Nestled into a corner of picturesque Blankenship Cove in Marion sits Peirson Woods, a small but scenic Sippican Lands Trust property. The star of this property is the observation platform at the end of the trail, where you can take some time to soak up the view of sailboats, salt marshes, and sea birds on the water.

Stop and appreciate the water view from the observation platform at the end of the trail at Peirson Woods. With a short, circular trail down to the edge of Blankenship Cove, Peirson Woods offers delightful scenery at every turn. At the end of the quiet, forested trail sits a bird observation platform, which you can climb to look out over the cove to Sippican Harbor and Buzzards Bay beyond. It’s a great walk for families with small children or active adults seeking some exercise and fresh air.

Blankenship Cove is a protected inlet of Sippican Harbor, which attracts birds of all kinds throughout the year. In summer, ospreys nest on a platform just beyond the observation deck, while herons and egrets stalk the cove’s marshy shoreline for fish. It’s also a great spot to watch for migratory ducks on the water in winter.

Peirson Woods has another special resident: the protected diamondback terrapin, which lives in these salt marshes and shallows year-round.

The Peirson Woods trailhead is located just past the Marion Golf Club on Point Road. A flat, narrow trail loops for less than a mile through the woods to the observation platform overlooking Blankenship Cove. Altogether, this walk takes less than half an hour – though you’ll want to budget a little more time to stop and enjoy the view. 

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike at Peirson Woods.