The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's Charles River Reservation is a linear park stretching from Boston Harbor up the river for 20 miles. The lower half of the reservation, from downtown Boston to the Watertown Dam, is the Charles River Basin, which includes the Esplanade on the Boston side. The basin abuts the campuses of MIT, Boston University and Harvard. The Upper Charles River section of the Reservation begins at Watertown Square and meanders to Riverdale Park in West Roxbury.

The Reservation has many recreational opportunities for urban dwellers. Whether your interest is walking or birdwatching, canoeing or in-line skating, the Charles River is a wonderful resource.

Canoeing and Kayaking

Charles River Canoe and Kayak Center offers seasonal small boat rentals. A kiosk is located at Artesani Park off Soldiers Field Road 617- 462- 2513 Season May to October 15, weekends Spring and Fall, extended summer hours. Youths under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Charles River Canoe and Kayak also has rentals in Newton on the upper Charles River.

Small boat launches in the Basin are located at Magazine Beach and Cambridge Parkway in Cambridge, and Artesani Park and Daly Recreation Center in Allston. The rivers edge along Charles River Road in Watertown is accessible to small boats that can be carried a short distance. All locations have public parking adjacent. The public ramp at Cambridge Parkway is not Handicapped Accesible.

Canoeing and kayaking in the Lower Basin (below the BU Bridge) is not recommended for novice paddlers. Difficult conditions include swift currents when Charles River Dam pumps are in operation, wakes from larger boats, and steep shore conditions. The New Charles River Dam will permit passage of small craft through the locks to Boston Harbor. Use caution when entering and exiting the locks.

Canoe/Kayak/War Canoe Races
Run of The Charles sponsored by the Charles river Watershed Association. 781-788-0007 . April Date. Dedham to Herter Park, Brighton. Races for novice to professional, individuals and teams in varying lengths from six miles to twenty four.

Hatch Memorial Shell
The Massachusetts DCR's Hatch Memorial Shell on the Esplanade, between the Mass. Ave. and Longfellow Bridges. Season starts June and ends in October with limited pre-season events starting in April. Events are scheduled from Wednesday through Sunday and admission is free. On the fourth of July, the Boston Pops play here and fireworks are lit off and seen around the country, as the splendor is world-renowned.

The Public Theater at Herter Park, off Soldiers Field Road, works to demonstrate the power of the spoken word by bringing classical, outdoor summer theatre to the people of greater Boston. Season starts in early June and ends in August to early September; all performances are Wednesday through Sunday at 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. Admission varies. The theatre is fully wheelchair accessible and has acres of free parking. Business office: 617-454-1444.

Athletic Fields
Permits (pdf file) are required for all use of athletic fields unless otherwise noted. Please address all requests in writing to DCR Athletic Fields Reservations, 4 Woodland Road, Stoneham, MA 02180. (617) 727-4708

* Teddy Ebersol's Red Sox Fields at Lederman Park, Boston: Baseball, football, softball
* Daly Recreation Center, Nonantum Road, Brighton: Football, softball (lighted)
* Magazine Beach Field, Memorial Drive, Cambridge: Football, Little League, Softball

Bike/Running Paths

* Dr. Paul Dudley White Bike Path, Approx. 18 mile loop from Science Park to Watertown Square
* Riverbend Park, Memorial Drive from Eliot Bridge to Western Ave. (Closed to vehicular traffic from the last Sunday in April through the second Sunday in November, 11am to 7pm.)

We encourage all users of the Charles River paths to be courteous to other users. Please watch for traffic and do not block paths. Many runners (as well as walkers, rollerbladers and cyclists) use the path along the Charles River.

Par Courses
Eight station exercise area - upstream of BU Bridge, Cambridge side and downstream of BU Bridge, Boston side.

Picnic Areas
Herter Park off Soldiers Field Road, Brighton. Permits are required for groups of 25 or more. See above for permit information.

Playgrounds
Boston, Back Bay at Berkeley Street, Deerfield Street, Hereford Street, Pinckney Street, Union Boat House Artesani Park at off Soldiers Field Road, Brighton Magazine Beach, Memorial Drive, Cambridge Murphy's Tot Lot, Greenough Boulevard, Cambridge Greenough Boulevard near Watertown Square, Watertown

Skating Rink
Daly Memorial Rink, Nonantum Road, Brighton: Concession stand, skate rentals, sharpening and lessons. Rinks are open from mid-November to mid-March. Call 727-4708 for more information.

Swimming Pools

* Brighton/Allston Pool, North Beacon Street
* Spray Pool at Artesani Playground, Soldiers Field Road, Brighton
* Dealtry Memorial Pool, Pleasant Street, Watertown.

Pools are open from late June to early September. Call 727-4708 for more info.

Tennis Courts
All tennis courts operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

* Charlesbank Park, Charles Street, Boston (4 lighted)
* Canalouga Park, Pleasant Street, Waltham (1).

Charles River Dam
The Charles River Dam maintains the water level in the river basin at a fixed elevation. Completed in 1978, it replaced the original dam built in 1910. It houses six pumps that drain the river into the harbor when rain or melting snow would otherwise overflow the river’s banks. The dam’s three locks permits recreational craft to travel from the river to the harbor year round; a fish ladder allows for passage of anadromous fish (alewife, blueback herring, rainbow smelt and shad) during the migration season in late spring. Regularly scheduled tours are available. Call 617-727-1188 x445 for information.

River Ecology
At the river's edge, adjacent to the shallow marsh west of the Dealtry Pool in Watertown, painted turtles can often be seen sunning themselves on logs. Shallow marsh and shrub swamp habitat is found throughout the upper Reservation. Herons use the camouflage of rushes and sedges to forage on frogs and other prey.

Tall Silver Maple trees provide perch sites for birds such as cormorants, flycatchers, kingfishers and hawks which hunt along the river. The expansive tree canopy also provides roosting areas for colonies of black-crowned night heron.

Hawks, songbirds, foxes, squirrels and other small mammals inhabit the oak/pine forest habitat characteristic of the Lakes District in Waltham and Newton. Canada geese, mallards, black ducks, hooded mergansers, buffleheads and gulls can be seen all along the river corridor, especially in winter.