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Town of Duxbury - Beach Operations - Beach Update  12/3/2025

Posted on: December 3, 2025 - 9:35am

Town of Duxbury - Beach Operations - Beach Update 

12/3/2025

Winter Beach-Crossover Hours:

  • Monday – Sunday: 8:00AM – 4:00PM

Crossovers will be open tide, weather and avian activity dependent.  Please check the tidal charts for high tides prior to coming to the beach.

 

Powder Point Bridge Closure- Yearly Off-Season Repairs:

DPW has announced that the Town has awarded the Phase IV Powder Point Bridge Repair Contract to Great Eastern Marine Service, Inc. of Gloucester, MA.  The project includes necessary repairs to the bridge structure including the addition of sister piles, bracing and shimming in critical locations. 

Beginning on Monday, December 8, 2025, the Powder Point Bridge will be fully closed in order to facilitate the repairs.  The bridge will remain closed to motorists, pedestrians and cyclists throughout construction. 

Please note, the Contractor will be utilizing the west parking lot, located off Powder Point Ave, for staging of materials and equipment. For the safety of all, please respect the limits of the bridge closure and staging area. Construction is anticipated to take approximately two to three months, with the bridge slated to reopen in late February/early March 2026. The DPW and Contractor will make every effort to expedite construction and reopen the bridge as soon as possible. 

To get to Duxbury Beach, please utilize the access from the Town of Marshfield that leads to Gurnet Road in Duxbury to the beach. Beach Rangers will be on site from 7am to close to assist permits holders or visitors.

Snowy Owls:

At this time, we have one Snowy Owl that was re-located from the busy Logan Airport to Duxbury Beach.  We anticipate more coming to the beach in the coming weeks from Logan Airport. To read more regarding Snowy Owls please visit the below link to Mass Audubon: https://www.massaudubon.org/our-work/birds-wildlife/bird-conservation-research/snowy-owl-project

Please make sure you follow all rules and regulations pertaining to these awesome guests. We ask that visitors remember to follow the regulations below to have a safe and enjoyable visit:

Purchase an OSV Permit – OSV permits are required year-round to drive south past the Powder Point Ranger Station, off-season OSV permits can be purchased at the link in our website or in person at the Treasurer’s Office.  Beach Rangers will be on duty checking for valid OSV permits.

Park Safely—Even during the winter, the road is active. For everyone’s safety, please find the nearest pullout to park and make sure your vehicle is not blocking any part of the road. Parking along the road is not allowed, and cars will be ticketed. Parking on the crossover entrances/ exits is also not allowed when crossovers are open.

Protect the Dunes - Dunes and the vegetation are very vulnerable in the winter, help us maintain the dunes by staying on the beach, road, or established pathways and not crossing any fencing to access the dunes.  Please do not traverse into the dunes or vegetation in order to see wildlife in a closer position. Never approach a bird or try to make it fly, they are resting and need to be left alone

Obey Beach Rangers - Beach Rangers patrol the beach every day to help ensure everyone’s safety. Please obey any direction given by a Beach Ranger. Beach Rangers will be on patrol to ensure folks are complying with the rules & regulations. Tickets will be issued for violations and all vehicles parked/operating on the backroad and OSV must have a valid OSV permit.

Off-Season OSV Permits on sale:


Off-season over sand beach permits are on sale now and valid until March 31, 2026. This permit allows you access to the over sand beach and backroad during our off-season. If you currently have a year-round over sand beach permit, you do not need to purchase an off-season permit.  Vehicle operators utilize this permit at this time of the year for bird watching that include several avian species that visit the beach during the winter season to include Snowy Owls.

  • Non-Resident: $175
  • Resident: $105
  • Resident Senior: $53

Permits can be purchased ONLINE through City Hall Systems via the Town of Duxbury Website or IN-PERSON at the Treasurer/Collector's office during regular Town Hall hours:

  • Monday 8:00AM-7PM & Tuesday-Thursday 8:00AM-4PM
  • Please note: Town Hall is CLOSED to the public FRIDAYS (effective 7/1/2025)

Crossover Dune Posts Driving/Walking on Dunes

Please be aware that vehicles are not allowed west of any dune post in order to maintain the stability and integrity of the dunes. During high tides vehicles must either exit the beach or drive as close to the dune post as possible without going west of the post. Driving west of the post is prohibited and subject to fines and revocation of vehicle permit.

People and leashed dogs must also remain out of the dunes to protect the vegetation that is established helps maintain the integrity of the dunes. Stepping on the dune vegetation will damage, and likely destroy the vegetation that is very sensitive to maintain dune stability.

Please be sure to monitor our X feed for the most up-to-date information including any operational updates: https://twitter.com/BeachDuxbury

 

As always, we appreciate your continued cooperation in adhering to all signage and directives from Beach Rangers and DBR Personnel.