North Shore Cycling
Elegant Newburyport Massachusetts sits at the mouth of the broad Merrimack River and has some of the finest Federal, Georgian and Victorian architecture in New England. Bordered by Plum Island, the Atlantic Ocean, the Merrimack River, the Great Salt Marsh, Maudslay State Park, the Artichoke Reservoirs and the Downfall Wildlife Management area, the area around Newburyport offers miles of safe scenic cycling. Bicycle lanes on High St.and out to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island join the recently completed Clipper City Rail Trail in making Newburyport a world-class cycling destination.
Merrimack River:
On this ride you'll cycle through
the former 19th century estate
Maudslay State Park, past the
beautiful Artichoke Reservoirs and along
the Merrimack River.
View Ride
Great
Salt Marsh: Ride through neighboring
Newbury past several homes predating the
Revolutionary War. You may wish to stop
at the Spencer-Pierce-Little Farm, in continuous
operation since 1690. The ride crosses into
the Great Salt Marsh after passing
Old Town Hill, a Trustees of Reservations
property where you can explore
trails along the marsh's edge through
lush wetlands.
View ride.
Short route,
Medium route,
Long route
Plum Island. Ride through historic colonial era neighborhoods to the start of the bike trail on Ocean St., continuing past the Joppa Flats Audubon Center on the Plum Island Turnpike. Reaching Plum Island, turn right on Sunset Blvd. and continue through the gates of the refuge for 4 miles of paved roads in the estuary. Mountain bikers may wish to continue out to Sandy Point State Reservation. View ride View 25 mile ride View 18 mile ride
Coastal New Hampshire. We recommend a remote start from the municipal parking lot in Hampton NH in order to bypass the crowded roads near popular Hampton Beach. Take High St. to Rt. 1A on the coast and ride as far north as you wish. The loop to Portsmouth NH offers 40 miles, or turn back for a 20 mile loop with easy quiet roads through rural Rye NH. On the way you'll pass historic Strawberry Bank, which tells the stories of the many generations who settled in the community. View full ride from Newburyport
View more cycling routes in Newburyport
Ipswich Massachusetts is one of the most historic communities in Massachusetts and is a central location for several great short and longer rides on the North Shore. Crane Beach is a popular summer destination and Jeffreys Neck offers outstanding views of Cape Ann and Plum Island.
Jeffrey's
Neck. From the Ipswich
Bed and Breakfast or
Kaede Bed and Breakfast a take a short
ride to Jeffrey's Neck, crossing the Great
Salt Marsh and enjoying a modest climb with
a spectacular view of Plum Island, Cape
Ann, and the Atlantic.
View ride.
Historic Salem Head out past scenic meadows on an easy ride through neighboring Hamilton. After crossing the harbor to historic Salem, You ride through the historic Chestnut St. neighborhood and stop for lunch near the Old Town Hall. Plan to spend a couple of hours in town so that you have the chance to visit the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and the Friendship, a reconstruction of a 171-foot three-masted Salem East Indiaman built in 1797,the Salem Witch Museum, or the House of Seven Gables. The return takes you through historic downtown Beverly and Hamilton for a 32 mile total for the day. View ride.
Cape Ann: This ride takes you along wooded back roads to Manchester by the Sea on Cape Ann. After a break, continue along the rocky Atlantic shoreline through tiny Magnolia on the way to Gloucester, a classic New England seaport town, continuing to the Fisherman's memorial statue and the town's charming Main St. Long distance cyclists may wish to continue out to the lighthouse at Eastern Point, and cycle for a few miles right along the rocky shores of Atlantic Road. The route continues past glacial erratics and through the salt marsh to historic Essex, one of colonial America's first ship-building towns. Today's ride is 32 miles with a 45 mile option. View ride.
The
Old Stone Walls Ride For those of us
who live here, these are our favorite cycling
roads, winding through the area's many state
forests. The route heads out past the Trustees
of Reservations property Appleton Farms
and a couple of miles on the paved bike
path at
Bradley Palmer State Park. After riding
along the
Ipswich River Sanctuary on beautiful
Perkins Row, you continue on to tiny Topsfield,
a classic New England village. The return
takes you on quiet paved roads that wind
through Willowdale State Forest. This is
a half day ride, offering the opportunity to
take the commuter rail into Boston or spend
some time hiking in our wonderful nature
preserves. The ride is 20-30 miles.
View ride.
The Merrimack River, Newburyport and Plum Island. This full day ride takes youthrough the Great Salt Marsh on the way to Newburyport. Reaching the Merrimack River, you stop for a break at Audubon's Joppa Flats. The longer distance ride continues to Plum Island for a loop through the Parker River Wildlife Sanctuary. After lunch in Newburyport, begin the return cycling past historic colonial homes and salt hay fields in Newbury. In Rowley you'll want to stop at White Farms for some of the best ice cream in New England. Today's ride is a relatively flat 32-42 miles. View ride
Crane Beach: Ride out
Argilla Rd. to
Crane Beach, a
Trustees
of Reservations property, and a walk
along the shore. On the return, stop in
at
Russell Orchards to sample their home-made
munchies and cider!
View ride.
The Best of Ipswich This ride starts at the Ipswich Riverwalk Mural which portrays the fascinating history of the town. Continuing through the town’s historic district, you’ll pass by dozens of well-preserved “first period” homes, built soon after the town’s founding in 1630. Then head out to Jeffrey’s Neck and beautiful Argilla Road for a view of Crane Beach. and the Great Salt Marsh. View 55 mile ride, 37 mile ride, 24 mile ride
Tours: Group tours from the
Essex St. Inn
in Newburyport and the Ipswich
Bed and Breakfast and
Kaede Bed and Breakfast in Ipswich are available by special request.
Contact Gordon Harris, owner of
Bike New England, coordinator for
North Shore Cyclists and cycling writer
for the Ipswich
Chronicle.
Bicycles:
Jamis Coda bicycles are available at $25 /day for tour participants
only.
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Bike New England, Ipswich MA
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