Newbury, Massachusetts

Total Acres: 60

Year Conserved: Multiple years

Property Description

The Parker River is approximately 23 miles in length and its watershed covers approximately 82 square miles in Essex County, Massachusetts. Towns and cities located partially or wholly in the watershed include Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland, Ipswich, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Rowley, and West Newbury. Major tributaries include the Little River, which starts in Newburyport and flows through Newbury, and the Mill River, which flows through Rowley and joins the Parker River near The Governor’s Academy.

There are 14 lakes, ponds and reservoirs in the watershed.  Approximately half of the area within the Parker River Watershed is protected or used for outdoor recreation, including the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. Greenbelt owns several properties along the River, including the Cart Creek lands.

Special Features:

The freshwater portion of the Parker River is a favorite angling spot for trout. The tidal portions of watershed including Plum Island Sound abound with fish, and in the summer striped bass and bluefish are much sought after. The mud flats of the sound are well known locally for their abundance of clams.  Birding is best experienced by canoe, where one may sometimes find rare and endangered species. Waterfall and other species migrate heavily in the fall.

 Get Out and Paddle

The best time to paddle on the Parker River is in spring or fall, avoiding the peak mosquito season in June through September. For a quick canoe trip, launch at Thurlow Bridge on Middle Street about one hour before high tide. Canoe upstream until the tide turns and paddle back out to the starting point, returning no later than 2 hours after the tide has turned. This timing makes for easy paddling and good visibility, and often offers a little wind to ward off any early or late-lingering mosquitoes. For a longer trip, paddle farther up the Parker, past the intersection with Cart Creek, around the next bend, which is Greenbelt owned land on the right, and to a rock outcropping on the right hand shore. This is the beginning of the Great Meadow property. If you would like to stretch your legs, plan to arrive at this point at high water, so you can step out directly onto the rock face. Otherwise, footing can be awkward once the tide goes down. The trails and meadows are off to the left, and one trail is just on the other side of the rock, away from the river.

Parking

Park along the road on the left after you have crossed the bridge. You will see a sign for Essex County Sportsman's Association.

 Directions

From Route 95 in Byfield:

Travel east on Central Street for 0.7 mile. Turn left onto Orchard Street and proceed 2 miles until it ends. Turn sharply right onto Middle Street and travel 0.4 mile to the Parker River.