The Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is composed of 3,800 acres, which may sound daunting when planning your visit, but families who want an almost-guaranteed sighting of wildlife along easy trails should head to the Concord Unit. (There is a unit in Sudbury as well.)

About 2.5 miles of trails—great for hiking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing—are on the property. A dike that runs between the Upper and Lower Pools (also called impoundments) is the main path. The dike separates the “meadow” from the river, and it’s an easy walk. Start your visit at the observation tower to check out views of the property, then head down the 1.7-mile Dike Trail. If you have young kids and want a shorter walk, you can take this trail straight to the Concord River, stopping along the way at a wildlife observation platform, and then turn around. Otherwise you can take the trail all the way around the Lower Pool. The impoundments are drained into the river in summer, turning into mudflats and becoming a haven for birds, such as redwinged blackbirds and great blue herons.

Birds aren’t the only creatures happy to be here, especially in summer. On one hot, sunny day, my group lost count of how many black northern water snakes we spotted lounging on rocks. In addition, we saw numbers of leopard frogs, bullfrogs, dragonflies, and turtles.

Remember: This is a carry-in, carry-out property, so plan accordingly. The 4-mile Reformatory Branch Rail Trail passes by the property and follows the roadbed of the Boston & Maine’s old Reformatory Branch between Railroad Avenue in Bedford and Lowell Road in Concord. Portions of the Bay Circuit Trail also pass through Great Meadows.

To switch from nature trails to a bit of history, head west on MA 62 to the Battle Road Trail and the Old Manse (Trip 40) in Concord.

A number of restaurants are in Concord Center.