About the Park

Salisbury Beach State Reservation is an oceanfront state park in Salisbury, Massachusetts, run by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). It sits where the Merrimack River flows into the Atlantic, and DCR describes it as a place to swim, boat and camp. The reservation has 3.8 miles of coastline, a 484-site campground with hookups, two boat ramps on the river and a short self-guided nature trail, and it is open from sunrise to sunset.

Reservation or State Park?

DCR's official name is Salisbury Beach State Reservation; "reservation" is the word Massachusetts uses for many of its coastal and conservation parks. People often search for it as Salisbury Beach State Park. Both mean the same DCR property. It is different from the town-run Salisbury Beach Center on Broadway, just to the north, which has the concerts and fireworks. See the beach center.

The Setting

The reservation covers the south end of Salisbury Beach, a barrier beach between the ocean and the salt marsh behind it, and wraps round the corner onto the Merrimack River. At the river mouth the Army Corps of Engineers' north jetty runs 4,118 feet out to sea from Salisbury Beach, with Plum Island and its south jetty across the channel. See the jetty and Plum Island.

What's Here

DCR lists these activities: swimming, motorized and non-motorized boating, canoeing and kayaking, camping, fishing, horseback riding and educational programs. Its facilities list:

• Beach and boardwalks, with restrooms, showers and scenic viewing areas.
• The campground: 484 sites for tents, trailers and RVs, with water and electric hookups, an RV dump station and group sites. See camping.
• Two boat ramps on the Merrimack River. See boat ramps.
• A picnic area, grills, a playground and a reservable pavilion. See the pavilion.
• Weddings, listed among the facilities.
• A self-guided nature trail through barrier beach and salt marsh. See the nature trail.

Accessibility

DCR marks the reservation as wheelchair accessible and lists accessible camping, accessible educational programs, accessible restrooms, an accessible nature center, a beach mat and beach wheelchairs.

Rules

DCR's restrictions are short: no dogs or other pets on the beach from April 1 to September 15 except service animals, dogs leashed at all times when allowed, no alcohol, and no littering. See rules and regulations.

Related DCR Parks

DCR links Salisbury Beach with three nearby parks: Sandy Point State Reservation at the south tip of Plum Island, Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, and Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield.

Contact

DCR's park office: (978) 462-4481, salisbury.beach@state.ma.us. Address: State Reservation Road, Salisbury, MA 01952. See contact.