Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

Enjoy Our Trails Come explore our 12 miles of trails which meander through wetlands, elds, and forest. There is a diversity of terrains and you can choose a short or longer walk. Return often to experience the change of seasons along with the changing cycles of nature. The snows of winter provide opportunities for cross-country skiers and trail trackers alike. Check the information board posted on the wall outside the visitor center for up-to-date bird sightings and other animal and plant natural history information. South Esker and North Esker Trails The steep sides and at tops of these trails are the remains of sand and gravel deposits from a river that ran tunnel-like through a glacier that was here 15,000 years ago. The 0.4 mile South Esker Trail oers a panoramic view into the Great Wenham Swamp, the largest freshwater wetland on the North Shore. Waterfowl Pond The platform at Waterfowl Pond oers a view into the cattail marsh of Hassocky Meadow. Look for marsh wrens, red-winged blackbirds, and yellow warblers which nest here. Sit quietly and you may see a muskrat, beaver, or river otter, which all travel this waterway. Drumlin Trail The 1.3-mile Drumlin Trail, built as a carriage road, is at and easy and passes by a 100-year-old wisteria arbor and numerous plantings from the Proctor arboretum era. The trail encircles a drumlin, which is a glacial formation and serves as a reminder of the thick ice that once sculpted this landscape.