Assabet River NWR

Welcome to the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge!

Temporary Closure of Hudson Road parking lot and Winterberry Way

The Hudson Road, Sudbury parking lot and Winterberry Way on the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge (refuge) have been officially closed to all public access for approximately six weeks. Please do not park in the State parking lot next to Hudson Rd; an alternate parking lot is located on White Pond Road off of Route 117 in Stow for visitors. Please be aware of the work areas and avoid entering this portion of the refuge. Once the work is complete, visitors will then be able to drive up Winterberry Way and park in the new parking lot by the visitor center and rest-rooms. We know this is an inconvenience and do appreciate your continued support of the project. For more information please contact Project Leader, Libby Herland at 978-443-4661 x11.

Download our new trail guide!

Upcoming Programs (pdf)

2010 Intern Positions

Help us with the Blanding's Turtle (pdf)

Lands purchased with Federal Duck Stamp Dollars. Read the news release (85kb pdf) and check out the photos (1.56 MB pdf) and maps (3.64 MB pdf).

The refuge, part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, encompasses 3.5 square miles located within the towns of Hudson , Maynard, Stow and Sudbury. Formerly part of Fort Devens, this area was known as the Sudbury Training Annex. The U.S. Army transferred 2,230 acres to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the fall of 2000. Our primary purpose is to manage these lands for migratory bird conservation.Assabet River is one of eight refuges within the Eastern Massachusetts NWR Complex, which is headquartered out of Great Meadows NWR and located at 73 Weir Hill Road, Sudbury, Massachusetts, 01776. For more information about Assabet River NWR, visit the Weir Hill office weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, contact the Refuge Manager at (978) 443-4661 or visit the Friends of Assabet River NWR at www.farnwr.org.

Children and Nature

Interagency Pass Program (replaces former federal access passport programs)

Proposal to Bring Blanding's Turtles to Assabet River NWR

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to establish a new population of Blanding's Turtles at Assabet River NWR. Although the public comment period has closed, you can view the latest draft environmental assessment.

Recreational Opportunities

At the Assabet River NWR, the public is invited to engage in appropriate, compatible wildlife-dependent public use. The terms “appropriate” and “compatible” come from the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, which established the mission for the refuge system and developed overall guidance for management of the system.

The Refuge is open from one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset. Wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities, including wildlife observation, photography, interpretation, and environmental education, are permitted on designated trails. The refuge first opened for wildlife-dependent recreational use in March 2005. A phased opening of trails was announced in the 2005 Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the refuge. Based on feedback from visitors, volunteers and our Friends group, and due in large part to our decision to construct the Complex’s visitor center at Assabet River NWR, we have reworked the trail system. We opened more than 4 miles of new trails for the public. At the same time, 2.5 miles of roads and trails were closed. A total of 16 miles of trails and roads are open for wildlife-dependent public use at the refuge.

If you have visited the refuge before and walked the trails, the following areas are being closed: Trail B and the Patrol Road from White Pond Road to the north gate in Stow . The new trails that are being opened are Trail E, Trail G, Trail H, Trail U, Trail V, Trail W, Trail X, Trail Y and Trail Z. We have also renumbered the trail intersections. The new trail configuration is shown on the attached Printable Trail Map Please remember that you must stay on marked trails in order to decrease disturbance to refuge wildlife.

We are not currently charging a fee for use of the refuge trails or parking area. We will institute a fee program in the future.

Fishing and hunting are allowed subject to refuge regulations, State and Federal laws and permit restrictions. The most intense hunt period is during the shotgun deer season. Most other times, hunt pressure is generally light. Please refer to information in the kiosks or on the refuge website for more information about hunt seasons. Fishing is allowed at Puffer Pond on Trail Z at the Barron Fishing Access Site. Kayak and canoe access is allowed off Craven Lane (carry in only at this time).

All of the refuge lands are closed to horses and motorized vehicles. Dogs are not allowed. Bicycles are allowed as of June 1, 2009 on Winterberry Way, Harry's Way, Taylor Way, White Pond Road and Patrol Road ONLY. There are no picnic areas or campsites on the refuge. Construction of a 5,000-square foot visitor center, just northeast of trail intersection 13, began in spring of 2008 and tentatively opens in spring 2010.

At this time, parking is available off Hudson Road in Sudbury and White Pond Road in Stow . Visitors can also walk to the refuge by way of the new sidewalk contsructed alongside Hudson Road by the Town of Sudbury.

Please be aware that vehicles operated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Air Force staff, volunteers and contractors, may be operating on refuge roads and trails.

We are a pack it in, pack it out "Leave No Trace" refuge. Please help us keep the refuge clean by bringing home your trash.

To help you plan this and future visits to the refuge, please consider the following trail lengths:

The large wetland complex and the contiguous forested areas found here today are important feeding and breeding areas for migratory birds. We ask that you help conserve this unique natural habitat and minimize disturbance to wildlife by staying on designated trails

Have a safe and enjoyable visit to the refuge!

Eastern Massachusetts Complex Visitor Center proposal

FAQ about our ban on dog walking

Friends of Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Refuge Hunt Brochure (924 kb pdf)

Migratory Bird Hunt Seasons

Refuge Hunt Seasons Concur with State Seasons

Return to the Complex Home Page

Visit the Comprehensive Conservation Planning Page

Visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Home Page

Privacy/Disclaimer

Federal Relay Service for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing

1-800-877-8339