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Town of Duxbury - Beach Operations - Beach Update  1/30/2026

Posted on: January 30, 2026 - 9:42am

Town of Duxbury - Beach Operations - Beach Update 

1/30/2026

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.

Winter Weather Beach Access:

Due to the most recent winter storm, access to the Crossovers have been closed due to poor travel conditions on the backroad.  However, we are assessing each day and will look for opportunities to re-open when it is safe to do so.  Multiple cut-outs are clear of snow drifts and available for parking, but the roadway has become mostly one vehicle allowed to pass safely, while the other vehicle will need to pull over.  Many areas of the backroad do have areas to pull over safely, but other areas have heavy snow drifts, so please be aware if you decide to travel out that way in the coming days that conditions are not the best and permit holders are not recommended to travel the backroad, as residents of Saquish/Gurnet need use of the roadway for travel back and forth to their property. The main resident parking lot has parking available, but has areas of ice, so please be aware when walking in the parking lot.  The beach area has many walkable areas clear of snow.

The beach road that is directly adjacent to Blakeman’s is iced over, but a temporary vehicle by-pass is available that has been plowed and allows safer travel. Vehicles driving south on the beach road will need to turn right into the open gated area to the bay-side over flow lot and then exit out the gate right across from the main Blakeman’s entrance.  After visiting the beach, please exit again thru the bay-side by-pass.  No parking is allowed in the bay-side parking lot.

As many of you are aware we are under a coastal flood watch for this Sunday to Monday due to another winter storm approaching the area.  Expect large high tides, snow and winds in the area, but especially along the beach area and bay.  If traveling please be safe in flood prone areas.

Duxbury Beach Reservation Upcoming Events:

  • Duxbury Beach T-Shirt Contest: Submissions are due by February 23, with community voting taking place throughout March. The winning design will be announced in early April and featured on DBR's official Summer 2026 Duxbury Beach T-shirt, available for purchase. Full details and submission guidelines can be found here.
  • Snowy to Saw-Whet Owls, Saturday, February 28, 4PM at Duxbury Bay Maritime School: Join expert bird researcher Norman Smith for a fascinating talk on the lives, behaviors, and migrations of Snowy Owls and Northern Saw-whet Owls -- from their wintering habitats to what research has uncovered over decades of study. Register here.
  • Spring Beach Cleanup, Saturday, March 21, 9:30AM-12:30PM: Save the date for the spring beach clean! Help clean up debris on the beach to keep our coastline healthy and to prepare for summer.

Learn more: https://duxburybeachreservation.org/eventsprograms

Powder Point Bridge Closure- Yearly Off-Season Repairs:

No new updates from DPW regarding the bridge closure.

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:

We have a few Snowy Owls making their winter home at Duxbury Beach. 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.

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.