Andover Trail Annals: Shawsheen River Greenway.

The Shawsheen River Greenway is an Andover Village Improvement Society trail along the river from Ballardvale to Andover Center.

Heading north from Ballardvale, it initially passes through the Vale Reservation.

From there, it phases into the Shawsheen Reservation.

There is considerable variety of habitats from floodplain to upland.

There are also nearly ideal and safe places for railroad fans to watch the busy mix of Amtrak, freight and commuter rail runs along this section of the Haverhill Line.

An open meadow area has an intensive placement of bluebird houses.

And it meets the Bay Circuit Trail at the Abbot Street Bridge.