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Grassy Walks

Gifford Bog

104 Temple St, Duxbury, MA 02332, USA

Town of Duxbury: (781) 934-1100

Owned By: Town of Duxbury

Gifford Bog — the oldest working cranberry bog in Duxbury — is now conservation land! Walk the 0.73-mile perimeter loop trail around the bogs. Continue your walk for 2.3 miles in the Williams Preserve, directly adjacent (across Temple Street).

Features

This property was acquired by the Town of Duxbury as conservation land in 2015. In earlier times, it was farmed by the Gifford (c. 1845) and Merry (c. 1964) families.

This land is within the region of the Patuxet Wampanoag tribe, who for centuries have inhabited the area around the Jones River now known as Duxbury, Kingston and Plymouth. To learn more about local Native American tribes, we encourage you to interact with their members. The Mashpee Wampanoag and the Herring Pond Wampanoag share information on their websites.

Trail Description

Follow unpaved bog roadways and wide grassy trails around the perimeter of the cranberry bogs. The total distance is 0.73 miles. Extend your walk across Temple Street, toward the northern end of the property. Look for the tan/green Duxbury Conservation sign, which marks a trailhead at the Williams Preserve, a larger property with 2.3 miles of trails.

Habitats and Wildlife

The wetlands and waterways on this property flow toward the Wright Reservoir and into the Green Harbor River. After finding its source in springs and ponds in Duxbury, the Green Harbor River twists and turns through Marshfield via large cranberry bog complex, the Green Harbor Golf Club, the Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, property owned by the Marshfield Municipal Airport and Peter Igo Park. Just downstream of the Dyke Road bridge (and dike) it flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Green Harbor.

  • A photograph of a property sign on a rock beside a cranberry bog.
  • A photograph of a cranberry bog with a trail around it.
  • A photograph of a small red and gold shed beside a cranberry bog.
  • A photograph of a wide trail beside a cranberry bog.
  • A photograph of a small red shed beside a cranberry bog.
  • A photograph of a grassy trail beside a cranberry bog.
  • A photograph of a road shoulder, suitable for parking, beside a cranberry bog.
  • A photograph of a snowy trail beside a flooded cranberry bog.
104 Temple St, Duxbury, MA 02332, USA

Historic Site: No

Park: No

Beach: No

Boat Launch: No

Lifeguards: No

Size: 22 acres

Hours: Dawn to Dusk.

Parking: Three roadside parking areas on Temple Street, near the intersection with Route 139.

Cost: Free

Trail Difficulty: Easy

Dogs: Dogs must remain on leash. Scoop the poop!

Boat Ramp: No

ADA Access: No

Scenic Views: Yes

Waterbody/Watershed: Green Harbor River watershed

Other Things to Do at This Site

Cross-country Skiing
Hiking
Nature Photography