Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

The Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge is a 2,357-acre protected area in Hudson with wetlands, forests, and fields in different patterns across the land. These varying habitats support waterfowl, songbirds, mammals, and amphibians throughout the seasons.

The land was part of the Fort Devens military complex until the U.S. Army transferred it to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2000 for conservation. This shift transformed a former military site into a protected nature refuge.

The land was once a hunting and fishing ground for Nipmuc peoples before colonists and military operations changed its use. Visitors walking through can still sense those deeper connections to the landscape's original inhabitants.

Visitors can walk or bike on 15 miles of marked trails, with 7.5 miles open to bicycles throughout the refuge. Clear trail markers help you find your way without getting lost.

The refuge connects as part of eight linked sanctuaries within the Sudbury-Assabet-Concord watershed system. This network of connected lands creates pathways for animal populations to move and thrive across a larger region.

Location: Massachusetts

Inception: 2005

Website: https://fws.gov/refuge/assabet_river

GPS coordinates: 42.40830,-71.47060

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:42