Essex National Heritage Area

About Essex National Heritage Area

The Essex National Heritage Area begins just 10 miles north of Boston and covers 500 square miles of eastern Massachusetts to the New Hampshire border. The Area includes hundreds of historical sites, miles of intact landscapes, glistening coastal regions and lifetimes of rich experiences that chronicle the history of our region and of our nation.

How to Get There

Heading north of Boston, Interstate 93 and state Routes 1 and 1A traverse the length of the ENHA. South from New Hampshire, take Routes 1, 3 and Interstates 93 and 95. West from the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90), take Interstates 495 north or Interstate 95/Route 128. From the northwest, take state Route 2. The Essex National Heritage Commission has placed brown highway signs on all major roads to guide visitors to local sites and visitor centers. They are easy to see and easy to follow!

Plan Your Visit to Essex National Heritage Area

Heading to Essex National Heritage Area? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)