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Hellcat Boardwalk Trail

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This information is a public record of the 2013 NRT application and may be out of date if it has not been updated by a trail manager --
check with the trail manager for updated details before visiting.

Hellcat Boardwalk Trail

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Backcountry Trail
  • Length
    1 mile
  • Elevation Gain
    --
  • Route Type
    Loop
 (2 reviews)

The Hellcat trail system is 5,334 linear feet of elevated boardwalk meandering through dunes, shrub thickets, vernal pools, maritime forest and brackish marsh habitats.

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Bird Watchers On Hellcat Boardwalk Trail. Photo by Andrew Griffith. Photo by FWS staff
Bird Watchers On Hellcat Boardwalk Trail. Photo by Andrew Griffith. Photo by FWS staff
Trail Entrance Sign After Redesign and Reconstruction. Photo by Andrew Griffith.
Trail Entrance Sign After Redesign and Reconstruction. Photo by Andrew Griffith.
A Viewpoint (Feb 2022). Photo by Janie Walker.
A Viewpoint (Feb 2022). Photo by Janie Walker.
Feb 2022 visit. Photo by Janie Walker.
Feb 2022 visit. Photo by Janie Walker.
Hellcat Boardwalk Trail (previously Interpretive Trail) Feb 2022. Photo by Janie Walker.
Hellcat Boardwalk Trail (previously Interpretive Trail) Feb 2022. Photo by Janie Walker.
Map of New Marsh Loop Segment of the Hellcat Interpretive Trail Opened August 2019. Photo by Andy Griffith.
Map of New Marsh Loop Segment of the Hellcat Interpretive Trail Opened August 2019. Photo by Andy Griffith.
New Marsh Loop Segment of the Hellcat Interpretive Trail Opened August 2019. Photo by Andy Griffith.
New Marsh Loop Segment of the Hellcat Interpretive Trail Opened August 2019. Photo by Andy Griffith.
Road Crossing on Dune Loop. Photo by Andy Griffith.
Road Crossing on Dune Loop. Photo by Andy Griffith.
The main trail sign. Photo by Andy Griffith.
The main trail sign. Photo by Andy Griffith.

  • Bird Watchers On Hellcat Boardwalk Trail. Photo by Andrew Griffith. Photo by FWS staff
  • Bird Watchers On Hellcat Boardwalk Trail. Photo by Andrew Griffith. Photo by FWS staff
  • Trail Entrance Sign After Redesign and Reconstruction. Photo by Andrew Griffith.
  • A Viewpoint (Feb 2022). Photo by Janie Walker.
  • Feb 2022 visit. Photo by Janie Walker.
  • Hellcat Boardwalk Trail (previously Interpretive Trail) Feb 2022. Photo by Janie Walker.
  • Map of New Marsh Loop Segment of the Hellcat Interpretive Trail Opened August 2019. Photo by Andy Griffith.
  • New Marsh Loop Segment of the Hellcat Interpretive Trail Opened August 2019. Photo by Andy Griffith.
  • Road Crossing on Dune Loop. Photo by Andy Griffith.
  • The main trail sign. Photo by Andy Griffith.

See all 11 photos >>

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Location: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge located on Plum Island in Newbury, Rowley and Ipswich Massachusetts

  • States: Massachusetts
  • Counties: Essex
  • Cities/Townships: Rowley, MA.

Note: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge reopened the Marsh"loop" portion of the Hellcat Boardwalk Trail. That section of the boardwalk, in its present form, is really an "out and back" boardwalk segment (for now). Please view the video announcement and walk-through, https://youtu.be/aqalCJjz3fs.

Parker River NWR is noted for its trails, boardwalks, and observation platforms which greatly enhance wildlife viewing opportunities for the many visitors that frequent the facility.

The Hellcat Boardwalk Trail (formerly called the Hellcat Interpretive Trail) System is the premiere area on the Refuge where this activity occurs. The overall Hellcat trail system is 5,334 linear feet of elevated boardwalk meandering through dunes, shrub thickets, vernal pools, maritime forests, and brackish marsh habitats. The boardwalks and trails on Parker River NWR are renowned throughout the birding community and used by large numbers of visitors from the non-birding public, school groups, and others that come to the Refuge with the Hellcat Trails being the focus for wildlife /bird observations. The Refuge conducted a Visitor Use Survey in 2011 which indicated that 48% of Refuge visitors hiked the trails. This equates to over 120,000 individuals utilizing this trail system annually.

Accessibility Information

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Reviews

Janie Walker
Janie Walker
Feb 9, 2022
Restructured trail, lovely experience

I read this trail was improved and restructured over the last couple of years. This was my first time on it (Feb 2022), and even in the snow, I found it well built and easy to navigate. Nice walk through marsh and dunes. Gorgeous viewpoints. Make sure you visit the observation tower by the parking area (spur path).

Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith
Jul 22, 2018
Marsh View

One portion of the Marsh Trail is open to the duck bind which has a nice view of the Marsh over to main land. One still needs to pay attention to the board conditions.

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Allowed Uses:

Hiking/Walking

Other Activities

  • Wildlife viewing / observation

Public Contact

Matthew Hillman
U.S. Fish & WIldlife Service
6 Plum Island Turnpike
Newburyport, MA 01950
978-465-5753
fws.gov/refuge/parker_river

Contact the trail manager for current maps and visiting details.

More Details

  • Elevation (low): 5
  • Elevation (high): 40
  • Elevation (cumulative): --
  • Part of a Trail System? No
  • National Designations: Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Site
  • State Designations: Important Bird Area, Area of Critical Env. Concern
  • Surface (primary): Boardwalk
  • Surfaces (additional): --
  • Tread Width (average): 60"
  • Tread Width (minimum): 48
  • Running length (minimum): --
  • Tread Grade (average, percent): --
  • Tread Grade (maximum):
  • Running length (maximum): --
  • Cross-slope (average, percent): 0
  • Cross-slope (maximum): --
  • Running length (maximum): --
  • Certified as an NRT
    May 29, 2013
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