This week we are making connections with the Old Eastern Marsh Trail, in Salisbury, Massachusetts. In 2017 we hiked the Ghost Trail in Salisbury, and in 2019 we walked the Clipper City Rail Trail in Newburyport, MA. Now we’re connecting the two with the Old Eastern Marsh Trail!
Also known as the Salisbury Rail Trail and the Salisbury Marsh Trial, the Old Eastern Marsh Trail is 3.6 miles one way, and winds its way through woods, over US Route 1 on a footbridge, through the Great Marsh, to the Merrimack River. This paved walk is easy on the paws, and even includes a dog park (park at the second lot at the elementary school for quick access to the dog park). On the day we visited there was only one dog at the fenced-in park, while we saw many other pups walking the trail with their families.
Please note although the majority of the trail is off-road, there are a few road crossings, and at the Gardner Street crossing you will have to walk on a sidewalk through a residential neighborhood before reaching the off-road portion of the trail again. Just follow the signs and there are kiosks with maps to help guide you.
Dogs are allowed on-leash at the Old Eastern Marsh Trail, and as always pet waste must be cleaned up and carried out. The Old Eastern Marsh Trail can be accessed from Friedenfels Street, Mudnock Rd, Route 110 (Elm St), Gardner St, Lion’s Park, US Route 1 (at the rail trail bridge crossing) and, at Salisbury Elementary School, with limited parking available at each of these locations. Access to the Ghost Trail is by Lion’s Park. To continue on to the Clipper City Rail Trail, you will have to exit the off-road portion and walk through a busy urban area via the Route 1 Gillis Bridge. To learn more about the connections to the other trails, visit the Coastal Trails Coalition.
On the day we visited we noticed a real temperature difference between the shady portions of the forested trail and the sunny marsh. However, despite having benches spaced out along the trail we preferred a shady spot under a tree in the Great Marsh to cool off before continuing on our adventure. There we saw wildlife including deer, ducks, and a snapping turtle. Please note that spring and summer it is turtle nesting season. Please be respectful of the snapping turtles who call the Great Marsh home, and are digging nests along the sides of the trail for their eggs. To learn more about our reviews of the Ghost Trail and the Clipper City Rail Trail, please visit our Dog Friendly Places recommendations.
