Brainard Marsh

Marion

Take a short, scenic walk to the sandy shores of the Weweantic River at Brainard Marsh in Marion.

Brainard Marsh offers sweeping views of Buzzards Bay and a variety of interesting natural habitats to explore with young adventurers.

Features

Step through a gap in a stone wall along Delano Road and enter a peaceful oasis of woods and wetlands at Brainard Marsh. With its short, easy trail to the beach, this is a great destination for families with young children. When you reach the shores of the Weweantic River, you can lounge on the sand and enjoy the view of boats and birds on Buzzards Bay. We recommend you come early to catch a wonderful sunrise over the water.

Trails

The short trail at Brainard Marsh leads from the parking area through the woods to the shoreline of the Weweantic River. Along the way, you’ll see a clearly marked side path that leads past a wet meadow to a small freshwater pond. The walk here only takes about 10 to 15 minutes, but you’ll want to take some extra time to stop and enjoy the scenery by the shore. 

Habitats & Wildlife

With a pond, woods, freshwater wetlands, and a sandy shoreline, Brainard Marsh has a variety of habitats to explore. The pond and wetlands are home to frogs and turtles; if you’re lucky, you might see one resting on a log or peeking up from the water’s surface. The shores of the Weweantic River are a great place to look for fish, crabs, and other small critters that live in the sand and salt marshes. There’s also an osprey platform here, which gives visiting osprey a place to nest and raise their young each summer.

Details & Amenities

Size: 6.1 acres
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Dogs: Yes (on leash)
Facilities: Bicycle Rack
Lifeguards: No
Parking: Small gravel roadside parking area
Trail Difficulty: Easy
ADA Accessible: No

Brainard Marsh offers sweeping views of Buzzards Bay and a variety of interesting natural habitats to explore with young adventurers.

Features

Step through a gap in a stone wall along Delano Road and enter a peaceful oasis of woods and wetlands at Brainard Marsh. With its short, easy trail to the beach, this is a great destination for families with young children. When you reach the shores of the Weweantic River, you can lounge on the sand and enjoy the view of boats and birds on Buzzards Bay. We recommend you come early to catch a wonderful sunrise over the water.

Trails

The short trail at Brainard Marsh leads from the parking area through the woods to the shoreline of the Weweantic River. Along the way, you’ll see a clearly marked side path that leads past a wet meadow to a small freshwater pond. The walk here only takes about 10 to 15 minutes, but you’ll want to take some extra time to stop and enjoy the scenery by the shore. 

Habitats & Wildlife

With a pond, woods, freshwater wetlands, and a sandy shoreline, Brainard Marsh has a variety of habitats to explore. The pond and wetlands are home to frogs and turtles; if you’re lucky, you might see one resting on a log or peeking up from the water’s surface. The shores of the Weweantic River are a great place to look for fish, crabs, and other small critters that live in the sand and salt marshes. There’s also an osprey platform here, which gives visiting osprey a place to nest and raise their young each summer.

Size: 6.1 acres
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Dogs: Yes (on leash)
Facilities: Bicycle Rack
Lifeguards: No
Parking: Small gravel roadside parking area
Trail Difficulty: Easy
ADA Accessible: No