Town of Duxbury - Beach Operations - Beach Update  7/31/2025

Town of Duxbury - Beach Operations - Beach Update 

7/31/2025

Summer Beach/Crossover Hours:

• Monday – Sunday: 8:00AM – 8:00PM

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

Crossover Status Update- Limited OSV Access to Crossover 3:

Beach Ops has received confirmation from DBR field staff that we have an opportunity for limited OSV access to Crossover 3 that will start this morning, Thursday 7/31.

We are able to open Crossover 3 to 56 permitted OSV vehicles at 9am today.  This will be evenly split between 28 resident and 28 non-resident OSV permit holders.  Crossovers 2 & 3 continue to remain closed at this time for avian activity.

Due to the unpredictable behavior of avian activity on the beach, Beach Ops will be conferring with field staff each morning going forth the following information that will be sent out daily via social media (X/Twitter) to permit holders on crossover access:

• What crossover(s) will be eligible to open if avian activity allows.
• How many OSV vehicles will be allowed at each open crossover to be evenly split between resident and non-resident permit holders.
• What time the crossover(s) will open. Any open crossover will close by 8pm unless circumstances due to avian species, tides or weather cause an earlier closure time

We appreciate your cooperation and patronage to Duxbury Beach. We are fully aware that the limited OSV access, or the full closure of crossovers are not ideal to permit holders, but Beach Ops and DBR will continue to do our best to provide what OSV access we can under difficult circumstances of protecting state/federal avian species along with public recreational opportunities.  We will be constantly evaluating opportunities that may present itself for future OSV access.

Please see the DBR Avian Update listed at the bottom of this email for their most recent information regarding state/federal protected avian species.

Limited Crossover Access Entry Process

Due to the limited amount of OSV permitted vehicles that are allowed to enter the OSV due to avian restrictions, we ask that you arrive as early as can be once an announcement is made.  More than likely any open crossover(s) will open sometime between 8am and 9am, but may be delayed further to do field staff assessments.  Please do not drive down the backroad and wait outside the closed crossover(s).  You will be sent back to the parking lot to wait behind other vehicles. The backroad is an active roadway that needs access for emergency vehicles, and Saquish/Gurnet vehicles.  It is not a parking lot, and therefore vehicles cannot stop and wait for Rangers to open a crossover.  OSV permitted vehicles will need to wait in the resident lot in the morning so that Beach Ops Rangers can check your permit, and get an accurate count of how many resident and non-resident vehicles are in the parking lot to ensure we are evenly splitting the access to the crossover(s).

Please check in with a Beach Ops Ranger at the guard shack at the Powder Point Bridge to determine if the OSV is full or has available space.  We do not have areas to wait in the parking lot if the OSV is full.  OSV drivers must understand that not all OSV drivers that show up may be able to access the open crossover(s) due to the limited number of vehicles allowed.  Please show patience with Beach Ops Rangers as they do their best to provide you up to date information.  With all crossovers not fully open and limited amounts of vehicles that are authorized to access the OSV daily, you must assume it will fill quickly, and remain full throughout the time period it is open, especially on a great day or weekend.

Beach Ops will be adding additional Rangers to work during limited crossover openings to adhere to required state/federal regulations for protected avian species.  Beach Ops Rangers will monitor areas of the beach to ensure that OSV vehicles do not inadvertently enter restricted areas on the beach.  You may observe saw-horses, rebar, cones and signs denoting areas that cannot be entered.  Beach Ops will also assign a Ranger to the entrance of any open crossover to ensure compliance with the 50/50 rule to evenly split resident and non-resident OSV permit holders on the beach.  You cannot save/reserve spots on the beach for other vehicles if they are not there at that time on beach.  This is a first come, first served access.  We have no reservation system in place.  OSV drivers must be aware that we cannot determine how long someone will remain on the beach for one of the few allotted spots.  This could be a few hours or all day.

If you are able to access the open crossover(s), you will be allowed to have dogs that must remain leashed.  However, if you bring your dog(s) to the beach, and the OSV is full, you cannot have your dog(s) use the front oceanside resident beach or bayside beach if you have to park at the resident beach lot for resident OSV permit holders or the bayside lot across from Blakeman’s for non-resident OSV permit holders (only opened if crossovers are fully closed/or the need to utilize as an overflow parking lot for non-resident permit holders that cannot find space on an open crossover). Leashed dogs are allowed on the roadways, and the bayside beach behind south of the Powder Point Bridge shack small parking lot.

Backroad Cut-Outs/Speed Limits

The backroad and cut-outs will remain open during the summer from 8am-8pm for OSV permit holders, and will remain open for during the time that crossover access is closed or limited. This will allow for those OSV permit holders that want to park in an open cut-out an opportunity to utilize the limited backroad parking for the summer months for recreational activities. However, please be aware that 2 small cut-outs have been closed due to avian activity.  If you see saw-horses at a cut-out or a closed crossover entrance please do not move the saw-horses to park there.  This will be a beach violation and you can receive a ticket/fine.

Speed limits are 5 MPH in all areas of the backroad and beach lots. Posted speed limits are located along several areas of the roadways for safety. Please follow the posted speed limits and any direction given by Beach Ops Rangers. and Duxbury Beach Reservation staff. Duxbury Police will be monitoring the backroad and parking lots for speeding & safety violations.

Night time Driving Hours

Per state and federal regulations once plover chicks are present on the beach we must close at 8pm for recreational activity for vehicles utilizing the backroad and cut-outs.

Overflow Lot for Non-Resident OSV Permits

The Non-Resident parking lot will be across from Blakeman’s restaurant public parking lot when Non-Resident permit holders cannot access the limited available parking on the OSV beach. The entry point will be at the northern end where Beach Ops has 2 large trailers parked.  We will have a sign that states ‘Non-Resident Parking”.  Across from the entry point will be two portable toilets for use of non-resident permit holders.  Beach Ops will have a Ranger at the entrance checking permits.  You will have beach access by walking along the pedestrian beach pathway in the Blakeman’s Restaurant parking lot. Hours of operation will be 8am to 8pm.

Walk-On Beaches

The walk-on beaches remain open at the Resident Parking Lot for both the oceanside and bayside areas. The Resident Lot can be utilized by both Resident Parking Lot and OSV permit holders.  The Non-Resident OSV parking is open for Non-Resident permit holders while the crossovers are closed or limited.  The walk-on oceanside access is located by way of walking thru the Blakeman’s public parking lot and up the most northern pedestrian beach path.

Dogs

Now that all crossovers are temporarily closed, leashed dogs are not allowed on any part of the oceanside beaches. Leashed dogs are also not allowed on the bayside beaches north of the Powder Point Bridge.  Leashed dogs are allowed on the bayside beach south of the Powder Point Bridge that is located behind the Ranger Station and the small parking lot.  Leashed dogs are also welcome along the roadways and parking lots to be walked.

If a crossover does temporarily open for limited OSV access, that portion of the open crossover beach will allow leashed dogs on the oceanside, but they must remain in that area that has been opened for OSV access. Owners may not walk leashed dogs into the Sensitive or Closed areas of the beach, even at low tide.  Sawhorses and cones will mark off the areas both north and south where OSV vehicles and dogs must be within.

Kitesurfing

Beach Ops has been advised by DBR Field Staff that due to avian activity along the beach, that kitesurfing still remains temporarily prohibited from all areas of Duxbury Beach. Once we are advised that this activity can resume, we will make sure and send an update out for kite surfers to resume activities. Kite surfers may continue to utilize any areas on the west end of the bridge in the Town public parking lot or other areas not owned by DBR where kite surfers can launch safely under proper conditions.

DBR Avian Update

1 Piping Plover incubating nest,15 broods on the beach and 13 fledged broods. A total of 50 nests and 13 broods have been lost this season. DBR Field Staff estimates there are 54 pairs on the beach.

Least Terns continue to incubate nests, feed chicks of all ages, and some chicks have started to fledge.

The speed limit on all sections of the back road remains at 5mph.

Staff have observed a significant increase in the number of drivers passing other vehicles on the road, driving above the speed limit (inferred by visual assessment, or when monitors driving 5mph are passed by other vehicles), swerving while speeding, and driving aggressively (revving engine, tailgating). Due to the narrowness of the road, field staff working along the road, as well as a high level of recreational users on the road, passing and speeding on the backroad creates a public safety risk.

DBR and Beach Ops continue to observe:

• Dogs in “no dog” areas and off-leash dogs
• Speeding on the backroad
• Passing on the backroad

Please follow all posted signage, sawhorses, and instructions from Rangers and DBR Field Staff.

Sensitive Wildlife Areas: Are in place to help increase access to areas that would otherwise be closed due to Piping Plovers.

• Marked by large blue signs with white lettering
• Set up around areas with unfledged plover chicks
• Beach bathing, set up, and blankets allowed
• Prohibited: dogs, OSVs, bikes, kites, and beach sports
• Back road speed limit drops to 5 mph

Piping Plover barriers return this year to help keep more resident parking spaces open at the north end of the resident lot!

Low barriers (8” high) will be placed in pedestrian paths; these barriers prevent chicks from entering the lot and avoid causing vehicle parking closures.

Symbolic fencing (twine and rebar) marks closed areas along the upper dune and back dune near Gurnet Road. These areas are off-limits to the public. Closed areas also extend to the back dune near Gurnet Road, marked by posts and cable fencing.

Fencing may shift (“bump out”) east in spots to protect nests while maintaining access for pedestrians and OSVs where possible.

Reminder, as per town ordinance, dog regulations are in effect from April 1 to September 15.

Please be sure to monitor our X feed for the most up-to-date information including any changes to vehicular capacity or 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.