What a treasure. My son brought me here a cold early morning to meet the birds. We went and when we stood still and help some bird food in our hands, they came and ate out of them. The trails are well kept up and so good to be around. We found some of the layered ice pieces that look like Lacey ice. This is a great outing, even if you are not from around here. I think being there early (8 am) helped since we were alone on the trails. Check it out. read more

See all

What a beautiful place! There are plenty of well-marked trails of different lengths; between the variety of habitats and the changing of the seasons, you could visit weekly for years and never quite explore the same place twice. The dozens of species of birds are not shy; the frogs, turtles, rabbits, red squirrels, chipmunks, etc., aren't all that shy either! It has a nicely set up learning center ( and classes) for kids, plus canoes for rental if that's your thing. Mandatory warnings: use bug spray and, especially, wear long pants to ward off ticks. And be prepared for a slightly tricky narrow road ending in an often-crowded parking lot. As for the cost: get yourself an Audubon membership and entry will be free, plus you'll be supporting good conservation work. read more

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Topsfield, Massachusetts

I have to start off by saying that this is a beautiful noteworthy place to spend a few hours observing nature up close. I have been here before and had high hopes of enjoying a peaceful afternoon surrounded by the gift of nature. Unfortunately, my experience was far from pleasant. Upon arrival, I was met with unwelcoming staff who seemed more interested in enforcing rules than fostering a welcoming environment. To make matters worse, she was charging $7 per person just to observe nature, which feels excessive to me since you can go to many other places like this without any fee or rude staff. I left feeling disappointed that people would take advantage of natures beauty for their own profit. read more

If I had to describe this place using one word, it would be magical. I've never been anywhere else where you can put bird seeds in your hand and birds will just fly right into your hand and eat from it. It was truly a magical experience. I felt like a Disney princess feeding the birds. Aside from that, the hiking trails are also really nice and well maintained. This was a great hiking adventure and awesome place to take photos! Highly recommend! read more

See all

This is heaven on Earth. I have been visiting this sanctuary for years, and it never gets old. It is the only wildlife sanctuary I have ever visited where birds will fly to your hands and eat seed right out of them. Any basic bird seed mix will do. Just find a quiet spot with a few low-to-the-ground trees and some Chickadees chirping. Hold out a handful of seed and a flurry of wings will drop down. My wife and I have also had luck enticing White-breasted Nuthatches and Tufted Titmouses, although the latter seem to be more reserved. The experience will make the most seasoned bird watcher giddy, and it will make even the most skeptical couch potato an instant naturalist. Beyond the draw of holding songbirds in the palms of your hands, there are many sprawling acres of lush flora and plenty of other wildlife action to boot. We usually see hawks, snakes, deer, and chipmunks bustling about. It seems like there is never a time of year we don't see something scurrying around, and we almost always see something new. A family, couple, or individual hiker could easily spend a day here, and at four dollars for admission, the value of a trip really cannot be beat. Take advantage of the seemingly perennial offer to use your admission as credit toward a Mass Audubon subscription so you can take advantage of the kayaks on the premises as well. read more

See all

Came here with my wife and had a great time. Trails were long and at times a bit confusing but I think that made it more fun for me since I felt like I was actually out in the woods trying to survive. If you live in the city and you want to get away and enjoy the nature, this would be a perfect place to visit. It is only about 40 min drive from Boston. While we were hiking, we ran into deers and other wild life which was pretty cool! Some tips to follow: 1. Bring bug spray - This one might be an obvious one but we didn't bring one and suffered greatly. Don't let those annoying bugs and mosquitoes ruin your hike! 2. Wear long pants - It might get hot but it is worth it. You don't want to end up getting tick bites that could possibly lead to lyme disease! 3. Come after 4pm. If you come before, they will charge you $4/person. read more

See all

Beatiful property with a lot of different habitats to wander through and great for bird watching. If you belong to the Audobond society, you can rent the little cabin that they have on the property overnight that sleeps 2. Also, they rent out canoes and have some great swampy areas to explore. read more

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary - Ipwich River Wildlife Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Topsfield, Massachusetts

I went here on my own for a little getaway and I can't believe I haven't been here sooner!! For $4 you can go through beautiful trails and see some crazy birds and sites! You see and hear birds everywhere you go. It's true, the chickadees WILL eat out of your hand and will keep following you. It felt almost surreal when they flew onto my hand and phone. I went about a week ago, and since it rained a lot the day before I couldn't go through most trails due to very wet and muddy trails. I only went through the Rockery trail which features the pretty and peaceful pond and cave-like walkway. I am definitely coming back when it's a little more green with friends! I can only imagine how much prettier the place looks which the place is more lush and dry so I can go through more trails. So if you just want to escape life and be surrounded my nature, I highly recommend coming here. There are so many places to take good pictures and to just sit and relax! read more

See all

I come here at least once a week, and it is my absolute favorite place to go for some quiet time with nature. Even though it's winter and there probably isn't as much wildlife as in warmer seasons, I have seen deer each time I've come as well as a hawk close-up three times. If you bring bird seed and find yourself amongst some feathered friends, they will happily eat out of your hand. They even line up to wait! Several trails, wonderful staff and so many beautiful sights. Although it's true that if you come past 4 you don't need to pay, I usually try to come early enough so they are still charging admission. It's only $4 for adults and it supports this amazing place, I'm more than happy to contribute. read more

See all

Hello, This place is beautiful all year round. I rented in Innermost house cabin in February and had the best time. Amazingly, the best weather. Lucky for us :) The staff is great and the cabin was so comfortable. ahh.. We saw a lot of wildlife Deer, Norther Harrier, Barred Owl? Bard Owl? Chickadees that eat out of your hands, not ours but we witnessed others. I would highly recommend this place for families or people that would like to get away from the city that is less or not more than 1 hr drive. Please help support the society. thanks :) read more

parking is awful even with a sticker had to come back 9 times create more spots and less goopy mud read more

I come here several times during the year and find it very relaxing enjoying nature, walking the trails. In some spots with a little patience the wild life have grown friendly... chickadees, nuthatches and tufted titmice, will land right on your hand!! (see pictures) They also have different events here during the year, definitely watch the website. read more

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary - Parks Near Me - Topsfield, Massachusetts

See all

Great place to relax and enjoy nature. The trails are well marked and the ecosystems diverse. Good for a short or long hike depending on how many different trails you want to go on. read more

My city kids loved it and it was a great place to enjoy nature. We saw baby turtles, multiple birds that are out of our hands, and a falcon on our trip today. Next time we will plan it so we can do some of the guided programs. The Rockery is pretty neat and we took lots of instagram worthy pictures, as my teen daughter says read more

Simply put, this is one of my favorite places on Earth. There are 12 miles of trails-- I've been coming here for years, and I'll bet there are still places that I haven't seen. To repeat what many others have said: the smaller birds here, such as chickadees, nuthatches and tufted titmice, will land right on your hand, which for me never gets old. Bring bird seed! Sometimes you can fake them out and they'll land for a second even if you don't have any food for them, but if you have some seed and you're there while they're hungry, you'll practically have to fight them off. There are some nice boardwalks through the wetlands, from where you can watch ducks, geese and egrets. My favorite area of the sanctuary is the Rockery, where the trail curves through a man-made rock tunnel before continuing around a pond that's home to beavers and turtles both large and small. The Rockery area itself looks like something out of a fantasy movie, and the flat area on top of it is a great place to commune with birds and cute little red squirrels. On the other side of the sanctuary, there's a neat observation tower that looks out over the Bunker Meadows, a marshy area adjacent to a section of the Ipswich River. The trails between here and the Visitor Center are where you want to keep your eyes open for deer. Obviously, they're usually keen to keep some distance between you and them, but I've had some breathtakingly close encounters with them over the years. Like the birds, they seem to know that the people who come here don't mean them any harm. I've actually had standing deer sit down in my presence at a close distance. Other wildlife I've seen here include hawks, mice, snakes, and what I believe may have been a mink. One thing to be aware of is that it can get pretty buggy here in hot weather, so the best times to go are in the spring and the fall. It's also a good idea to take precautions against ticks. If you love wildlife, you'd be hard pressed to find a better place in Eastern Massachusetts to spend a day. read more

On the one hand, it is a beautiful chunk of varied scenery without litter. On the other hand it's a petting zoo and Instagram photo opportunity. I was really looking forward to observing the wildlife going about their lives but instead is it just a whole lot of begging behaviors from the birds and even the turtles. Worse yet the staff encourages the taming and hand feeding. I suppose it helps them get more donations and helps raise awareness for birds on social media but if you are like minded this is not going to be the place for you. read more

This is the sanctuary where a bird will literally eat out of your hand. In winter, if you bring some birdseed with you and stand at points along the trail with your hand outstretched holding birdseed, a bird (chickadee or tufted titmouse, usually) will land on your hand and grab a seed. It is so amazing and such a trip. They have educational programs, marked trails, nesting boxes, an observation tower overlooking a swamp where migrating birds rest and feed, a little gift shop and oh, yeah wildlife. I've seen deer, pheasant, snapping turtles, beavers, and so many birds. My son goes to summer camp here and loves it. He has learned so much. The other day he demonstrated the proper way to catch and release a dragonfly, a skill which will no doubt be useful later in life. He had his birthday party here and they took the kids on a nature walk. I can't say enough good things about this amazing place. It is run by Mass Audubon. Only downside is they don't allow dogs, even leashed, because they don't want to disturb the wildlife which is understandable to me, but my dog would really love it here. read more

See all

The chickadees and nuthatches are quite brazen and will strong-arm you for seed or peanuts in exchange for free passage through the trails. During a brief rest down by the swamp we noticed two chickadees about to rifle through one of our backpacks that was on a bench. When questioned about the incident the chickadees remained calm and professed their innocence. read more

When I was working part-time taking care of zebra finches in a temporary aviary at a local museum, I would often get a ton of comments from visitors about how disappointed they were that a bird didn't land on them. This lament was often followed up by how much they loved some random sight in Topsfield where wild chickadees would land on you if you brought seed to eat. Intrigued by these stories, I decided it was time to do some research and find out what place all of these people were talking about, and that's when I discovered the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. To be completely honest, the only reason I came to this beautiful Audubon site was to get in on the chickadee action. Although I didn't think visitors were necessarily lying, I thought their version of the truth must be augmented, and I had to find out for myself. When my husband and I arrived, we parked our car in the ample spaces provided, bee-lined for the visitor center, and asked them where to find the chickadees. Bird seed in hand, they directed us on a map to the Rockery trail and we stalked the trees for hours, listening for the characteristic calls of the chickadees. After walking through the trails we finally heard one, and stopped dead in our tracks. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes, but there was the chickadee, staring down from a tree a few feet away, tilting his head back and forth while sizing me up, before he swooped on down to my hand for the food. I was so excited I shrilled with delight like a 5 year old school girl, thus scaring away the only chickadee we found that day, and ending my adventure of hand feeding wild chickadees. So, if you are in the right spot at the right time of day, I assure you it is possible to experience what other visitors told me! Despite my failure in being able to reel in a ton of chickadees like the scene in Beauty and the Beast when the Beast is covered in birds in a snow covered landscape, I had a lot of fun at this sanctuary, and have since been back a few times and opted to get a membership. The land is really well taken care of and there is lots of wildlife to see on all of the different paths. During my trips I have seen a ton of wild chipmunks, turtles, baby geese, chickadees and other birds, dragon flies, etc. On top of that, there are a bunch of protected areas with nesting boxes and bat boxes, trails with varying topography consisting of marshlands, meadows, wooded trails, vernal pools, etc. You can even rent a canoe and explore some of the area by water. I can't wait to go back and continue to explore more. A tip to newcomers: If you're not sure where to start off, check out the information board posted on the exterior of the Visitor Center.They keep track of what's been spotted recently and where to find it, which is a huge help if you're just learning about nature. read more

Beautiful. You can hike in the forest, next to the lakes, on the lakes (via nicely maintained wooden platforms, there's even a rock grotto). The trails are well maintained. This is a real treat for a west cost person who usually just sees shrubs on hikes. read more

I love this place. The only time not to go is if you can't stand the humidity, otherwise, this place is just great to go to if you're much into walks in nature. I've only been here a few times in the past few years, but I would always come here when I was younger. read more

Beautiful place to feed birds, see wildlife and hike around trails! The rock caves are very fun to explore. The birds follow you through the trails like you're Snow White! A great family fun place to adventure. No dogs allowed unfortunately. read more

This place is so lovely! Insane place to come if you are into birds. They will eat right out of your hand if you have birdseed and are not shy. Great for a quiet walk with pretty views. Canoes are available for renting as well. One of my new favorite's. read more

Excellent place to take my young boys. The Rock area is awesome.

Such a beautiful place to spend a fall weekend. The really birds do come to you if you stand still. The scenic views are stunning. There are tours available but if you don't catch that, there's a map you can use to navigate throughout the place. read more

My family and I love this place. We have been taking our son here since before he could walk. Since we moved to the area we have been coming at least once a week all year, making the most of our membership! There are a variety of clearly marked and easy to follow trails for all types of adventures. The natural beauty is breathtaking. There are lovely swampy trails with bridges passing over the Ipswich River. There are longer trails that pass through less traveled, quiet forest. There is a fantastic rockery with a pond and plenty of beaver activity. You will be able to view various local wildlife. We often see deer, plenty of birds (some of which will feed from your hand), musk rats, beavers, turtles, frogs, snakes etc. The staff are friendly and welcoming. The visitor center is inviting. The only downside for me is that it gets very crowded at times. Sometimes the other visitors are very intense about seeing wildlife and don't appreciate a family passing through. However, such a beautiful place should be able to be appreciated by everyone. read more

The place is lovely and the staff who runs it were wonderful. We weren't there for long, however just long enough to take in the Rock Grotto Trail during which we saw what looked like finches, some bullfrogs and a turtle in their natural environment. I highly recommend a stop and do some exploring next time one is in the area. We can here just after attending an arts and crafts fair nearby. read more

This is an absolute family favorite of ours! What a great, easy, manageable with kids hike to enjoy for the whole family.

A recent visit to this wildlife sanctuary resulted in the decision to become members of the Audubon Society (just $65/year for a family!). It is a beautiful refuge with 12 miles of interconnecting trails that take you through forests, meadows, and wetlands, with views from cool boardwalks and an observation tower. Even in the winter when the foliage is not at its most lush, it is a refreshing escape from the city. We took a map from the visitor center and meandered around the trails for several hours. I look forward to returning for weekend events (like maple sugaring tours next weekend) and seeing the sanctuary at different times of the year. read more

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary - Boardwalk through the sanctuary in the winter - Parks Near Me - Topsfield, Massachusetts

See all

The Man Responsible for Training Ipswich River Birds...http://www.amazon.com/Hand-Feeding-Backyard-Birds-Step---Step/dp/1580171818/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1456522673&sr=8-8&keywords=feeding+backyard+birds read more

An oasis of calm close to the city. Visiting this well-maintained property is sure to de-stress. The meandering trails are clearly marked and lead to countless perfect hidden picnic spots. $4 Adults $3 Kids (2-12) read more

I come here several times a year and think it is one of the top areas to walk in nature north of Boston. Beautiful and well kept trails. You'll definitely be able to see tons of birds as well as wildlife such as turtles and deer. Ample parking. I've also never had bug problems here. Trails are well marked and easy to navigate. read more

This is one of my favorite places on Earth. I have a 3 year old who loves being outdoors and this place is perfect for the family. The trails are well-maintained and there are a variety of habitats and things to do. Birding, hiking, canoeing, etc. Be aware that they aren't open on Mondays. read more

Nice place. 4 stars except for the $4 per person charge. Not a big fee but many similar places for free. Saw a deer up close which was cool