Check out a map of Wareham in southeastern Massachusetts, and you’ll immediately see its potential for outdoor recreation. Situated at the very head of Buzzards Bay, the town boasts more than 54 miles of coastline, extending from the mouth of the Weweantic River to Buttermilk Bay, which feeds into the Cape Cod Canal’s west end.

Inland, you’ll find numerous freshwater ponds, along with parcels of undeveloped forest. Additionally, three large rivers—the Agawam, the Wareham, and the Weweantic— flow through the town’s interior before meeting with the bay, which is ringed by tidal marshland, rocky shoreline, and sandy beaches.

The Weweantic River in particular plays an important role in the marine ecosystem of Buzzards Bay—and beyond. Several mills once existed on the river, near the head of tide, and until recently an obsolete dam that had once provided power to a horseshoe factory made it hard for herring, rainbow smelt, and American eel to reach their upstream spawning and nursery grounds. That all changed in 2020, when the dam was removed as part of a project led by the Buzzards Bay Coalition.

The Horseshoe Mill property, part of the larger Weweantic River Reserve, now stands as a shining example of a restoration project that benefits the community through walking trails, a pair of canoe/kayak launches, and, of course, a healthier natural ecosystem.

The property, which abuts the Birch Island Conservation Area, features a network of trails, none of them very long or taxing, but quite varied in nature. The parking area at the end of Station Street has room for some 20 vehicles. From there, a wide, gravel path leads to a bridge where the former dam once stood. Signage along the way provides information on the history of the site, as well as the river’s significance to indigenous people. Evidence of the mill’s iron-processing operation can be seen in form of metallic chunks of “slag” littering the ground, as well as the remaining mill foundations.

There are two spots on either side of the bridge where visitors can launch paddlecraft to explore both upstream and down towards the river mouth. (Note: the river can flow quite powerfully during spring runoff and after heavy rains, so plan accordingly and use caution.) Depending on which way you go, you’ll encounter very different ecosystems. Birders can spy a huge variety of species at Horseshoe Mill. These include eagle, osprey, cormorant, cardinal, yellow warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, towhee, blue heron, egret, mallard, blue jay, catbird, green heron, sharp-shinned hawk, red-tailed hawk, oriole, goldfinch, and many more, especially during the migration periods.

In terms of aquatic life, the Weweantic serves as a spawning and nursery ground for river herring and rainbow smelt, as well as a sanctuary for eels. Anglers can target striped bass below the dam, while upstream areas are home to freshwater species such as perch, pickerel, sunfish, and bluegill.