RiverFest is a family-friendly event celebrating the Ipswich River with activities like canoeing, fishing, live music, and educational exhibits. Enjoy food from local vendors and participate in fun games and crafts.
One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier beach that protects the tidal estuary of the Essex River basin. Running along its back side is the Castle Neck River, a superb location for paddlers of all skill levels to explore these sheltered waters.
What’s the secret to exploring the magic of the Great Marsh? Getting out on the water! Join park rangers from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge and paddling guides along the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge water trail to experience this unique habitat and the species that call it home. This program is free and all gear will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own equipment!
Curious about kayaking, but not sure where to start? Want to spot some interesting wildlife, but don’t consider yourself an outdoorsy person? Join the Ipswich River Watershed Association (IRWA) and Mass Audubon’s Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary for a birding excursion on the river!
Join Trustees staff from Appleton Farms and the Ipswich River Watershed Association for a fun and adventurous hike and paddle excursion. We’ll meet at the farm and hike over to the headquarters of IRWA, right on the Ipswich River. IRWA staff will help us get into canoes and kayaks then lead a trip down the river, into downtown Ipswich and back. This unique experience will be a wonderful way to explore the natural surroundings of Ipswich, over both land and water.
Did you know that in 2021 the Ipswich River was named one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® ? Learn about the work we do to get our river off of that list and paddle to downtown Ipswich and back. Through restoration projects like dam removal and invasive species management, to advocacy work around water conservation – we have the solutions to ensure a bright future for our river. Join us on this paddle to witness this precious resource first-hand and learn more about what it takes to get our river off the endangered list. A full schedule of Ipswich River Watershed Association events is available at ipswichriver.org/calendar. Part of Trails & Sails
Paddle the quiet waters of the Powow and enjoy the late summer evening air! On this date an afternoon moonrise will progress to 74% of full Harvest Moon illumination at 8:46 PM. Shine on!! This provides the optimum opportunity for a beautiful moonlit paddle along the shores of the Powwow Conservation Area on scenic Lake Gardner. Starting at the recently refurbished Lake Gardner Beach, we will leisurely paddle from the placid waters of the lake into the quiet canopy of the Powow River and back.
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
Ipswich River Watershed Associationinvites you to Riverbend headquarters in celebrating the return of the paddling season. We’ll be leading a short paddle down river to the historic Peatfield landing where we’ve installed the our newest kiosk. Then we’ll return to Riverbend for ice cream, soda, beer, music and games. Please RSVP to rsvp@ipswichriver.org
Coast to Coast Paddle loves that so many moms love to paddle! We know how hard you work, and we want to reward you with a relaxing paddle out of our beautiful Salem Willows location! Start your day with fresh air and beautiful scenery as we paddle this scenic coastline!
