, cross-country skiing, hiking, horseback riding, nature study, picnicking, scenic vistas.

Ward Reservation – Andover & North Andover
The Ward Reservation contains more than forty separate parcels of former farm and pasture land, with more than seventeen miles lof stone walls. The property includes all or portions of three hills: Shrub Hill, Boston Hill, and Holt Hill, connected by miles of trails.

Harold Parker State Forest – North Andover
Harold Parker State Forest comprises just over 3,000 acres of rolling hills, low lying swampy areas, rock outcrops and several ponds. It’s a great place for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, swimming, camping and picnicking.

Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsborough State Forest
A total of 1,000 acres, including 180 acres of ponds, swamps, and wetlands. The forest has six miles of trails offering hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. Hunting is permitted in season.

Salisbury Beach State Reservation
One of the state's most popular ocean beaches stretching for 3.8 miles along the Atlantic Ocean, this 521-acre park offers swimming, boating, fishing and camping. Facilities include a campground with bathhouses, an extensive parking lot, three comfort stations, over-the-dune boardwalks, and a playground and pavilion area. The facility also has two boat ramps located on the Merrimack River at the campground's southern edge.

Powow River Watershed Association – Amesbury
The Powow River Watershed Association (PRWA) is a volunteer citizens group based in Amesbury that seeks to increase public awareness of the Powow River watershed's aesthetic, economic, educational, historic, and recreational value. The PRWA holds an annual "Powow Riverfest" and many other events throughout the year.