CraneOutdoors: Winter Wildlife Walk

A CraneOutdoors Winter Wildlife Walk will take you on a stroll through the Crane Beach dunes while learning about the plants and animals that call this special place home. You may be familiar with Crane Beach, but have you ever visited the dune trails? The dunes of Castle Neck are a much less explored world unto themselves. They offer one of the most accessible dune landscapes in New England and trails that provide a firsthand look into the delicate and ever-changing dune habitat. This includes numerous lookouts offering stunning views of Choate Island and the varied ecosystems of Castle Neck, including Pitch Pine forests and naturally occurring cranberry bogs.

This hike explores the vast array of animals and plants that thrive in this harsh ecosystem. We will learn about survival in the dunes, the various ecosystems that make up Castle Neck and how everything works together in harmony. The hike covers approximately four miles at a nice walking pace. The Castle Neck dunes are home to the elusive Snowy Owl in the winter months, a variety of winter migratory birds and your CraneOutdoors guides will help show you what to look for and how to spot all these amazing creatures. Along the way, your CraneOutdoors guide will point out the flora found on Castle Neck, including the abundant Woolly Hudsonia (a.k.a., False Heather), which covers the dunes in a carpet of yellow when it blooms in late spring; the unusual dune mushroom known as the Earth Star, and the wildly fragrant Bayberry, whose berries were historically used to make candles.

All participants will be provided with wildlife tracking cards and taught what to look for and how to identify the large variety of animal tracks that criss-cross our path as we walk along. Your guide will choose the exact route the day of the hike based on current weather conditions and prevailing winds, but it typically covers the green and red trail loops on the Crane Estate trail map. Guests can expect to leave with a basic understanding of the Castle Neck trail system and it’s inhabitants. This hike is packed with more than enough information and sites to whet your appetite and give you the confidence to come back and explore on your own.

Photo Credit: Don Paquin

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Registration closes 24 hours before the start of the event and we will not be able to accommodate walk-ins or on-site sales.

You may also like the following events from The Trustees - Crane Estate:

• This Saturday, 10th January, 10:00 am, CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike in Ipswich
• This Saturday, 10th January, 02:30 pm, CraneOutdoors: Sunset Hike to Cedar Point with Firepits in Ipswich
• Next Saturday, 17th January, 10:00 am, CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike in Ipswich

Also check out other Trips & Adventurous Activities in Ipswich.