Great Hill Conservation Land
Nature preserve
195 acres4.3 mi of trail
YellowBlueRed
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Jonathan and Simon Hosmer House · Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Acton
Acton has 61 miles of mapped trails, 3.1 for every square mile of land
23% of Acton’s land is conserved, about 2,935 acres. 99% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 2,069 acres are parks and preserves, 86 per 1,000 residents.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #53 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
23%
2,935 acres · of 19.9 sq mi of land
Trails
61 mi
3.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,069 ac
86 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
15 mi
3.4 mi lanes · 11 mi paths
Highest peak
364 ft
Nagog Hill
Lakes & rivers
14
1 beach · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Acton?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Acton have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Acton is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #53 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs put Acton near the top nationally; trail miles rank highest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Acton’s overall grade.
Conserved land23% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%ATrails3.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (61 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land86 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,069 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13AParks close to home99% of residents within a half mile of a park · MA 93% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Among the top 1%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 82%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Acton’s 23% is ahead of 56% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 76% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be 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 Great Hill Conservation Land, with 4.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Spring Hill Conservation Land
Nature preserve
213 acres3.9 mi of trail
YellowRedBlueGreen
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Nashoba Brook Conservation Land
Nature preserve
122 acres2.9 mi of trail
YellowRedGreenBlue
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Acton Arboretum
Park
64 acres2.6 mi of trail
YellowBlueRed Billings TrailYellow Wildflower Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Wills Hole Conservation Land - Town Forest
Nature preserve
109 acres2.5 mi of trail
YellowRedBlue
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Nagog Hill Conservation Land
Nature preserve
166 acres2.3 mi of trail
YellowBlueRed
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Morrison Farm
Nature preserve
35 acres2.1 mi of trail
YellowBlue
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Grassy Pond Conservation Land
Nature preserve
106 acres2 mi of trail
YellowRedBlue
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 41 parks & preserves
Great Hill Conservation Land195 acres · 4.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSpring Hill Conservation Land213 acres · 3.9 mi of trail
DirectionsNashoba Brook Conservation Land122 acres · 2.9 mi of trail
DirectionsActon Arboretum64 acres · 2.6 mi of trail
DirectionsWills Hole Conservation Land - Town Forest109 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
DirectionsNagog Hill Conservation Land166 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMorrison Farm35 acres · 2.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGrassy Pond Conservation Land106 acres · 2 mi of trail
DirectionsRobbins Mill Conservation Land114 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsGuggins Brook Conservation Land56 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsPratts Brook Conservation Land64 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsCamp Acton Conservation Land59 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsHeath Hen Meadow Conservation Land121 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsWetherbee Conservation Land71 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Town of Acton
DirectionsBulette/Town Forest Conservation Land47 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMoritz Forest Conservation Land34 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Town of Acton
DirectionsAnderson Conservation Land32 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsJenks Conservation Land30 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsWright Hill Conservation Land15 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsNortheast Correctional Center Land34 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsWhittier Wildlife Management Area39 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Pacy Conservation Land33 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsStoneymeade Conservation Land45 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsNARA Park41 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsElm Street Fields10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsActon Canoe Launch4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsIce House Pond Area9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDunn Land7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Robbins Mill Recreation Area3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFlagg Hill1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Steinman Conservation Land24 acres
Putnam Conservation Land16 acres
McGloin Conservation Land15 acres
DirectionsMonsen Conservation Land9 acres
Arborwood Conservation Land8 acres
DirectionsNorth Acton Community Gardens6 acres
DirectionsPatriots Hill Conservation Land6 acres
Jones Field3 acres
DirectionsMeeting House Hill1 acres
Goward Playground1 acres
DirectionsActon Common1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
2,935 conserved acres
23% of Acton’s land. Who manages Acton’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city928 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits145 ac
Other state land134 ac
Joint10 ac
State fish & wildlife1 ac
Not recorded1,903 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 1,061 acConservation Easement · 441 acWatershed Protection Area · 434 acLocal Conservation Area · 318 acLocal Historic or Cultural Area · 174 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 303 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 140 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Hill Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 183 | Closed |
| Spring Hill Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 181 | Open |
| Nagog Hill Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 156 | Open |
| Nashoba Brook Conservation Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 122 | Restricted |
| Nagog Pond State Resource Management Area | Other state land | 118 | Open |
| Acton-Boxborough Regional Junior And High School Recreational Fields Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 111 | Open |
| Northeast Correctional Center Land State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 109 | Unknown |
| Grassy Pond Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 96 | Open |
| Mount Hope Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 91 | Open |
| Woodlawn Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 82 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
45 places to go in Acton
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Acton
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Acton
Gardner Field
DirectionsRobbins Mill Community PlaygroundIn Robbins Mill Recreation Area
DirectionsPlus 18 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Acton
Canoe & Kayak launch
DirectionsScenic views in Acton
Wheeler Farm foundationIn Nashoba Brook Conservation Land
Directionspond viewIn Robbins Mill Conservation Land
DirectionsPlus 1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Peaks in Acton
Nagog Hill364 ft elevation
DirectionsGreat Hill358 ft elevation
DirectionsStrawberry Hill325 ft elevation · In Spring Hill Conservation Land
DirectionsMyers Hill308 ft elevation
DirectionsWright Hill279 ft elevation
DirectionsFaulkner Hill266 ft elevation
DirectionsConant Hill246 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Acton
2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Acton
0In Camp Acton Conservation Land
Directions1In Camp Acton Conservation Land
Directions2In Camp Acton Conservation Land
Directions3In Camp Acton Conservation Land
Directions4In Camp Acton Conservation Land
Directions5In Camp Acton Conservation Land
Directions6In Camp Acton Conservation Land
Directions7In Camp Acton Conservation Land
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Acton
ABRHS Community Garden
DirectionsTrails & water
16 named trails and 14 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 3.6 miHorses · 1.8 miUnpaved · 52.6 mi
Yellow21.4 mi
Red9.0 mi
Blue7.6 mi
Nashua Acton & Boston Railroad Trail0.8 mi
Blue and Green Trail0.7 mi
Green0.5 mi
Acton Minutemen Line of March, April 19 17750.5 mi
Jack & Betty Valentine Trail0.3 mi
Red Billings Trail0.3 mi
Yellow Wildflower Trail0.2 mi
6 more trails
Bay Circuit Trail (main-yellow)
0.2 miYellow Orchard Trail
0.1 miWhite
0.1 miIsaac Davis trail
0.1 miblue
0.1 miFlood Prone
0.1 miBiking & sports
15 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
3.4 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
11 mi
off-road bike paths
0.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
25Tennis
16Pickleball
9Baseball
7Basketball
7Soccer
2Football
2Skate park
1Multi-sport
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →8 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 9 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Faulkner HomesteadBuilding · listed 1971
About itActon Centre Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1983
About itExchange HallBuilding · listed 1986
About itJones TavernBuilding · listed 1986
About itJonathan and Simon Hosmer HouseBuilding · listed 2002
About itJohn Robbins HouseBuilding · listed 2003
About itActon High SchoolBuilding · listed 2011
About itNorth Acton CemeterySite · listed 2019
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Acton: April 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 36 | 39 | 46 | 59 | 70 | 79 | 84 | 83 | 75 | 63 | 51 | 41 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 4.4 |
February is the driest month (3.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Acton →
Next door
Acton and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acton | 23% | 3.1 | 86 | 99% | A+ |
| Littleton | 17% | 2.8 | 155 | 96% | A+ |
| Carlisle | 21% | 4.4 | 434 | 96% | A+ |
| Boxborough | 18% | 3.3 | 275 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Concord | 37% | 5.1 | 198 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Stow | 32% | 4.2 | 241 | 85% | A+ |
| Westford | 24% | 4.6 | 104 | 97% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Acton
Where can I hike in Acton?
The longest trail networks: Great Hill Conservation Land, 4.3 miles; Spring Hill Conservation Land, 3.9 miles; Nashoba Brook Conservation Land, 2.9 miles; Acton Arboretum, 2.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Acton is conserved land?
23% of its land, against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Acton’s trails?
Great Hill Conservation Land and Spring Hill Conservation Land don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Acton?
15 miles of bike routes are on the map: 3.4 of painted or protected lanes, 11 of off-road paths and 0.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Acton?
52,745 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Acton or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,215 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Acton have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #53 of 283 in Massachusetts. 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 Acton 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 →