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A NASA Landsat satellite image of the Connecticut River Oxbow on the Easthampton–Northampton border in late September — a wide horseshoe of dark blue still water curving back on itself in the bottomland between the green wooded ridge of Mount Tom and the patchwork of farm fields on the river's old course, with the active modern channel of the Connecticut River cutting across the frame and the dark green of the Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary's floodplain forest hugging the oxbow's edge.
Outdoors · Conservation Area
The Connecticut River Oxbow at Arcadia, NASA Landsat imagery acquired September 25, 2017. NASA Earth Observatory image by Joshua Stevens, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey, source, public domain.

Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary

Easthampton, Hampshire County

Category
Conservation Area
Town
Easthampton
County
Hampshire
Length
4 mi

Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary is Mass Audubon’s 751 acres of floodplain forest, marsh, meadow, and grassland straddling Easthampton and Northampton at the Connecticut River oxbow. Four miles of mostly flat trails, including an accessible route and boardwalk sections, make it the easiest serious-birding spot in the Valley.

The nature center is at 127 Combs Road, Easthampton.

Visiting

  • Trails: open daily, dawn to dusk.
  • Nature center: generally open daytime hours; Mass Audubon currently lists 9am-3pm most days.
  • Admission: free for Mass Audubon members. Non-members $4 adults, $3 seniors 65+, $3 children 2–12.
  • Dogs: not permitted (service animals excepted); horses also prohibited.
  • Accessibility: the nature center, restrooms, and one loop trail are universally accessible.

Habitat and wildlife

The sanctuary wraps floodplain forest, a cattail marsh, old-field meadow, and grasslands managed for bobolinks. Great blue herons, wood ducks, and hundreds of migrant songbirds pass through in spring and fall; in winter, trails stay open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Sources