Sweet Apple Tree Lane

Sweet Apple Tree Lane

Salisbury, Massachusetts 01952

Salisbury Salt Marsh (Essex Coastal Scenic Byway) webpage

Birds of Interest

Species of Note: Waterfowl (long-tailed ducks, scaup, wigeon, goldeneye) and raptors (bald eagle, northern harrier, short-eared owl) in winter, saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow in summer, shorebirds in spring and fall migration. 

About this Location

Sweet Apple Tree Lane goes southeast from Ferry Road and stretches into the Salisbury Salt Marsh. There is a parking area at the end of the road. The street is named after the apple orchard that once occupied the land, and some of the original trees still bear fruit every fall. 

At the mouth of the Merrimack River, in Salisbury, large expanses of Salt Marsh border the river on its north side, opposite the tidal flats and downtown buildings of Newburyport. The productive beds of Spartina grass here are at the bottom of the estuarine food web. In one way or another, these marshes feed roosting and wintering Bald Eagles (Endangered, federally Threatened), Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon (both state Endangered; Shortnose is federally Endangered) heading upstream to breed, and Common, Least, Arctic, and occasionally Roseate Terns (all Special Concern except Roseates, which are both state and federally Endangered) diving for small fish in the tidal waters. Two rare plants, Eastern Saline Sedge (Endangered) and American Sea-blite (Special Concern), are found in the Salt Marsh itself. 

From US-1, turn east onto March Road (just at the north end of the Merrimack River bridge between Newburyport and Salisbury). March Road becomes Ferry Road. After 1 mile, turn right onto Sweet Apple Tree Lane. Park at the end of the road.

Parking is limited. Refrain from blocking access to the pathway through the marsh to the shore for launching small craft into Newburyport Harbor. Waterfowl hunters use this area as a point to launch. Statewide, hunting is prohibited on Sundays. Please respect the privacy of nearby residents.

Features

  • Roadside viewing

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

Content from Salisbury Salt Marsh (Essex Coastal Scenic Byway) webpage

Last updated January 31, 2024