This is a scenic and relaxing paddle along the Ipswich River, a designated National Wild and Scenic River. The route starts at the Asbury Street bridge in Topsfield, where there is a small parking area and a canoe launch. The river flows through forests, wetlands, and fields, with abundant wildlife and plants. The paddle is about 6 miles long and takes about 3 hours, depending on the water level and current. There are some sections of mild rapids and riffles, but nothing too challenging. The route ends at the IRWS Canoe Landing, a public access point managed by the Ipswich River Watershed Association. There is another parking area and a picnic table here. This is a one-way trip, so you will need to arrange a shuttle or leave a car at the endpoint.

Ipswich River is a small river in northeastern Massachusetts. It held significant importance in early colonial migrations inland from the ocean port of Ipswich. The river provided safe harborage at offshore Plum Island Sound to early Massachusetts subsistence farmers, who were also fishers.

The upper river runs through and drains at least parts of Burlington, and the lower river forms part of the borders between towns. The wide swamps along the river made it impossible to ford the stream anywhere east of Wilmington in colonial times. The only route north out of Boston to the northeast (today called the Northshore) was via the Andover Road, an often muddy track, later made a wagon road that forded the stream just below the confluence of Lubbers and Maple Meadow brooks.