Great Bay Estuary

Large Tidal Estuary Inland From Portsmouth Where Several Rivers, Often Counted As Seven, Meet The Sea (Confirm), Protected As A National Estuarine Research Reserve With The Seasonal Sandy Point Discovery Center (Confirm), Beside The Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge On Former Pease Air Force Base Land (Confirm). · Stratham, New Hampshire

A broad tidal bay tucked inland behind the coast, about 10 miles up the Piscataqua River from Portsmouth, where fresh water from several rivers, often counted as seven (confirm), meets salt water pushed in by the Atlantic tides. At high tide Great Bay is a wide sheet of water ringed by salt marsh and woods; at low tide much of it drains to mudflats and channels, feeding clams, oysters, eelgrass and huge numbers of birds. The bay is protected as a National Estuarine Research Reserve, whose Sandy Point Discovery Center in Stratham has exhibits and a boardwalk out through the marsh to the water, open mainly in the warm months (confirm). On the east shore the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge, on land that was once part of the Pease Air Force Base (confirm), has woodland trails to the shore, and Adams Point in Durham gives another trail and a boat launch (confirm). Access is free. It is a place for birding, quiet walks and careful paddling, a short drive from the old river towns and the seacoast.

89 Depot Road (Sandy Point Discovery Center), Stratham, New Hampshire, 03885, United States

The shoreline access points and trails are generally open from dawn to dusk all year. The Sandy Point Discovery Center building and its exhibits open mainly from about May to September or October, on a limited set of days each week such as Wednesday to Sunday, and are closed in winter (confirm); the boardwalk and grounds may stay open when the building is closed (confirm). The Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge trails are open daylight hours, and the refuge entrance and lot can close for weather or special management (confirm). Adams Point in Durham is open daily in daylight (confirm). Winter storms and ice can close boardwalks and launches. Always check the tide table before visiting, as the view changes completely.

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