Guided Winter Wildlife Hike at the Dunes of Castle Neck at Crane Estate

Name: Guided Winter Wildlife Hike at the Dunes of Castle Neck at Crane Estate
Start: 2026-01-25T11:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-01-25T16:30:00-05:00
Location: Cranes Beach Ipswich Mass

Schedule

Sun Jan 25 2026 at 11:30 am to 04:30 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Cranes Beach Ipswich Mass | Ipswich, MA

This guided hike explores the heart of the Castle Neck trail system, giving you a taste of all it has to offer. It covers approximately four miles, but it will feel like more given the hills and added rigor of hiking in the dunes. Along the way, your CraneOutdoors guide will point out the flora found on Castle Neck, including the abundant Woolly Hudsonia (a.k.a., False Heather), which covers the dunes in a carpet of yellow when it blooms in late spring; the unusual dune mushroom known as the Earth Star; and the wildly fragrant Bayberry, whose berries were historically used to make candles.

Your guide will choose the exact route on the day of the hike based on current weather conditions and prevailing winds.

Guests can expect to leave with a basic understanding of the Castle Neck trail system–more than enough to whet your appetite and give you the confidence to come back and explore on your own.

What’s Included
Weekend commuter rail pass
Transportation to/from the station
Certified CraneOutdoor's guide
Time on your own to explore