Photo: Pi.1415926535 · CC BY-SA 4.037% of Murray’s land is conserved: 2,732 acres
59% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 207 acres are parks and preserves, 11 per 1,000 residents. 3.4 miles of mapped trail cross Murray, 0.3 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 67% of U.S. towns · #25 of 142 in Kentucky. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Murray?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Murray have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Murray is ahead of 67% of U.S. towns, #25 of 142 in Kentucky. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
Few Kentucky towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so Murray’s 37% is ahead of 100% of Kentucky towns, while its trails per square mile lead 51% of them.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
All 6 parks & preserves
2,732 conserved acres
37% of Murray’s land. Who manages Murray’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 6 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murray State University Campus State Other or Unknown | Other state land | 2,649 | Unknown |
| Central Park Local Park | Town or city | 77 | Open |
| Belmont Circle/Southwest Park Local Park | Town or city | 36 | Open |
| Pullen Farm Local Other or Unknown | Other state land | 25 | Open |
| Chestnut Park Local Park | Town or city | 18 | Open |
| Bee Creek Soccer Complex Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 13 | Open |
7 places to go in Murray
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
3 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
15 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
3 more on the History page.
June is the best month for walking in Murray
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) | 9.9 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 14.1 | 14.6 | 14.4 | 13.5 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 10.2 | 9.7 |
| High (°F) | 45 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 78 | 85 | 89 | 88 | 82 | 71 | 58 | 48 |
| Rain (in) | 4.0 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 5.2 |
August is the driest month (3.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 89 °F). 5.3 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 89 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Murray →
Questions about parks and trails in Murray
Where can I hike in Murray?
The longest trail networks: Chestnut Park, 0.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Murray is conserved land?
37% of its land, against a typical 2% for a Kentucky town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Murray’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Doran Arboretrum (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Murray?
2,811 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Murray or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 207 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Murray have?
Ahead of 67% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #25 of 142 in Kentucky. 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 Murray neighbors.
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 →