Boston Harbor Beacon

A view of the Marshlands around the Neponset River from high on a hill in North Milton, below. The Neponset area is quite a lovely sight to see from boat or land. Here are some highlights:

When thinking of rivers near Boston, The Charles comes first to mind for most. A little less known in the Neponset, which many communities South of the City of Boston are built around, particularly Dorchester’s Lower Mills and Milton. While in close proximity to urban area-and even crossed by highway and rail- this area is a marshland, full of aquatic life and waterfowl.

Aside from the Charles there are at least six other major rivers flowing into Boston Harbor. These include the Mystic, the Malden, the Chelsea, the Weymouth Fore and Back Rivers, and the Weir River in Hingham. Bring that number up to at least eight if you want to include Quincy’s Furnace Brook and Winthrop’s Belle Isle Marsh creek as rivers. The Neponset is likely the second largest river into the Harbor in terms of discharge volume, and is one of the cleanest. It’s watershed is unique versus the other major rivers as it is surrounded by marshland, creating a viable habitat for all types of wildlife. Efforts to improve the Herring population, once a staple of the river but now endangered are ongoing. Looking South along the Neponset’s Marsh area from Granite Ave:

Below is a chart clip of the Neponset as it hits Dorchester Bay on the Southwest side of Boston Harbor. Navigable by boat to at least the Bridge at Granite Ave, boaters should use caution and preferably go at high tide. A trip up the Neponset is ideal for one of those windy summer afternoons where the wind chop in Boston Harbor builds to an uncomfortable height.

*NOAA Nautical Chart. Not for official navigiation. Disclaimer at www.noaa.gov.

Upon traveling upriver, one can reach Dorchester Lower Mills, the end point of the portion of the river navigable by boat. This is a well preserved part of Boston history that is less well known to outsiders and tourists:

The dams at Dorchester Lower Mills, in which the river was used for factory production during America’s 1800s industrial revolution. Many of these structures, most notably a Chocolate factory, are still occupied today. Several have been converted into high end condominiums and have been maintained beautifully.

The yacht club at Neponset Marina, which is just about as far as boaters can navigate up the river from Boston Harbor:

Further down river at the marina near Granite Ave, as boats and docks are stacked for the winter before they go in the water for the season. From this vantage point, one can see the wide marshes adjacent to the river. The smokestack from Dorchester Lower Mills is visible in the distance:

Further downstream, the Neponset opens up into Dorchester Bay, the Southwest corner of Boston Harbor. The landmark Boston Gas tanks jut out into the harbor at the mouth of the river. The last stretch of the river has some deceptively shallow waters than can be dangerous to navigate near low tide.

Places to view the Neponset from land: Seen below is the running trail from Granite Ave to Lower mills. Running adjacent to the red line extension between Ashmont station and Mattapan, this is a great spot to walk alongside the river. A parking lot is located off Granite Ave, near the lift bridge. Another place to see this Pope John Paul II park, the entrance to which is on Gallivan Blvd. in Dorchester, right before the Neponset Bridge to Quincy on Route 3a.

The lift bridge near Granite Ave. Navigation by boat past this point may get tricky, especially near low tide. See the nautical chart clip above for reference. Hopefully, you will be able to make a trip to see the Neponset, either by boat or on foot, soon!