North River Wildlife Sanctuary

Mass Audubon's 225-acre North River Wildlife Sanctuary offers 2.5 miles of well-marked trails through forest, meadow, and red maple swamp, including a quarter-mile universally accessible sensory trail through a fern glen. There are boardwalks and an observation deck on the North River itself, where harbor seals are sometimes visible, and the sanctuary is a genuinely good spot for birding, with everything from turkeys to red-tailed hawks passing through. In 2021 the town of Marshfield set aside an additional 13 acres next door as a buffer against flooding, with Mass Audubon holding a conservation restriction on it. Between the trail variety and the accessibility of the sensory loop, this is one of the more family- and mobility-friendly nature spots in town.

Points of Interest

• several benches located around the field and river view trails
• viewing scope near the top of the field
• osprey nest
• wildflower and pollinator garden located near the educational building
• The Discovery Room, where you can learn about rain gardens, examine some shells or borrow binoculars for a nice walk in the garden Sensory Trail. Check out this page for more information.