New England rivers to ride

Ipswich River, Topsfield

Snaking through the largest wildlife sanctuary in the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the Ipswich River is a bird lover’s delight. Foote Brothers Canoe Rentals will drive you to the Salem Road put-in to begin a 7-mile jaunt back to the rental outpost. Ipswich is one of those narrow, serpentine rivers that was designed with a canoe in mind. Its glassy waters are broken only by the occasional tree limb jutting up into the air. Snowy egrets usually stand tall in the marsh and the iridescent blue-green head of the common grackle searches for food on the banks. footebrotherscanoes.com/aboutbros.html