Nehantic State Forest
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
2,138 acres26.7 mi of trail
Balanced Rock Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Lyme
More than half of Lyme’s land is conserved: 51%
51% of Lyme’s land is conserved, about 10,450 acres. 90 miles of mapped trail cross Lyme, 2.8 per square mile of land. 942 acres are parks and preserves, 409 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 92% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Conserved land
51%
10,450 acres · of 31.8 sq mi of land
Trails
90 mi
2.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
942 ac
409 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
23%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
446 ft
Mount Archer
Lakes & rivers
18
2 beaches · 7 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Lyme?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Lyme have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Lyme is ahead of 92% of U.S. towns. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Lyme’s overall grade.
Conserved land51% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%A+Trails2.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (90 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land409 acres of park per 1,000 residents (942 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13AParks close to home23% of residents within a half mile of a park · CT 57% · U.S. 72%C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 92%
LessMore
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Lyme’s 51% is ahead of 99% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 91% of them.
Water is 8% of Lyme’s area (3 of 34 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 48%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Nehantic State Forest, with 26.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Hartman Park
Managed by Lyme Land Conservation Trust
316 acres9.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Johnston Preserve
Managed by Lyme Land Conservation Trust
249 acres3.7 mi of trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
Pleasant Valley Preserve
Managed by Lyme Land Conservation Trust
234 acres3.3 mi of trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
Selden Neck State Park
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
565 acres3.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Ravine Trail Preserve
Managed by Lyme Land Conservation Trust;The Nature Conservancy
133 acres2.1 mi of trail
Dogs usually not allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
All 47 parks & preserves
Nehantic State Forest2,138 acres · 26.7 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsHartman Park316 acres · 9.4 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsJewett Preserve427 acres · 5.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJohnston Preserve249 acres · 3.7 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsPleasant Valley Preserve234 acres · 3.3 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsSelden Neck State Park565 acres · 3.2 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Mount Archer Woods264 acres · 3 mi of trail
DirectionsRavine Trail Preserve133 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust;The Nature Conservancy
DirectionsSelden Creek Preserve163 acres · 2 mi of trail
DirectionsBrockway-Hawthorne Preserve81 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsYoung Preserve83 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsBecket Hill State Park Reserve233 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
Banningwood Preserve100 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsGillette Castle State Park24 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsBeebe Preserve81 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsEno Preserve100 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsWalbridge Woodland46 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsSlawson Preserve55 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Chestnut Hill Preserve43 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsCzikowsky Hill94 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Fehrer Preserve46 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Thach Preserve11 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Pickwick’s Preserve18 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsChapal Farm Preserve7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsSelden Landing3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Eightmile River Wildlife Management Area54 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsHand Smith Preserve23 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Roaring Brook Preserve7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsGrassy Hill Preserve4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Lord Cove Natural Area Preserve246 acres · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Lord Cove Preserve234 acres · The Nature Conservancy
Nott Island Wildlife Management Area85 acres · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Plimpton Preserve81 acres · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Hilles Preserve69 acres · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsSilvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge45 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Selden Creek Unit45 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Idlewild Preserve43 acres · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Honey Hill Preserve37 acres · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsAugur Preserve29 acres · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Clucas Preserve24 acres · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
McIntosh Pond20 acres · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Ram’s Horn Creek Preserve13 acres · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
Bloom Preserve10 acres · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsBob & Esther Heller Preserve5 acres · Old Lyme Land Trust
DirectionsRiverside Preserve5 acres · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsHamburg Fair4 acres
Darling Road Preserve1 acres · Salem Land Trust
Who protects it
10,450 conserved acres
51% of Lyme’s land. Water is left out: Lyme has 31.8 square miles of land and 2.7 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Lyme’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits3,969 ac
Other state land1,646 ac
State conservation782 ac
Private owners548 ac
Town or city332 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service296 ac
Not recorded5,156 ac
Conservation Easement · 4,727 acState Resource Management Area · 1,944 acPrivate Conservation · 1,828 acUnknown Easement · 938 acState Park · 841 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 3,754 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 271 of 312 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Conservation Easement | Not recorded | 2,380 | Unknown |
| Nehantic State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 1,866 | Unknown |
| Selden Neck Island State Park State Park | Not recorded | 554 | Unknown |
| Hamburg Cove Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 426 | Unknown |
| Hartman Park Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 308 | Unknown |
| Silvio O. Conte National Fish And Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 296 | Restricted |
| Beckett Hill State Park Scenic Reserve State Park | Other state land | 261 | Open |
| Selden Creek Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 246 | Unknown |
| Stone's Ranch State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 204 | Unknown |
| Lord Cove Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 179 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
45 places to go in Lyme
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Lyme
2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Lyme
Plus 4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Peaks in Lyme
Mount Archer446 ft elevation · In Mount Archer Woods
DirectionsNickerson Hill404 ft elevation · In Nehantic State Forest
DirectionsHoney Hill374 ft elevation
DirectionsBrown Hill367 ft elevation · In Nehantic State Forest
DirectionsHoney Hill282 ft elevation
DirectionsMitchell Hill282 ft elevation
DirectionsLord Hill272 ft elevation
DirectionsObservatory Hill266 ft elevation · In Selden Creek Preserve
Directions9 more peaks
Bills Hill256 ft elevation
DirectionsShippy Hill246 ft elevation
DirectionsCedar Hill223 ft elevation
DirectionsTiffany Hill200 ft elevation
DirectionsBecket Hill190 ft elevation
DirectionsEly Hill105 ft elevation
DirectionsHart Hill92 ft elevation · In Nehantic State Forest
DirectionsBeech HillIn Hartman Park
DirectionsLyme Highest PointIn Johnston Preserve
DirectionsCampgrounds in Lyme
Camp Claire
DirectionsCedars Camp AreaIn Selden Neck State Park
DirectionsHogback Camp AreaIn Selden Neck State Park
DirectionsQuarry Knob Camp AreaIn Selden Neck State Park
DirectionsSpringledge Camp AreaIn Selden Neck State Park
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail and 18 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Horses · 0.6 miUnpaved · 35.1 mi
Balanced Rock Trail1.2 mi
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
3Tennis
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 6 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Lyme: May to September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.5 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 38 | 41 | 48 | 59 | 69 | 78 | 83 | 82 | 75 | 64 | 53 | 43 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 4.4 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Lyme →
Next door
Lyme and its neighbors
Lyme has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Lyme90 miEast Lyme58 miOld Lyme51 miChester48 miDeep River35 miEssex34 miEssex Village11 miDeep River Center2.8 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyme | 51% | 2.8 | 409 | 23% | A |
| Old Lyme | 22% | 2.2 | 84 | 55% | A |
| Deep River | 23% | 2.6 | 8 | 43% | B+ |
| Essex Village | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Essex | 13% | 3.2 | 37 | 67% | A |
| East Lyme | 25% | 1.7 | 41 | 70% | A |
| Chester | 37% | 3.0 | 4 | 34% | B+ |
| Deep River Center | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Lyme
Where can I hike in Lyme?
The longest trail networks: Nehantic State Forest, 26.7 miles; Hartman Park, 9.4 miles; Jewett Preserve, 5.1 miles; Johnston Preserve, 3.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Lyme is conserved land?
51% of its land, against a typical 15% for a Connecticut town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Lyme’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Jewett Preserve, Johnston Preserve, Pleasant Valley Preserve and Mount Archer Woods. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Lyme?
9,087 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lyme or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 942 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Lyme have?
Ahead of 92% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Lyme neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →