The transition months of cold to warm in April and May bring excitement to sunnier days ahead in Lowell. As we enter April, there are activities planned to keep you on the move while enjoying the warm weather. From Breezy walks through Lowell’s waterways to daring whitewater rafting on the Concord River, there is something for all outdoor adventure seekers to try.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Parks and Trust.
Lowell Parks and Trust Whitewater Rafting
For daredevils 14 years or older, the Lowell Parks and Trust can take you for quite the whitewater rafting ride on the Concord River. Every weekend starting from April 6th to May 19th, you can splash against the tides at the Concord’s three class III-IV rapids- Twisted Sister, Three Beauties, and The Middlesex Dam. There is also talk of “surfing” involved on the Three Beauties rapid, but that will be left for you to discover. Get a group of friends or family together and make a reservation for 9a.m. to 1p.m. or 12p.m. to 4p.m. to get your heart racing during these next few weekends.
Photo courtesy of National Park Service Lowell.
NPS Waterway Walk
To enjoy the first full week of warmer weather, begin your outdoor adventures with the Redevelopment Rove walk throughout the historical gems of Lowell. Through the Lowell National Park Service, you can take a stroll on this 1 mile walking tour from the Visitor Center all the way to the middle of the Market Mills courtyard. On this trail, you can mix exercise with a historical lesson as you view how mill complexes and the canalside have been met with the charm of modern day Lowell.
Photo courtesy of City Challenge Race Facebook page.
Greater Boston City Challenge Race
To take Lowell to even further extremes, the city will be transformed into an “extreme playground” on May 4th. In the Greater Boston City Challenge Race, you climb over walls and run with cinder blocks, leap through a sea of old tires, and “think outside the mud” with this intense obstacle course. The first race begins at 8:30am, and new races follow every 30 minutes. The more intense obstacles for the city’s “elites” will begin earlier in the day, but completing any of the day’s events is not a task for the faint-hearted.
Photo courtesy of Doors Open Lowell.
Doors Open Lowell
If you need a moment of shelter after completing the above walks and rapid adventures, then the Doors Open Lowell is the event for you. If you have ever wished to see what could be found within a building in Lowell, Doors Open Lowell allows folks to wander the city to enter some of the most historic gems. You can still get your outdoor fix on May 10th and 11th while exploring the architectural wonders from within a building. Doors Open highly encourages you to pair your “good walking shoes” with your camera.
Photo courtesy of the National Park Service Lowell.
NPS Guided Tours
In addition to waterway strolls, the National Park Service also offers guided tours. The Mill & Trolley tour is a free exhibit that takes you through the history of our mill city. On this tour, you are taken back in time to get a view of the Mill Girls and immigration that have shaped Lowell into the city it is today. You can also take a ride on the favored transportation of Lowell’s past on the trolley on any Monday to Friday from May 28th to June 10th.
If you want to float atop Lowell’s waters without hitting the rapids just yet, the NPS will offer a “Working the Water” boat tour on weekends starting on May 25th. On this boat tour, you get a special history lesson (without being in a classroom) to learn about the people and processes involved in created Lowell’s waterpower system.