Amesbury Town Forest
Nature preserve
86 acres4 mi of trail
Power LinesLycopodiumGreat Swamp TrailScampering Squirrel (Green Loop)+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Town Forest Entrance
Photo: Fletcher6 · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Amesbury
Amesbury has 34 miles of mapped trails, 2.7 for every square mile of land
96% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 888 acres are parks and preserves, 51 per 1,000 residents. 12% of Amesbury’s land is conserved, about 924 acres.
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns · #136 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
12%
924 acres · of 12.3 sq mi of land
Trails
34 mi
2.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
888 ac
51 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
96%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
2.7 mi
2.7 mi paths
Highest peak
325 ft
Powow Hill
Lakes & rivers
10
2 beaches · 4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Amesbury?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
A trail town2.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 96% of U.S. towns.Parks close to home96% of residents live within a half mile of a park.Land that stays wild12% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.History along the way9 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Amesbury have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Amesbury is ahead of 96% of U.S. towns, #136 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, conserved land lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Amesbury’s overall grade.
Conserved land12% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A−Trails2.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (34 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land51 acres of park per 1,000 residents (888 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home96% of residents within a half mile of a park · MA 93% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 96%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 52%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Amesbury’s 12% is ahead of 13% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 71% of them.
Water is 10% of Amesbury’s area (1 of 14 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 11%.
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 Amesbury Town Forest, with 4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Woodsom Farm South
Nature preserve
138 acres2.7 mi of trail
Root Canal
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Woodsom Parking
Powow River Conservation Area
Nature preserve
75 acres2.1 mi of trail
The New TrailStagecoach TrailBatchelder Park TrailPowow Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Merrimack Landing Conservation Area
Nature preserve
107 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Battis Farm
Nature preserve
58 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Open Space
Nature preserve
38 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Whittier Hill Reservation
Nature preserve
21 acres0.6 mi of trail
Eagle Scout Loop
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 34 parks & preserves
Amesbury Town Forest86 acres · 4 mi of trail
DirectionsWoodsom Farm North201 acres · 3 mi of trail
DirectionsWoodsom Farm South138 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
DirectionsPowow River Conservation Area75 acres · 2.1 mi of trail
Merrimack Landing Conservation Area107 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
Battis Farm58 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsOpen Space38 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Whittier Hill Reservation21 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsCamp Kent Environmental Center17 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Margaret Rice Conservation Area15 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsBartlett (Greenbelt)32 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Amesbury Town Park24 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsPowder House Conservation Area8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Great Swamp East (Greenbelt)34 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Essex County Greenbelt
Deer Island5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLake Gardner Beach Area5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsChristopher Way Open Space4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
AES Open Space17 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsQuinn Farm Conservation Area9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Well Heads Water Protection Area52 acres
Meadowbrook Land47 acres
DirectionsWater Protection Area21 acres
Van Bokkelen Conservation Restriction (Greenbelt)17 acres
Water Department Pumping Station9 acres
Training Field Park2 acres
Collins Avenue Park2 acres
Pattens Pond Area2 acres
Golgotha Boulder Site2 acres
DirectionsMillyard Park2 acres
DirectionsBatchelder Park1 acres
Tuxbury Pond Park1 acres
DirectionsHuntington Memorial Park1 acres
DirectionsAlliance Park1 acres
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
924 conserved acres
12% of Amesbury’s land. Water is left out: Amesbury has 12.3 square miles of land and 1.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Amesbury’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land297 ac
Town or city132 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits83 ac
Not recorded589 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 442 acAgricultural Easement · 297 acLocal Conservation Area · 85 acConservation Easement · 83 acResearch or Educational Area · 58 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 201 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 47 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodsom Farm Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 333 | Open |
| Battis Farm Conservation Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 85 | Restricted |
| Mount Prospect Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 44 | Open |
| Charles C Cashman Elementary School Playground Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 30 | Open |
| Amesbury High School Athletic Fields Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 28 | Restricted |
| City of Amesbury Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 28 | Open |
| Town Forest Local Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 27 | Open |
| Amesbury Town Park Local Park | Town or city | 23 | Open |
| Whittier Hill Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 21 | Open |
| Bartlett Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 19 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
26 places to go in Amesbury
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Amesbury
2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Amesbury
5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Amesbury
Amesbury Public Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Amesbury
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Amesbury
Powow Hill325 ft elevation · In Batchelder Park
DirectionsRing Hill265 ft elevation
DirectionsWhittier Hill249 ft elevation · In Whittier Hill Reservation
DirectionsPond Hill243 ft elevation
DirectionsLone Tree Hill223 ft elevation
DirectionsMundy Hill197 ft elevation
DirectionsBeech Hill190 ft elevation
DirectionsPine Hill190 ft elevation
Directions4 more peaks
Brown's HillIn Powder House Conservation Area
DirectionsMoulton Hill
DirectionsPowder House Hill
DirectionsWalnut Hill
DirectionsPicnic areas in Amesbury
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 10 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 1.2 mi
The New Trail0.5 mi
Stagecoach Trail0.5 mi
FOGBANK0.4 mi
Root Canal0.4 mi
AES Nature Trail0.4 mi
Great Swamp Trail0.3 mi
Batchelder Park Trail0.3 mi
Pinebrook (Green Loop)0.3 mi
Power Lines0.3 mi
Lycopodium0.3 mi
15 more trails
Powow Trail
0.3 miEagle Scout Loop
0.2 miSteep Trail
0.2 miMain Trail
0.2 miScampering Squirrel (Green Loop)
0.2 miRed Loop
0.2 miSkunk Cabbage
0.1 miVernal Pool Glade Trail
0.1 miSalamander
0.1 miLion's Spring (Green Loop)
0.1 miLion's Swamp
0.1 miLittle Ridge (Green Loop)
0.1 miMilk Snake
0.1 miInner Loop (Red Loop) (Green Loop)
0.1 miShriek
0.1 miBiking & sports
2.7 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.7 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
14Tennis
8Baseball
6Soccer
3Basketball
2Volleyball
1Beach volleyball
1Football
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →9 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 4 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Rocky Hill Meetinghouse and ParsonageBuilding · listed 1972
About itAmesbury and Salisbury Mills Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1985
About itAmesbury Friends Meeting HouseBuilding · listed 2002
About itWalker Body Company FactoryBuilding · listed 2007
About itMacy-Colby HouseBuilding · listed 2008
About itBriggs Carriage CompanyBuilding · listed 2017
About itAmesbury Public LibraryBuilding · listed 2025
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Amesbury: 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 37 | 45 | 57 | 67 | 76 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 61 | 50 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.9 | 3.9 | 4.6 |
February is the driest month (3.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.9 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Amesbury →
Next door
Amesbury and its neighbors
Amesbury has the second most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amesbury | 12% | 2.7 | 51 | 96% | A+ |
| Newburyport | 21% | 4.7 | 51 | 98% | A+ |
| West Newbury | 28% | 1.9 | 329 | 93% | A+ |
| Merrimac | 14% | 1.7 | 20 | 77% | A |
| Salisbury | 19% | 1.0 | 171 | 93% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Amesbury
Where can I hike in Amesbury?
The longest trail networks: Amesbury Town Forest, 4 miles; Woodsom Farm North, 3 miles; Woodsom Farm South, 2.7 miles; Powow River Conservation Area, 2.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Amesbury is conserved land?
12% 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 Amesbury’s trails?
Amesbury Town Forest and Woodsom Farm North don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Amesbury?
2.7 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.7 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Amesbury?
25,917 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Amesbury or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 888 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Amesbury have?
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #136 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 Amesbury 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 →