Willowdale Mill Reservation

Trails follow the Ipswich River and traverse unique terrain, riparian habitat and historic features before connecting to Bradley Palmer State Park, which in turn connects to Greenbelt’s popular Vineyard Hill Reservation.

Protecting 1,500 feet along the Ipswich River, the surrounding woods are dotted with white pine, and fine broad paths and single-track trails carpeted in layers of pine needles for walking or horseback riding. Upon entering, you’ll notice remains of an old mill site, including foundations and a sluiceway, or man-made channel, that controlled water flow for the mill.

Look for the fish ladder that allows passage of migrating fish around the Willowdale Dam, which once powered the former woolen mill. The southern trail passes through mature hardwood forests and the riverside trail follows the banks of the river.

At the time of English settlement, Indigenous people known as the Pawtucket or Agawam were fishing here before there was a dam. They fished for alewives (river herring), shad, and other anadromous species on their spring runs, as well as for catadromous Atlantic eels.

Eels were a culinary delicacy and had other important uses. Crushed eel skeletons were added to baby food as a kind of protein powder, and the cured skins were used as soft strong cradleboard ties, moccasin laces, and tumplines.

Dr. Thomas Manning established a wooden textile mill here in the 1700s. By 1834, a stone factory complex, including a mill, boarding house and factory building, was turning out woolen blankets and hosiery.

Cedars, hemlocks, pines and hardwoods dominate the property, which has extensive frontage on the Ipswich River. Hike the river edge to the dam through red maples or head up the hillside into denser forested stands dominated by hemlock.

The river is a great place to see red-breasted merganser and snapping turtles, or try your luck fishing for trout. Beaver, deer and other woodland mammals are common, as are owls in the dark woodlands.