Bring your family to enjoy the Sudbury, Assabet, & Concord Rivers

Use this guide to pick an adventure that’s suitable for the whole family on the Wild and Scenic Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers.

Middlesex Canal Museum Minute Man Wolbach Farm 17 Faulkner St., North Billerica National Historical Park 18 Wolbach Rd., Sudbury Open on weekend afternoons and weekdays Liberty St., Concord Home to Sudbury Valley Trustees, Wolbach by appointment, the Middlesex Canal Across the river from the Old Manse, the Farm is a 54-acre property along the Museum is a small museum that preserves Park commemorates the beginning of the Sudbury River. The Farm is a great place to and commemorates the history of the Revolutionary War. There are wide open explore local history and natural areas. The Middlesex Canal. The museum is located in fields with easily walkable trails and beau- Nature Nook in the main building provides a portion of the old Faulkner Mills complex tiful views. Historic buildings and a visitor interactive displays and crafts designed to and contains maps and artifacts from the center offer many learning opportunities. teach children and families about wildlife canal and mills. North Bridge crosses the Concord River and found on the Farm. is a fun place to watch boats go by.

Vietnam Veterans Park Great Meadows National Treble Cove Rd., Billerica Old Calf Pasture/Egg Rock Wildife Refuge—Pelham Island Located by Wining Pond, Billerica’s Veterans Lowell Rd., Concord Pelham Island Rd., Wayland Park offers playgrounds, soccer fields, plenty Off Lowell Road there is a boat launch The short Griscom Trail offers a walk that of walking trails, and opportunities for fishing.* and a short trail along the river ending at wends through forests and looks out over the a point where the Assabet and Sudbury Sudbury River floodplain. There is some slight Rivers join to form the Concord River. Enjoy elevation change, but it is an easy walk. There picnicking along the banks of the rivers. is parking for three cars on Pelham Island Ralph Hill Conservation Area Across the river (at the confluence the rivers) Road. Dogs are not allowed on the refuge. Treble Cove Rd., Billerica is Egg Rock, a local landmark with a plaque With property on both sides of the Concord that commemorates the original inhabitants River and adjacent to Vietnam Veteran of the area. Egg Rock can be accessed via a Park, the Ralph Hill Conservation Area trail off Nashawtuc Road. Old Calf Pasture is Heard Pond provides ample opportunity for nature walks subject to flooding. Pelham Island Rd., Wayland and exploration along the Concord River. An 85-acre pond in Wayland, Heard Pond Beaver ponds and vernal pools are home to provides opportunities for nature explora- aquatic wildlife, and the white pine and oak tion, walking, and birding. A small pull-off forests are home to many birds. Enter the South Bridge Boat House on Pelham Island Road allows water access. conservation land via the Vietnam Veterans 496 Main St. (Rt. 62), Concord Park entrance. A small, family-owned boathouse on the Sudbury River, South Bridge Boat House offers canoe and kayak rentals. It is an easy Greenways Conservation Area paddle in either direction from this point. Green Way (off Rts. 126/27), Wayland Bartlett’s Landing The Greenways Conservation Area is owned 56 Morgan Rd., Billerica by Sudbury Valley Trustees and the Town of Bartlett’s Landing Conservation site provides Wayland and is an 87-acre parcel of wooded public access to the Concord River in Billerica. Park by Nashoba Brook land, wetlands, and fields along the Sudbury There is plenty of space for launching boats, Commonwealth Ave., W. Concord River. Trails wind through the conservation parking, and wading along this segment of At Warner’s Pond dam there is a small pocket area for wildlife viewing and nature explo- the National Wild and Scenic Concord River. park. This is a fun place to watch the water ration. There is a pet cemetery to visit and flow over the spillway. Nashoba Brook Bak- picnic tables by the river’s edge. ery is just across the street. The Brook passes right behind the bakery and is a good spot to Foss Farm watch for fish and look for snapping turtles. Rt. 225, Carlisle Carol Getchell Trail Located on Rt. 225 (Bedford Rd.) between Little Farms Rd., Framingham Skelton Road and River Road in Carlisle, Running along the Sudbury River, the Carol Foss Farm is a 57-acre property that contin- Walden Pond State Reservation Getchell Trail is an easy walking trail with ues to be used for community gardens. Many 915 Walden St., Concord boardwalks over wetlands and lovely views walking trails meander through this proper- Known for its natural and historic signifi- of the river. The Trail stretches from Little ty and the adjacent Great Meadows National cance, Walden Pond offers swimming, trails Farms Road upstream to the Old Danforth Wildlife Refuge (no dogs) and Greenough for nature walks, and guided tours of the Street Bridge. Parking and a trail access point Conservation Land, and offer ample oppor- land and a replica of Henry David Thoreau’s are also located at the end of Hillside Street. tunity for nature exploration. one-room cabin. The Reservation also Trail is subject to flooding. provides ongoing educational programs.

Bedford Boat Launch Carlisle Rd (Rt. 225), Bedford Fairhaven Bay/Wright Woods Icon Key WALKING Concord & Lincoln (multiple entrances) DAM PICNIC AREA This boat launch provides easy access to the TRAILS Concord River. A small ramp on the west Fairhaven Bay is a large embayment on the CANOE/KAYAK PLAYGROUND WADING side of the river is suitable for canoes and Sudbury River in Concord. It is accessible by ACCESS

STAFFED WILDLIFE kayaks. Fishing* is also allowed at the boat boat by paddling about one half mile down- FISHING VISITOR CENTER VIEWING launch. A trail leads to Two Brothers Rock. stream from the Lincoln Boat Launch on Rt. NEARBY STROLLER 117. The river is very gentle and opens up into FOOD FRIENDLY

a beautiful bay. There is an island where you TRAILERED MUSEUM can disembark to stretch your legs, or visit BOAT ACCESS Great Meadows the small stone boathouse across the bay. *Fishing is catch and release only. National Wildlife Refuge— Concord Impoundments Monsen Rd., Concord Located on the Concord River, the Concord Great Meadows National Impoundments are two water-level con- Wildife Refuge—Headquarters trolled ponds just north of Concord Center. 73 Weir Hill Rd., Sudbury Protecting Our Rivers A level roadway around the ponds provides The headquarters of the Great Meadows Is a Group Effort. an excellent walking trail for children of NWR is located on the Sudbury River in Learn more about the rivers or how all ages, and there are several other trails Sudbury. Two trails totaling one mile are you can get involved. Check out the through the woods. The ponds provide located here—the Weir Hill Trail provides great work of some of our partners: opportunities for birding and other wildlife access to the river and then climbs a steep sightings, like frogs, turtles, and muskrats. hill left by glaciers while the Red Maple Trail Massachusetts Audubon Society massaudubon.org There is a short walking trail to the Concord is flat. Neither trail is suitable for strollers. River where fishing* is allowed and kayakers There is canoe and kayak access at the river Massachusetts Riverways Program and canoers can land. Dogs are not allowed which is less then 0.25 miles from the park- mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/der on the refuge. ing area. Dogs are not allowed on the refuge. National Park Service nps.gov/nero/rivers/sudbury.html OARS The Old Manse Assabet River oars3rivers.org 269 Monument St., Concord National Wildlife Refuge SuAsCo CISMA An historic house built in 1770 along the 680 Hudson Rd., Sudbury cisma-suasco.org The Assabet River NWR is over 2,300 acres banks of the Concord River overlooking SuAsCo River Stewardship Council Old North Bridge, the Old Manse served of woodland and wetland habitat with many sudbury-assabet-concord.org as home to such significant literary figures trails suitable for all ages. The refuge is filled as Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo with local history and many opportunities SuAsCo Watershed Community Council Emerson. The Old Manse and its surround- for nature exploration. There is a small boat suasco.org ing grounds provide ample opportunity launch on Puffer Pond for canoes and kayaks Sudbury Valley Trustees for easy walking,guided tours, picnicking, and a separate fishing* platform on the Puffer sudburyvalleytrustees.org canoeing and kayaking, and bird watching. Pond Trail. Some trails are suitable for stroll- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service ers and bicycles. The refuge also has a visitor fws.gov/refuge/assabet_river center with exhibits that is open Thursday fws.gov/refuge/great_meadows through Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Dogs are not allowed on the refuge.

Photo at top by: Frank Murmann, Concord River with canoes, July 2005 CC BY-SA 3.0

For more information about our rivers, visit: www.sudbury-assabet-concord.org Choose Your Family Adventure On The Sudbury, Assabet, & Concord Rivers

Get To Know Your Rivers

• The National Wild & Scenic Sudbury, Assabet, • The Concord River watershed is an important and Concord Rivers stretch a combined total stopover point along the Atlantic Flyway, of 83.4 miles, flowing north from Westborough providing important food and habitat for to Lowell. Chelmsford migrating birds. Rich in biodiversity, the rivers • Twenty-nine of these miles are part of the are home to many plants and animals, includ- National Wild & Scenic River System. The rivers ing beavers, otters, great blue herons, and the have no dams or other man-made obstructions threatened Blanding’s turtle. on their length, and have the outstanding • Home to Old North Bridge, the site of the resource values of ecology, scenery, recreation, “shot heard round the world,” the rivers are history, and American literature. rich with historical and literary significance. • The Sudbury and Concord Rivers both drop just • Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, Billerica a few inches per mile on their Wild and Scenic Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Louisa May Alcott segments. A gentle and slow flow makes the rivers all lived on or near the rivers and were at times excellent for beginners and paddlers of all ages. inspired by them in their writing.

d a

o

R

e

v

o

C

e

l

b 3 So Many to Choose From! e r

T Welcome to the family friendly Sudbury, Assabet,

and Concord Rivers. See the other side of this map C o n for details on what each location offers. c rth o No r d

R

o 1. Middlesex Canal Museum a d 2. Vietnam Veterans Park 3. Ralph Hill Conservation Area 4. Bartlett’s Landing 5. Foss Farm 6. Bedford Boat Launch 7. Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge— ER Concord Impoundments IV 8. The Old Manse R

9. Minute Man National Historical Park Carlisle D 10. Old Calf Pasture/Egg Rock R O

11. South Bridge Boat House

R C 12. Park by Nashoba Brook E N

13. Walden Pond State Reservation V O

I Bedford C 14. Fairhaven Bay/Wright Woods R

15. Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge—

d Headquarters D a o R R L d o r 16. Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge o w O c on e C C 17. Wolbach Farm l l N R 18. Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge— o a O d

Pelham Island C 19. Heard Pond 20. Greenways Conservation Area 21. Carol Getchell Trail

t e e r t S rd fo d e B Concord

Acton

R

d E a o R V o I r o R lb r a Lincoln M West T

d E l AB O Concord S S A

d

a

o

R

n

i

k

a D

P a Maynard n t r y

R

o

a

Sudbury d R

E

V I R

d

a o Y R R d

r o U c

n o B 20 ad C n Ro dso D

Hu

U S Weston

oad st R Po on st Bo 20

L a n SAFETY TIPS d h

a

m

Consider the following tips to maximize your R

o family’s fun on the river while remaining safe a d Wayland • Wear life vests whenever you’re on the water • Keep children away from vehicles and the road at boat launches • Dress appropriately for the weather Framingham • Bring water, sun screen and bug spray • Watch out for ticks and poison ivy

Did you you enjoy enjoy your yourtime on time our rivers?on our Want rivers? to learn Want and do to more? learn Check and outdo ourmore? Junior Check River out our Junior River Ranger programRanger program or visit or visit www.sudbury-assabet-concord.org www.sudbury-assabet-concord.org for more information for more about information our rivers! about our rivers!