Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary is Mass Audubon's facility in Natick. A mix of wooded areas and wetlands, it's 624 acres include a pond and areas along the Charles River. Several boardwalks give viewing access along the edges of the marsh, and one boardwalk with a large observation platform crosses Mill Pond. A simple wooden bridge crosses near the end of the pond, and a stone bridge crosses over a dam at the end of the pond. Over 9 miles of level trails traverse the lands. Broadmoor is an excellent place for birdwatching during the migration seasons. A few birdhouses are located near the marsh, and a field with many birdhouses is located next to the Nature Center.

Features

Bird watching, boardwalks, wooden bridge, stone bridge and dam.

Homepage

Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary - Mass Audubon's main page for Broadmoor

Location Map

Trail Map - PDF of the trails

Directions

From Boston: Take the Mass. Turnpike (Rt I-90) west to exit 16 (West Newton/Wellesley). Follow Rt 16 west for 7 miles to South Natick Center. The sanctuary is 1.8 miles ahead on the left. From the east: Take Rt 9 west to Rt 16 in Wellesley. Follow Rt 16 west for about 5 miles; the sanctuary is on the left.

From the west: Take Rt I-495 to Rt 9. Follow Rt 9 east to Rt 27 in Natick. Follow Rt 27 south for 4 miles to Sherborn. Turn left onto Rt 16 east and follow for 1.6 miles; the sanctuary is on the right.

From the north and south: Take Rt I-95 to Rt 16 (exit 22). Follow Rt 16 west for 7 miles; the sanctuary is on the left.

Street Map

Hours & Admission

Nature Center/Trail Hours: Nature Center: Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Sunday, and Monday holidays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays except holidays.

Trails: Open Tuesday through Sunday, and Monday holidays, dawn to dusk. Closed Mondays except holidays.

Admission: $4 for nonmember adults; $3 for nonmember children (3-12) and seniors

Notes & Comments

Broadmoor is a must for bird watching during migration. It's proximity to Boston ensures that it will be a busy place much of the time, but the trails are open dawn to dusk so early risers can benefit from this.

Beyond birdwatching - which can be fantastic - Broadmoor's photoscenic qualities are limited. The wooded areas can be quite pretty and glacial erratics enhance this, but the well-marked trails produce too many marks of man. Considering that it's so popular and close to Boston, arrive around dawn to ensure quiet and privacy.

Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary