Maudslay State Park

This was my first trip to Maudslay and it could be my last after today’s visit. I have heard so much about it and the views of the Merrimack are just breathtaking. My girlfriend and I just adopted a soon to be 6 year old male greyhound about a week earlier… we thought it would be a nice to introduce him to the trails and since my girlfriend is familiar with the park, she lead us through one of the shorter routes. About ½ of mile in we started to run into other folks with dogs, they seemed friendly enough. I know a lot of greyhound owners are well socialized from whatever they endure for the first 2 – 5 years of their lives, our dog Siri is no different. Very calm around other dogs, he is more curious as he has only seen greyhounds and people for most of his life. On the 4 – 5 walks in Newburyport, he seems to love people and he only stops and stares at other dogs, but usually will sniff in their wake and then move on. On this particular day, we came upon three people and two dogs. One was a fawn colored retriever and the other was a black lab mix. The elder woman holding the black lab mix was trying to pull back her dog and we both heard the other two yell out «pull her back» and we grabbed onto our dog and shielded him between our legs… well, I don’t know what happened, but the elder woman let her dog go and he came barreling after our dog and but him in the leg. We heard our Siri cry out loudly as the male in the party ran over to grab the lab mix. Upon leaving the scene our dog seemed unfazed with the whole experience but we noticed that he seemed to be walking slowly. My girlfriend started to do a quick check and found a small patch of blood on his left front leg and clump of hair gone. So, I slowly walked back to the threesome with the two dogs and what transgressed between pretty much summed up the whole situation. I explained that are dog was bit and I wanted to know if they knew if the their dog had rabies shots. The guy holding the lab turned his head to me and half jokingly said «our dog did not bite you», so my gf walked back with Siri to show them, but the guy just walked away the other dog in the other direction while the two people stood there and saw what their dog did to ours. They were both quiet and didn’t know how to express their concern, at the point it would have been fake as they didn’t seem to care anyways. My thoughts at that moment weren’t about making a situation worse as we were in the middle of the park, no one else around… we could have called the police or the park attendant to make a complaint, maybe get their info so we can have them pay the $ 600 bill that we paid at the Portsmouth Animal Hospital (since they were the only ones open that could take us on a Sunday), but at the moment in time it wasn’t about reporting it and causing a he said/​she said which never settles anything. We got out of there and gave our dog the treatment it needed. On our way to the hospital I spoke with a few people from Maudslay State Park that gave us their opinion which to me is the old «company line» so to speak, can’t do anything for you and if you could only have stayed reported them, I get that completely… but not for the sake of our dog, which seemed more pertinent at the time.

This place is great to go some sight seeing, hiking, walking and nature observations. I use it numerous times a week for a hiking. Some of the paths are really good for cardio. That all being said my only complaints are:
There tends to be too much horse feces on the trails. You spend a lot of time dodging the piles.
Also, although paying $ 5 to park every time is a bit much, I do it because I enjoy walking here more than going to the gym. BRING CASH. The parking machine accepts cards but the reader is so annoyingly finicky. I must’ve swiped my card a minimum of 50 times before it decided it would accept it. I’ve also tried a few other cards and still does not like them.

Beautiful melding of nature and history. Well maintained paths, but not marked, so you can easily get lost and wind up spending many hours wandering about. Wonderful if you’re not ready for a meal or a potty break. Bring water and snacks just in case. Be sure to study the map before you go. It’s available online:
They are also available at the gate, along with an events calendar.
They have several free guided walks every week, for all ages and abilities. You can learn all about the plant and animal life, as well as the history. The Wednesday Evening Stroll walks a different path each week, so you can learn your way around the park over the season.
Senior citizens can get a lifetime parking pass, good for all state parks, from the DCR for $ 10. Cars with a handicapped license plate or placard or disabled veteran license plate, from any state are exempt from the parking fee. You can get the regular annual MassParks Pass for $ 60 for MA residents and $ 85 for non-​MA residents.
Love how close this park is to Newburyport, yet at times you feel as if you’re a million miles from civilization.

Really nice place to spend an afternoon. Beautiful scenery, nice wide paths. It is really fun to wander the whole property and see the remains of the aging estate. $ 5 parking keeps me from going there more often, but that’s really my only complete. You can walk for over 2 hours and still have lots of areas left to explore the next time you come.

Amazing place to walk a dog (stay on trails to prevent ticks). Gorgeous scenery and very historic. Ride horses, run, walk, or do basically anything.

if you are thinking about getting married at maudslay, you should seriously reconsider. My fiancé and I just tried and it was an absolute nightmare.
I called the MAC on April 2^nd to see if they had any available dates for September of 2015. My fiancé and I decided that we wanted to do something rustic and informal so the MAC seemed the way to go. Miraculously they had September 19^th open for a wedding. Nick Costello, the person who was coordinating this, told me to text him the details and that we would be coming at 5pm on April 6^th to do a walkthrough. Well we went! But he didn’t! He literally did not show up for our walkthrough. So we did it over the phone. We spent ten minutes trying to open the wrong door. He even made me hang up so I could send him a photo of which door we were at. It was awful. But we still really liked the venue. He told us to email him that night and he would send the contract and list of approved vendors. Well he didn’t! I called him three days later after not receiving the contract to which he responded «we’re run by volunteers! You’ll get it. If you don’t get it by the end of the weekend I will send it to you personally from my computer.» That was April ninth. Since then I have sent three emails, he has responded to none. I even emailed maudslay directly! They told me the same thing. «It’s run by volunteers, you’ll probably get it next week». My fiancée even emailed him, no response.
Finally we get in touch with someone. Cynthia told me yesterday (⁴⁄₃₀) that Nick would be in touch today about the contract and that she was very sorry no one had been in touch. Well he did call me, I missed it and my box was full but he managed to text me (wow! He knows how to communicate?!) to tell me that he had called several times (he hadn’t) and to call him back. I promptly texted back and told him that we would no longer be interested in working with them. Apparently no one knows how to work a phone or email because I also responded to an email from Cynthia (obviously sent to the wrong person because she addressed me as mike.?) and told her we would be taking our business elsewhere.
She responded by telling me that if I didn’t get back to her then they were going to give our date away because another couple was interested. So you can ignore my fiancé and I for three weeks while we are trying to send you the thousand dollar deposit, but i «don’t get back to you» for a day and you threaten me with giving away the date? And I had responded to both of them! I cannot believe I just wasted almost an entire month trying to plan a wedding around this place. It’s run by a bunch of flighty, technology challenged idiots. I have screenshots of all the emails and lack of responses over the last month if anyone would like to see just how awful these people really are.
Planning a wedding is stressful enough, but it makes it 1000 times worse WHEN YOU IGNORE THE COUPLE TRYING TO GET MARRIED THERE.

It’s hard to describe how incredibly beautiful, quaint, and unique this park is: Idyllic paths and old stone bridges so beautiful, it almost didn’t feel real. It was like a movie set for a Colin Firth period drama.
I went when the foliage was at its peak and the colors – red, orange, yellow, pink, magenta – were incredible. I can’t wait to check it out in the spring, and am already looking forward to next fall’s foliage.
A group of friends and I spent the day at the park, followed by dinner in downtown Newburyport. Just a perfect New England fall day.
One of the state’s best kept secrets, for sure!

Maudslay is an old, estate-​turned park completely hidden in plain sight. There are miles of wide, evenly graded trails easy to walk, jog or cycle down (you could even manage an all terrain stroller down many of them, as there are never any uneven surfaces or jagged rocks protruding to catch a wheel…).
Dogs are welcome (horses, too). Parking is ample and cheap, they even have a bathroom, and a water bubbler at the trail head across from the parking lot. There are a few old gardens, many old garden style rock walls, and a crazy amount of beautiful perennial flowers and flowering bushes. There are old foundations, an old carriage house, and some really spectacular views of the river. This place is great for kids, couples, athletes, photographers, picnickers, pretty much anyone alive and breathing. If you are from the area, I would most definitely put it on your list of places to visit. The very best times are in the spring when the trees bloom, or in the fall for the foliage. Any time of year, this is really a beautiful piece of property. Love it here!
Parts of it (like the old pine rows) are a little spooky, too. Overall, one of my favorite places to go.

Great place for a walk. It’s clean, and you can find all kinds of walks here (sun, shade, gardens, etc).

This is one of the best state parks I’ve been to anywhere. You can spend a whole day exploring this place and the old buildings, and the fact you can be downtown in 5 minutes for some grub makes it all the much better. It’s a fantastic place no matter the season, it’s a great place to snowshoe, bike, walk, ride horses and picnic. The restrooms are clean and the staff friendly. Many people hold weddings here and in the summer Theater in the Open perform outdoor plays. It’s just another reason to love the Newburyport area.

One of my favorite childhood memories/​places to visit. I have been going every year since (age 28 now). The foliage in October is unbelievable, there is access to many paths to walk, bike, walk dog, walk with family or friends, or even horse back ride (and snow ski in the winter). The Merrimack River is also right there, so you can find your way through the woods to overlook gorgeous views of the water. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for beautiful scenery, or a little adventure… oh, and it’s also haunted! So I’ve heard… :)

Wonderful, go. Lots of parking, 16 miles of often wide trails that would be great to x-​country ski. Spectacular location above the Merrimack River. Many scenic spots to picnic. Good for dogs and runners.

No matter what the season this park is a wonderful place to visit. Gorgeous huge flowering rhodedendrons in spring, brilliant foliage and Halloween events in the fall, and the best snowshoeing trails, Why spend tons of money at theme parks for your kids when you can pay $ 2 to park and share nature with them. Trails are good for biking, too.

It is just so beautiful here! Lots of trails and vast area to explore.

One of my favorite places in Newburyport. I ran cross country in Maudslay for years and know all the beautiful trails by heart. I love taking visitors to Nbpt here. Perfect place to get away from the crowded downtown area. Maudslay is beautiful and accessible all year round. Parking is cheap (year-​long passes very affordable). Pack a picnic and bring the dogs!

Absolutely a great place to go for a wonderful afternoon! Great scenic views of the Merrimack River, rolling meadows, hills, fields, forest, just a little bit of everything. Plenty of parking, and at $ 2, it’s a bargain. Bring a picnic and take a hike!

Maudslay State Park is a hidden Gem in New England, only about 45 min from Boston on the photogenic Merrimack River. It is a great for dog walking, hiking, running, foliage viewing, nature photography, bird watching and enjoying the varying landscape of this area.
TRAIL MAP:
The former Moseley family estate on the Merrimack River, this park features 19^th century gardens and plantings, rolling meadows, towering pines, and one of the largest naturally occurring stands of mountain laurel in Massachusetts. Most breathtaking are the ornamental trees and masses of azaleas and rhododendrons that bloom in May and June. An exquisite place for walking, biking, horseback riding and informal picnics. Special Use Permits may be obtained for wedding ceremonies and similar programs.
Cultural events are a regular feature during the summer. During the winter a portion of the park is off limits due to roosting bald eagles, but the remainder provides excellent cross country skiing and winter walks.
The Parking Fee at Maudslay State Park is $ 2.00. Annual Passes are available for purchase.
Accessible Restrooms
Bike Paths
Group Day Use
Hiking
Historic Site
Horseback Riding Trails
Mountain Biking
Picnicking
Scenic Viewing Area
Skiing (Cross-​Country)
Walking Trails
Dog walking
Park Directions
Maudslay State Park is located in north-​eastern Massachusetts, on the North Shore.
From North and South: Take Rte. 95, exit 57 to Rte. 113 east. Follow 113 east for half a mile and turn left on Noble St. At stop sign turn left onto Ferry Rd., bear left at fork and follow signs.
From West: Take I-​495 exit 55 to Rte. 110 east. Continue 1 mile to Merrill St., turn right at second light. Continue on Merrill St./Spofford St. for 1.5 miles. Turn right before stop sign onto Ferry Rd., follow signs.
TIP:
Also check out the Rhododendrons and the cool Hedge Garden in Maudlsay Park :-)