Virtual RiverFest Event Type
Self-Guided Exploration event
Grab your life jacket, paddles, and boat and hit the water! Use this Family Paddle Guide to pick an adventure that’s suitable for the whole family on the Wild and Scenic Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers! The guide shows 21 locations with descriptions including trails, suitability for baby strollers, dog restrictions, nearby activities, and more.
Discover the outstanding resources along this 15 mile stretch of the Sudbury River. It highlights natural features, ecological areas, historical sites and places described in literature, all of which help to tell the rich story of the Sudbury River. You will pass through the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and its wide wetland floodplains which are habitat for many waterfowl. Near Heard Pond you will see Indian Point which once hosted the annual summer encampment of the Nipmucks and in Fairhaven Bay you will travel by the sites seen and written about by Henry David Thoreau.
You can find printed copies of the river guide in the following locations:
Bedford Boat Launch (map)
Lowell Road Boat Launch (map)
Maynard Boat Launch (map)
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Concord Unit (map)
Explore the region’s early industrial past and view lots of wildlife as you paddle through remote sections of the Assabet River. The river is home to abundant wildlife, including bald eagles, great blue herons, river otters, painted turtles, largemouth bass and many other species of fish.
You can find printed copies of the river guide in the following locations:
Bedford Boat Launch (map)
Lowell Road Boat Launch (map)
Maynard Boat Launch (map)
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Concord Unit (map)
The Concord River Boater's Trail is a guide to the outstanding resources along 10 miles of the Concord River. It highlights natural features, ecological areas, historical sites and places described in literature, all of which help to tell the rich story of the Concord River. On the Trail you will pass through the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and its wide wetland floodplains which are habitat for many waterfowl.
You can find printed copies of the river guide in the following locations:
Bedford Boat Launch (map)
Lowell Road Boat Launch (map)
Maynard Boat Launch (map)
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Concord Unit (map)
Earn your Junior River Ranger badge! The Junior River Ranger activity booklet guides kids through several activities that teach about Wild and Scenic Rivers, the rivers’ special values, and how to protect and care for rivers. Activities require some hands-on exploring of the riverbanks and the animals that live there. Once the booklet is completed and reviewed by a ranger, a special badge will be presented to the new Junior River Ranger!
Junior River Ranger Activity Booklet and Guide
Celebrate our Wild & Scenic Rivers with a self-guided 30-mile bike ride! This ride criss-crosses the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers. Extra credit! Count the number of bridge crossings over each river! Stop in Maynard at Erickson’s for ice cream!
The start is the Monument St, Concord, MA parking lot across the street from the Old Manse / Old North Bridge, at the Robbins House: Directions
To print a cue sheet: 1. Click on the three vertical dots on the “Send to phone” button, 2. Choose “More Export Options”, 3. Choose “Cuesheet CSV (.csv), then Download .csv File”, Questions? Email Mike: .
Water quality is an important aspect of our Wild and Scenic Rivers. Learn about water quality and the water cycle with this activity guide.
As you explore our rivers and wetlands, keep an eye out for the plants, animals, and insects pictured on this Wetlands Bingo Card. Mark each square with an X when you see it!
Explore the important pollinators species in your backyard!
Grab your binoculars, your camera, and your smartphone and head down to the river to observe and record numerous species of plants, insects, birds, reptiles, and mammals. iNaturalist is a popular nature app that helps you identify the plants and animals around you. By recording and sharing your observations, you’ll contribute research quality data for scientists working to better understand and protect nature.
The Summer Solstice falls on Sunday, June 21. For the longest day of the year, we encourage families and friends to make the most of it by spending as much time outside as possible! Soak up the sun and play yard games. Host a cookout or find a quiet spot for a picnic. Gather around a bonfire or share a flashlight fire with family. Musketaquid's chorus, Voices for the Earth, offers their book of songs for everyone to sing from on the Solstice. However you decide to celebrate, take the time to appreciate the sun and all its life-giving energy!
Gather your family and paddle the lower stretches of the Assabet and Sudbury Rivers and the beginning of the Concord River searching for clues. Use this clue map to find the starred locations and learn something about our rivers. For more details and to get your stickers, click the button below.
Explore the trails and discover points of interest at Concord Land Conservation Trust's Nashawtuc Hill!
