Spring is finally upon us! Learn about what happens in the spring and explore all the changes taking place in the park with the interpreter guiding this experience of discovery. We will walk around 1.5 miles. Trails can be muddy.
Take a self guided tour at Maudslay State Park during the spring bloom season! Maudslay’s laurels have covered the banks of the Merrimack River for centuries. From 1849 to 1870, Mr. and Mrs. William Ashby of Newburyport hosted annual literary parties at the Laurel Grounds called the “Feast of Flowers.” Guests included such famous figures as John Greenleaf Whittier, who composed several poems about the site. The formal gardens at Maudslay State Park bloom from May through August with a vast array of species and can be enjoyed before or after a wooded trail walk.
Live turtles, eels, and fish like mummichogs will be available for viewing, so come meet some of our favorite river dwellers! Join us at our Downtown Pop-Up at Naimo Gallery, 24 Central Street, Ipswich, MA
Bring your little ones to the visitor center to create a nature-themed craft with a refuge ranger. Registration required, limited spots available. Feel free to Drop in and Leave at your leisure.To register, please e-mail parkerriver@fws.gov.
Celebrate with art, conversation, and drop-in crafts for children and adults! This is the biggest holiday of the year for IRWA, and we’re ready to celebrate. Join us to decorate fish, make cardboard river-themed creature costumes (shad? herring? stickleback? turtles? which one is your favorite?), and more! We’re making costumes so that next week, on April 29th, we can parade down Main Street to the riverwalk in our creations. Ipswich’s own Monarch Gardener will be donating native seeds that pollinators love so you can help our local pollinators thrive!
The River has no voice without us, without you! The Ipswich River Watershed Association’s Paddle-a-thon is a unique signature fundraising event celebrating the Ipswich River and clean water. It’s our annual fundraising event that encourages folks to paddle a stretch of the Ipswich River on their own or with friends.
Miss Lisa invites you to join her for some family-friendly seasonal nature walks in the area. Together we will explore the salt marsh, the woods, and more. We will look for birds, mammals, and of course, mushrooms! We'll use our "science eyes" and "nature ears" and learn, play, and discover together. In early spring, our wetlands are warming up, and the tiny insects and snails are awake and looking for food. Let's see what creatures we can discover living in flooded meadows and small streams.
Miss Lisa invites you to join her for some family-friendly seasonal nature walks in the area. Together we will explore the salt marsh, the woods, and more. We will look for birds, mammals, and of course, mushrooms! We'll use our "science eyes" and "nature ears" and learn, play, and discover together. Some mammals build up fat, make winter homes, and sleep all winter. Let's find out who these animals are, and with games and experiments, learn all about hibernation!
Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the north shore. Our engaging and experienced staff will introduce families to local forests, beaches, and wetlands to make observations in nature, identify wildlife, and enjoy hands on science activities outdoors. Sign up for one, some, or all!
Miss Lisa invites you to join her for some family-friendly seasonal nature walks in the area. Together we will explore the salt marsh, the woods, and more. We will look for birds, mammals, and of course, mushrooms! We'll use our "science eyes" and "nature ears" and learn, play, and discover together. Frogs are calling and birds are singing, which means spring is coming! Let's explore a spring pool and see what signs of life we can find.
