The Crane Wildlife Refuge is a patchwork of coastal and island habitats that includes a portion of Castle Neck and seven islands in the Essex River Estuary (Choate, Long, Dean, Dilly, Pine, Patterson, and Round). Surrounding the Crane Wildlife Refuge is the Great Marsh, the largest contiguous salt marsh in New England, covering more than 25,000 acres from Hampton Harbor, NH, to Gloucester.
June-September, the refuge is accessible through guided kayak tours and island tours offered by The Trustees of Reservations. The islands are accessible year-round by private watercraft. is one of 111 properties in the Commonwealth including working farms, historic homesteads and gardens, community parks, barrier beaches, and mountain vistas owned and managed by the non-profit organization The Trustees of Reservations. For more information and to download a map visit: www.thetrustees.org/cranerefuge.