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Shurcliff Riverwalk

Shurcliff Riverwalk in Ipswich with your dog: a town-center river stroll

The riverwalk is the most central walk on the Ipswich open space list: a short path beside a tidal river, with a bench, old mill remains and Town Hall behind you. It suits a quick stretch on an errand day. Here is the rule, the route and the two bylaw details that a town-center walk brings up.

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Last reviewed October 10, 2026 · by the Dogtown team · rules checked for fall 2026

The rule

Leashed at all times, with the waste in a dog station or carried home

The Town of Ipswich lists the Sidney Shurcliff Riverwalk among its open space properties, and its rule for all of them is short: dogs are welcome on town-owned property trails but must be leashed at all times, and dog waste must be picked up and disposed of. The town's Animals Bylaw backs it up. Leashed dogs are permitted on town-owned open space unless a sign prohibits them, and the leash may be no longer than six feet.

The waste rule has a detail worth knowing in a town center. The bylaw requires anyone with a dog in a public area to carry a means of removal, and it prohibits disposing of dog waste in town trash barrels or bins and in storm drains. The town says most of its properties have dog waste stations; where you do not find one, carry the bag home. Fines for fouling run $10, $25 and $50 for a first, second and later offense in a calendar year.

  • Leashed at all times on town-owned trails
  • A leash of six feet or less under the bylaw
  • Carry bags: the bylaw requires a means of pickup
  • No dog waste in town trash barrels or storm drains

The route

A short path along the Ipswich River between County Street and Green Street

The riverwalk is a short trail beside the Ipswich River, between County Street and Green Street near Town Hall, 25 Green Street. Park in the Town Hall lot, then reach the path south of the building, across the athletic fields and down a set of wooden stairs. A bench along the way looks out over the river, and toward the County Street end the remnants of a former mill, dating back to 1715, are visible in the water.

The town ties the spot to Falls Island, where mills prospered after the County Street bridge was built in 1861. It also notes that the water level here rises and falls with the tide, so the river can look quite different on two visits a few hours apart. Whatever the tide, keep the leash short near the edge, and do not let a curious dog wade out toward the old stonework.

  1. 01

    Park in the Town Hall lot at 25 Green Street

  2. 02

    Clip on a six-foot leash before you leave the car

  3. 03

    Head south of Town Hall and keep your dog off the playing surface of the fields

  4. 04

    Take the wooden stairs down to the river path

  5. 05

    Walk toward County Street to see the mill remains, with a pause at the bench

  6. 06

    Bag the waste and use a dog station or carry it home

Fields and stairs

The bylaw keeps dogs off playing fields, so mind the way to the stairs

The town's directions to the riverwalk run south of Town Hall across the athletic fields, and the Animals Bylaw says no one may allow a dog to trespass within a playing field, meaning any field designed and used for outdoor team games or practice, along with basketball and tennis courts. Synthetic turf fields controlled by the town or the school district are closed to dogs as well. On the way to the stairs, keep your dog off the playing surface.

If the edge of the field is unclear, or a game is on, ask the town's Open Space Program, at 978-356-6607, for the best way down. The wooden stairs are the other thing to plan for: a senior dog, a long-backed breed or a young puppy may find them hard, particularly when wet. Carry a small dog, take each step slowly with a large one, and turn back if your dog hesitates rather than hauling it down.

  • Playing fields and courts: no dogs
  • Synthetic turf fields: no dogs
  • Wooden stairs down to the river path
  • Questions: the Open Space Program, 978-356-6607

An errand walk

Pair the riverwalk with a stop at the Town Clerk in Town Hall

The Town Clerk's office is in Town Hall at 25 Green Street, and the clerk is where Ipswich dogs are registered, in person during business hours or by mail. That makes a license renewal and a short river stroll a sensible pair for a dog that needs a break from the car. In October 2026 the clerk posted reduced public hours around the state election and early voting, so check the clerk's page before you plan the trip.

Our Ipswich dog license page has the fees and the March 31 renewal deadline. Remember that the leash rule follows you out of the park: under the bylaw, a dog off its owner's premises anywhere in Ipswich must be on a leash no longer than six feet, and the pickup rule covers streets and sidewalks as well as trails. The riverwalk itself, like other town open space, is open from sunrise to sunset.

From Gloucester

A short river walk, then a bath and brush at 210 Eastern Ave

A short stroll will not tire a young dog, but a riverbank can still muddy one. At Dogtown in Gloucester, a bath and brush costs $55 for a dog up to 25 pounds and climbs by size to $95 for an extra-large long coat, with nail clipping for $16. Grooming needs no evaluation, so you can book online or in the Dogtown app, and the next visit is $5 off if you book it at pickup.

For a young dog that needs more than a stroll, daycare at Dogtown is $42 a full day and $33 a half day, in playgroups of 7 to 10 matched by size and temperament, after a free weekday evaluation between 6:30 and 9:30 AM. Ipswich is outside the Pup Van towns of Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea, so ask us about pick-up. We do not take dogs to the riverwalk.

At Dogtown

A stroll in Ipswich, a wash in Gloucester

Baths by size with no evaluation at 210 Eastern Ave, and daycare for a dog with energy left after a short walk.

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

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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.

Are dogs allowed on the Shurcliff Riverwalk?
Yes, on a leash. The riverwalk is town-owned open space, and Ipswich welcomes dogs on its open space trails as long as they are leashed at all times and their waste is picked up and disposed of. The town bylaw caps the leash at six feet and requires you to carry a means of pickup.
Where do I park for the Ipswich Riverwalk?
At the Town Hall parking lot, 25 Green Street, according to the town. The path is reached south of Town Hall, across the athletic fields and down a set of wooden stairs. Keep your dog off the playing surface of the fields on the way, since the bylaw bars dogs from playing fields.
How long is the Sidney Shurcliff Riverwalk?
The town calls it a short trail beside the Ipswich River, between County Street and Green Street, and gives no distance. It is a stroll rather than a hike, with a bench overlooking the river and the remains of a mill from 1715 visible in the water toward the County Street end.
Can I put dog waste in the trash cans in downtown Ipswich?
Not in town barrels. The Ipswich bylaw prohibits disposing of dog waste in town trash barrels or bins and in storm drains. Use a dog waste station, which the town says most of its properties have, or carry the bag home. The bylaw also requires you to carry a means of pickup in any public area.
Is the river at the riverwalk tidal?
Yes. The town notes that the river at this spot has water levels that fluctuate with the tide. It can look very different from one visit to the next, so keep your dog on a short leash near the edge, and do not let it wade out toward the mill remains in the water.

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.

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