NSC Salt Marsh Ride, ipswich

Start: Ipswich MA downtown central parking lot on Hammatt St. behind Market Street and Central Street map to start

Directions: From I-95, take Rt. 133 east to the center of Ipswich. Turn right one block before downtown center. Hammatt St. parking lot will be on your left. From Rt. 1, take Ipswich Rd. from Topsfield. Cross tracks and turn left at the Ipswich Cooperative Bank, and bear right. Parking lot will be on your right.

Distances: short (27), medium (40) long (47) or extra-long (54) rides

Description: The Salt Marsh Tour passes through some of the most outstanding scenery in our area and offers the rare opportunity to cycle primarily on wide flat roads with just a few very short climbs. We take Rt. 1A north through Rowley and the Great Salt marsh to Newbury. The shortest version turns back at Newbury Green, while the medium and long routes continue to Plum Island with an out and back 8-mile ride to the Hellcat Trail parking lot on the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge park road (restroom at the beginning of the trail). Make sure to bring $2 for the entrance fee or a Golden Pass.

Also on the bike lane that runs between Newbury and Plum Island is the Joppa flats Audubon Center with modern facilities and the first opportunity to refill water bottles. The long and extra long loops go through Newburyport to the Artichoke Reservoirs. All routes return along wooded local roads to Rowley on the way back to Ipswich. Unarrowed directions to Crane Beach are included in the long route cue sheet.

Download route map (The route map displays all distance options).