Salisbury Beach State Reservation is a state-owned, public recreation area on the Atlantic Ocean in the townofSalisbury, Massachusetts, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.[4] It is one of the most heavily utilized state parks in the Commonwealth, with "an annual attendance rate of over one million visitors."[5]
| Salisbury Beach State Reservation | |
|---|---|
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  Location in Massachusetts  Salisbury Beach State Reservation (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Essex County, Massachusetts, United States |
| Coordinates | 42°49′35.4″N 70°49′2.8″W / 42.826500°N 70.817444°W / 42.826500; -70.817444 |
| Area | 355 acres (144 ha)[1] |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3.0 m)[2] |
| Established | 1931[3] |
| Operator | Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation |
| Website | Salisbury Beach State Reservation |
During the American Civil War the Fort at Salisbury Point was built on the site, which was eventually lost due to beach erosion.[6] The land was acquired for use as a state park in 1931.[3] It saw improvements in the following decade done by the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps.[7] During World War II the site included a gun battery as the Salisbury Beach Military Reservation.[8] The reservation came under the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation and Recreation in 1969.[5] Continuing park improvements include the construction of a new jetty in 2015.[4] In March 2024, coastal flooding eroded 7,500 tons of sand placed on the beach at a cost of $600,000 as part of a beachfront restoration effort by local property owners.[9]
Notable wildlife includes harbor seals, which are often found on Badgers Rocks in the Merrimack River in the fall and winter. Birds that can be sighted include black ducks, green-winged teal, and great blue herons, along with pectoral, solitary, and least sandpipers.[5] "White-winged and surf scoters can be seen flying low over open water or bobbing in loose flocks among the offshore waves."[10]