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Adventures for Everyone!

We offer a variety of options depending on your level of experience and the amount of time you wish to spend on the river.

Are you looking for a slow paced day, stopping for a picnic along the way, while taking in the beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife?

Or do you want a more strenuous and physical challenge, journeying down river in the midst of nature?

Put in at our dock outside the Rental Office on at Willowdale Dam and spend your time leisurely paddling upriver and back. Alternatively, you can take a shuttle bus to one of our two drop off points, then enjoy the next few hours paddling downriver, through the Bird Sanctuary and back to our dock.

Rates & Packages

We rent out Canoes and Kayaks (Inquire about pricing for private portages) we provide PFD’s (Personal Floatation Devices, or lifejackets) which are required for every person in a canoe (Mass.Law, Chapter 90-B,Section 5A). Prices subject to MA state tax.

Willowdale Run

Salem Run/Rt. 97

Thunder Bridge Run

Start at Willowdale Dam and enjoy the lazy waters of the Ipswich River for a few hours or a full day. Ideal for beginners and families with young children.

(Pricing includes canoe/kayak, PFD* and shuttle service)

(Pricing includes canoe/kayak, paddles, PFD*)

Canoes/Kayak:
$45 weekdays
$55 weekends and holidays

(Pricing includes canoe/kayak, PFD* and shuttle service)

Canoes/Kayak:
Rt. 97/Salem Run
$80.00
$85.00

Our most popular trip, this run takes about four hours. From the drop-off point at Salem Road in Topsfield, paddle through the wildlife sanctuary, state parks, and Wenham Wetlands.

This is a 6-7 hour trip. From Thunder Bridge in Middleton, the river takes you past fields and farmlands, the wildlife sanctuary, Wenham Wetlands and state parks on your way back.

Canoes/Kayak:
$85.00

Colt Island Overnight Packages

$220 (Pricing includes canoe/kayak, PFD* & shuttle service)

Colt Island Overnight Options

For those looking for a deeper experience on the Ipswich River, our overnight camping trip to Colt Island offers something truly rare: the chance to paddle into a quiet, boat-access island surrounded by the protected landscape of the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Located about two hours upstream from our rental office, Colt Island feels wonderfully removed from the pace of everyday life, offering a simple and memorable way to spend the night in the heart of the river corridor. Because Colt Island is located within a wildlife reserve, camping here is primitive and intentionally low-impact. There are no facilities on the island, and guests must pack in everything they need and pack out everything they bring. Campers should come prepared with drinking water, firewood if they plan to use the campfire area, and a small shovel for properly burying and composting waste in accordance with low-impact camping practices.

Willowdale Run Overnight

Salem Run/Rt. 97 Overnight

Thunder Bridge Overnight