Travel in time as you paddle with Brian Donahue, Brandeis University history professor and expert on the Sudbury River. Paddle to Sherman’s Bridge through the wide meadows that prompted the founding of Wayland and Sudbury and hear stories of a fascinating and sometimes lurid past. Meet at the Rte. 20 Sudbury River boat launch. Bring your canoe/kayak and life jacket (required). Cars will be available at Sherman’s Bridge Rd. to ferry you back. For more information: 508-358-2980.

Please Note: Because of recent rain, the river is high. Be prepared to unload your boat and then park you car at the nearby shopping center parking lot.

Enjoy the wonderful vistas of the meandering Sudbury River at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge with Neela de Zoysa, botanist and instructor at the Native Plant Trust. Be introduced to the glacial sculpting of Weir Hill and the Native American history of the location. Learn about the floodplain trees, swamps of buttonbush and red maple, ferns, graminoids, and other herbaceous species. The location has great observation platforms, and boardwalks for examining plants. Bring a pack lunch to enjoy after the 2-hour walk. Meet in the refuge at 73 Weir Hill Rd.

Above Photo: Courtesy L.Phu/US FWS Weir Hill, GMNWR

Join Rachel Wheeler and John Myers for a guided loop walk in the Concord Land Conservation Trust’s Wright Woods beginning at the Fairhaven Bay Overlook and exploring the trails along Well Meadow and the Sudbury River. This 300 acre woodland is located between Fairhaven Bay and Walden Pond. In addition to appreciating local flora and beaver activity, you will learn about the history of the property, the stone terraces and boathouse, and the family that loved and preserved these woods. The 2-hour walk will cover approximately 2 miles of moderate terrain.

Rachel Wheeler is the great-niece of Helen Robinson Wright, who began donating parcels of land within Wright Woods in 1959 and was instrumental in the creation of the Concord Land Conservation Trust. Rachel and her husband John Myers continue to live on the property at Staples Camp. They intimately know the woods and shores of Wright Woods. To walk and experience this remarkable place with them will be a unique treat.

Join Lincoln Conservation Ranger Will Leona on a leisurely 2-hour paddle along the scenic Sudbury River. Enjoy a brief history of the area and be on the lookout for local wildlife along the way. Sightings may include great blue herons, beaver lodges and dams, belted kingfishers, Canada geese, white-tailed deer, bald eagles, painted turtles and more. Also learn about invasive aquatic plant management efforts being done in the area. Bring your kayak/canoe and life jacket (required), sunscreen, clothing/footwear that can get wet, a snack to eat during a short stop and water. 

Join experienced guide Marlies Henderson for a 3-hour exploration of extant portions of the Middlesex Canal, from the Billerica Falls to River Neck Road, Chelmsford, and back, reading passages from Henry David Thoreau’s Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers. High boots recommended. 

Enjoy this 3-hour easy flatwater paddle, with leader Marlies Henderson, from just below the Billerica Falls toward the Lowell Centennial dam. Bring your own canoe/kayak and life jacket (required). 

Join Wayland photographer Henrik Broekman for a stroll around the 86-acre Heard Farm Conservation Area. Woods, open fields, wetlands, over 200 species of birds, and the Sudbury River shoreline make Heard Farm a remarkable place with over three miles of trails, many of them old cart paths. Hendrik will provide tips for successful photography with your camera/phone. All ages and abilities are welcome Space is limited, so please register .

Join the Framingham History Center for an immersive 75-minute walking tour of Saxonville as we explore the rich tapestry of its history, land, and waterways. This tour will shed light on the business, social, and civic life of this vibrant neighborhood while also delving into the natural features and waterways that helped shape this historic community and that of Framingham. Central St. Bridge over the Saxonville Falls and Dam (across from the Saxonville Mills).

Above Photo: Courtesy of the Framingham History Center

Come to the riverbank by foot, or paddle, bring a picnic, and enjoy a day of entertainment at the historic Old Manse at 269 Monument St. Rain or shine.

Enjoy a 3.5 mile walk (~3 hours) through meadows and forests on trails paralleling the Concord River, starting at the Foss Farm conservation land and passing through Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge and the O’Rourke farm on the way to scenic Greenough Pond in the Greenough conservation land. Be prepared for wet conditions underfoot, bring drinking water and insect repellent. Light refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the walk. Dogs are not permitted in the Refuge. Meet at the Foss Farm parking lot, 0.3 mi west of the Concord River bridge on Rte. 225. For information, email leader Alan Ankers at .