Lotus Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is the only national park for cultivating aquatic plants. Its fourteen acres are adjacent to the 77-acre Kenilworth Marsh, a tidal wetland that provides important habitat for many species of migratory and resident birds. The aquatic gardens consist of a network of artificial ponds used for growing waterlilies and lotuses. (At their peak in early to mid-summer, the aquatic flowers are a beautiful sight.) Beyond the ponds is a short boardwalk that goes out into the marsh. From its two observation platforms one can get excellent views of the mud flats when the tide is low. There is also a river trail that begins near the visitor center and wraps around the north and west sides of the marsh. This trail borders a wooded swamp on one side and the tidal marsh on the other, so that one can see a diverse array of species in a 1.5 mile round trip. The end of the river trail provides a view of the mud flats from the other side of the marsh. While on the river trail, be sure to watch the river as well as the marsh.
