Pratt and Post Coves Preserve

© Leslie Starr

Why You Should Visit
These coves are excellent examples of freshwater tidal marsh. They provide habitat to two rare plant species, and their extensive mud flats support dense stands of wild rice, making them popular with migratory waterfowl, such as black duck. There is a canoe and kayak launch at this site.

Location
Deep River

Hours
Dawn to dusk

Size
12 acres

Conditions
This site can only be visited by canoe, kayak or other small boat.

How to Prepare for Your Visit
Please see our “Preserve Visitation Guidelines” page.

Directions
From Main Street (Route 154) in Deep River:

  • Take Essex Street. 
  • Immediately after crossing the railroad tracks, you will cross a bridge; park right after the bridge on your right.
  • The launch is next to the bridge.

What to See: Plants
Pratt and Post Coves contain 200 adjacent acres of pristine freshwater tidal marsh that include large areas of pickerelweed, arrowleaf, soft-stem bulrush and wild rice. Surrounding these regularly flooded areas are slightly higher natural levees vegetated by cattail, river bulrush and sweet flag.

What to See: Animals
The coves include numerous submerged aquatic plant beds that provide feeding and spawning habitat for fish, including blueback herring, alewife, sea run brown trout, rainbow smelt, white perch and largemouth bass. 

Wild rice grows in abundance, attracting many species of migratory birds. A 1983 bird survey identified 48 species at the marshes. Two of the state’s threatened bird species, Coopers hawk and great egret, both visit the marshes. Other species of interest found here include wood duck, green heron, great blue heron, marsh wren, Virginia rail, common snipe, belted kingfisher, osprey, muskrat, deer, snapping turtle, freshwater mussels, and various dragonflies.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Pratt and Post Coves include pristine freshwater tidal marshes hosting a variety of wildlife.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
In 2001 the Conservancy, the state Department of Environmental Protection, and the town of Deep River officially opened a new state-funded boat launch on Pratt Cove.