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Greenwood Farm

Greenwood Farm with your dog: leash rules, trails and parking

Greenwood Farm is a small Trustees property on Jeffrey's Neck Road in Ipswich, where fields and woods run down to salt marsh and herons and egrets wade through the marsh. The dog rule is short, a leash at all times, but the marsh brings a tide to plan around. Here is what The Trustees publish, checked in fall 2026, and what they leave unsaid.

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A tan dog on a leash stands beside a tree trunk next to a woman in jeans and boots.

Last reviewed October 9, 2026 · by the Dogtown team · rules checked for fall 2026

The rule

On a leash at all times, and the marsh islands are closed to everyone

The Trustees' page for Greenwood Farm says dogs must be kept on a leash at all times, and Greenwood is not on the organization's list of properties with off-leash trails. The Trustees' general guidelines apply on top: no chasing or harassing animals and wildlife, no damage to vegetation, and waste bagged and carried out unless there is a receptacle. Herons and egrets feed in the marsh here, which is exactly the kind of wildlife the chase rule exists for.

Two parts of the property are off limits whatever the leash. The trail to the islands in the salt marsh is closed to visitors, people and dogs alike, and the Paine House is not open to the public. The Trustees' guidelines also keep dogs out of what they call Resource Protection Areas, including working farms and gardens, coastal dunes and historic buildings, so treat any posted area at Greenwood the same way.

  • Leash at all times, everywhere on the property
  • The island trail in the salt marsh is closed to all visitors
  • No chasing herons, egrets or other wildlife
  • Bag the waste and carry it out

Tides

The marsh floods with the tide, and The Trustees publish no tide advice for walkers

NOAA defines a salt marsh as a coastal wetland flooded and drained by salt water brought in by the tides, and notes that marshes are frequently submerged. Greenwood's trails run beside that kind of ground. The Trustees' page for the property says nothing about tides, flooding or wet trails, so there is no official word on which paths, if any, go under at high water. If you need certainty for a walk with a dog, ask The Trustees before you go.

What you can do is time the visit. Check a tide table for Ipswich the night before and plan the walk away from high tide, when marsh edges are most likely to be wet and soft. Keep your dog on the trail and out of the creeks, which is the leash rule anyway, and expect salt mud on the paws even on a dry day. Rinse it off at home before it dries in the coat.

  1. 01

    Look up the tide for Ipswich the evening before

  2. 02

    Plan to walk well before or well after high tide

  3. 03

    Pack a towel, water and a spare bag for a muddy leash

  4. 04

    Keep your dog on the trail and out of the marsh creeks

  5. 05

    Rinse salt mud off paws and legs at home the same day

Parking

Ten cars a quarter mile down the drive, so come early or come back later

Parking is a small lot for about 10 cars, a quarter mile down the driveway on the left. Entry is free to everyone, the property is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and The Trustees suggest allowing at least an hour. The two and a half miles of trails make that hour a comfortable loop for most adult dogs, with time left over for sniffing along the field edges.

Free trail maps are kept at the property, though The Trustees note that they periodically run out, so save the map from the Trustees page before you leave home. With room for only 10 cars, the lot can fill; if it does, come back another time rather than leaving the car on the roadside. In warm weather, never leave your dog waiting in the car while you hunt for a space.

  • Free entry, sunrise to sunset
  • A lot for 10 cars, a quarter mile down the driveway
  • Download the trail map, because the paper copies run out

Season

Bow season from October through December, ticks from spring into fall

The Trustees allow authorized seasonal bow hunting at Greenwood Farm for a limited number of hunters, from the first Monday in October through December, with no hunting on Sundays. For a dog walker, that means late fall has hunters on the property six days a week. Stay on the trails, keep the leash short, and pick Sunday if you would rather not share the land; bright colors for you and your dog are a sensible choice, though not a Trustees requirement.

Ticks are the longer season. The CDC places them in grassy, brushy and wooded areas, most active from April to September, and the field edges and wood lines at Greenwood fit that description. Check your dog at the car, especially the ears, armpits, groin and between the toes, and ask your veterinarian which preventive suits a dog that walks marsh and meadow.

From Ipswich

Ipswich to Eastern Ave runs through Essex on Route 133, outside the Pup Van towns

Ipswich is outside the four Pup Van towns, so ask us about pick-up. If you drive, Route 133 runs east through Essex to Route 128, and 128 takes you to its end in Gloucester and Eastern Avenue. Daycare is $42 a full day and $33 a half day, in playgroups of 7 to 10 dogs matched by size and temperament, after a free evaluation on a weekday morning between 6:30 and 9:30 AM.

Salt mud is easier to wash out the same day it goes on, before it dries into the coat. Grooming needs no evaluation: a bath runs $55, $65, $75 or $85 by weight, and $95 for an extra-large long-haired dog, and a nail trim adds $16. Our Ipswich page covers Crane Beach's dog season, the town license and the drive in more detail.

At Dogtown

After a marsh walk

A bath by size with no evaluation, playgroups matched by temperament, and at-home walks if we cover your address.

Groomer blow-drying a red goldendoodle in front of the Dogtown Grooming sign Dog GroomingFrom $55 · Explore Husky standing on the turf play yard at Dogtown, looking at the camera Dog DaycareFrom $33 · Explore Dogtown walker and dog on a coastal trail at sunrise in Gloucester Dog WalkingNewFrom $25 · Explore

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Asked and answered

Questions people ask about this

Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.

Can dogs go off leash at Greenwood Farm?
No. The Trustees' page for Greenwood Farm requires dogs to be on a leash at all times, and the property is not on the Trustees' list of reservations with designated off-leash trails. The general Trustees guidelines also apply: no chasing wildlife, no damage to plants, and waste carried out unless a receptacle is provided.
Can I walk my dog out to the islands at Greenwood Farm?
No. The Trustees list the trail to the islands in the salt marsh as closed to visitors, which covers people and dogs alike. Keep to the open trails, which total about two and a half miles. If you see a posted closure elsewhere on the property, the Trustees' guidelines ask that dogs stay out of protected areas.
Is there a fee at Greenwood Farm?
No. The Trustees list Greenwood Farm as free to all, open daily from sunrise to sunset. Parking is a lot for about 10 cars, a quarter mile down the driveway on the left, at 47 Jeffrey's Neck Road in Ipswich. Download the trail map first, because the free paper maps at the property periodically run out.
When is hunting season at Greenwood Farm?
The Trustees authorize seasonal bow hunting at Greenwood Farm for a limited number of hunters from the first Monday in October through December. Hunting is not allowed on Sundays. If you walk a dog there during that window, stay on the trails, keep the leash short, and consider making Sunday your Greenwood day.
Does high tide affect a walk at Greenwood Farm?
It can, but The Trustees do not publish tide advice for the property. According to NOAA, salt marshes are flooded and drained by the tides, so marsh edges can be wet and muddy around high water. Check a tide table for Ipswich, walk away from high tide, and ask The Trustees if a particular trail matters to you.

More questions? Read the full FAQ

Sources

Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.

Keep reading

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Marsh mud on the paws, a bath on the way home.

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