The Rivers of Great Meadows

December 1997 - January 1998

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Christine F. Ridout

Morning on the Sudbury and Concord rivers at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts is quiet and remote. The light is soft, mist rises from rivers and marshes, and the birds and wildlife are beginning their morning rituals. Wildflowers, cattails, and marshgrass sway gently in the breeze while great blue heron wade in the shallows searching for breakfast. In spring, the marsh grass along the river banks teems with marsh wrens, geese, wood ducks, and blue-winged teal. In fall, migratory birds rest during the long journey south.

Great Meadows is a kayaker's paradise-beautiful scenery, abundant wildlife, lots of put-ins and lunch spots, easy, yet varied kayaking. Twenty miles from Boston, it consists of 3,000 acres of rivers, marsh pools, and wetlands, and winds along 12 miles of the Sudbury and Concord Rivers through the historic towns of Bedford, Carlisle, Concord, Lincoln, Sudbury, and Wayland. From the rivers, the variety of habitats and wildlife is astonishing.

Inconguously located just outside Boston, parts of the rivers thread through areas which feel like wilderness. The stillness is punctuated only by birdsong, the hum of insects, and the gentle lapping of paddles. Wildlife is plentiful. As the river winds on, great blue heron, wood ducks and Canada geese take off in flight, downy woodpeckers noisily peck at trees, red-tailed hawks circle overhead, and pheasants scurry through the brush. Turtles sun on the rocks and muskrats slither off logs.

The scenery along the rivers varies. Some parts are heavily wooded and follow a clear channel with steep banks. Trees hang over the water, making it necessary to duck; roots of large oaks reach toward the kayak. These stretches of river are shady and cool in summer. As the the rivers twist and turn, however, they are full of suprises; they broaden in some places, narrow in others, and pass under historic bridges. At times, the river opens into a vast flood plain where there is no clear demarcation between land and water. The sun is often full and hot, and wild sedges cover the land for miles offering uninterrupted vistas and ideal habitat for wildlife.

The rivers are fascinating because their personalities change with the seasons. In spring, the rivers feel like vast lakes as the waters overflow their banks and inundate the flood plain. Areas which are normally dry land are underwater and it's possible to wander endlessly and never get back to the "river" or a place to land the kayak. At these times, it is wise to note landmarks to provide guidance.

There are numerous places to launch kayaks along the rivers (see next page) and paddling, bird watching, fishing, and photography are favorite activities of local residents. Two particularly enjoyable trips are to kayak to the Dike Trail area in Concord and Weir Hill in Sudbury. These are lovely places to savor lunch and stretch cramped legs. Wildlife is abundant.

My favorite times on the rivers are spring and fall. In spring, the weather is cool, the rivers are full, and migratory birds provide spectacular birding-scarlet tanagers, Baltimore orioles, warblers, swifts, rose-breasted grosbeaks, swallows, red-winged blackbirds, marsh wrens, and geese. In fall, the foliage is colorful and the fall migration puts on its own show: herons, ducks, pheasants, downy woodpeckers, and northern flickers.

Wood ducks, with their majestic heads, orange bills, and magnificent markings, are also abundant at Great Meadows in the fall. Wood ducks were close to extinction in Massachusetts by 1900. The Great Hurricane of 1938 further decimated the wood duck population by 60%. Next came DDT which was found in 38% of wood duck eggs. Fearing extinction, wildlife experts developed the wood duck nesting box which resembles a tree cavity and provides a natural setting for breeding. Great Meadows was one of the first places in the U.S. to use wood duck boxes to save the species from extinction.

To help identify birds, the Refuge publishes a list of 221 species which have been seen at the Refuge. The list is available at the Visitors' Center in Sudbury. Other wildlife frequently visible from the rivers are foxes, deer, weasels, muskrats, beavers, and a variety of small mammals. An albino mink has also been sighted and, on a lucky day, river otters are playing in the water.

Trips on the rivers can be leisurely, ranging from one to two hours. This is helpful if children are along. While it is also possible to paddle all day and cover many miles-a nice trip for more experienced paddlers-overnight trips are not possible in the Refuge.

Great Meadows came into being in 1944 when a local resident donated 250 acres which is now the Dike Trail area. To build on this and provide additional protection for wildlife, the Fish and Wildlife Service began to buy land in the 1960s and continued until the Refuge reached its present size. Land acquisition continues and Great Meadows will invariably grow beyond its current boundaries. Great Meadows has been a great gift to the people and wildlife of Massachusetts and to all the migratory birds who depend on it during their long journeys in spring and fall. To see it from a kayak is a special pleasure.

Christine Ridout is a freelance writer/photographer living in Massachusetts.

If You Go:

1. The Visitors' Center at Weir Hill in Sudbury can be reached by following Route 126 north from Wayland Center and turning left on Sherman Bridge Road (approximately three miles from the Center). Sherman Bridge crosses the Sudbury River; Weir Hill is approximately one mile on the right. The headquarters are open from 7:30-4:30 everyday except weekends and holidays during the winter. The trails are always open and there are no fees. Telephone: 978/443-4661.

2. The Dike Trail area in Concord is a marshy area where wildlife is abundant. It can be reached by following Route 62 east from Concord Center. Drive about 2 miles, turn left on Monsen Road, and continue to the Refuge entrance. The area never closes and there are no fees.

3. Kayak Landings:

a. Stonebridge Road off Route 126 in Wayland. Paddling north to the Pelham Island Bridge is approximately 3 miles and takes about 2 hours. It traverses a wide variety of landscape.

b. Pelham Island Bridge off Route 20 in Wayland. Paddle north from here to Sherman Bridge, also about two hours. Most of the area is flood plain and less interesting than the stretch from Stonebridge. Approx. 3.75 miles, 2 and 1/2 hours.

c. Sherman Bridge on Sherman Bridge Road in Wayland. From here, the Weir Hill area is a short paddle north on the left. Approximately 6/10 of a mile, 20 minutes.

d. Lincoln Town Landing on Route 117 just before crossing into Sudbury. If you paddle north approximately 3/4 of a mile, you will reach Fairhaven Bay (technically not part of Great Meadows), a magnificent spot where the river broadens into a large bay. If you continue north, it is approximately 3 additional miles to the next landing at the Concord Boat House. Many people turn around at Fairhaven Bay and return to Lincoln. Alternatively, you can go south from the Lincoln Town Landing, approaching Weir Hill from the north and take take your kayak out at Sherman Bridge. Lincoln to Sherman Bridge is about two miles.

e. Hunt's Bridge off Lowell Road just outside of Concord Center. Paddling north, it is approximately 1 1/2 miles to the Dike Trail area. You will travel through Minuteman National Historical Park (where you can stop) and pass under the famous Old North Bridge. If you continue north from Dike Trail, you will travel through a long stretch of wilderness with no place to land the kayak until the Bedford Road (Route 225) Bridge in Bedford (approximately 2 and 1/2 miles). At this point, Great Meadows continues north through Carlisle where it ends just outside of Carlisle.

4. For those interested in longer trips, the trip from Stonebridge to the Dike Trail is aproximately 14 miles. Stonebridge to Bedford is approximately 16 1/2 miles

5. The South Bridge Boathouse in Concord (502 Main St, 978/369-9438) rents kayaks for $7.75/hour.

6. Maps of these areas can be obtained at the Visitors' Center, many of the town halls or conservation commissions in the towns mentioned, and at bookstores. The best maps I've seen are in the Street Atlas of Metro Boston and Eastern Massachusetts ($19.95), available at bookstores.

7. Two words of caution: Don't eat the fish (mercury poisoning) and be careful during hunting season. Duck hunters are on the river.