West Barnstable Conservation Area
Nature preserve
1,097 acres33.6 mi of trail
ToT SouthPower LineToT NorthCrooked Cartway+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Barnstable Town
Barnstable Town has 202 miles of mapped trails, 3.4 for every square mile of land
34% of Barnstable Town’s land is conserved, about 13,011 acres. 5,742 acres are parks and preserves, 116 per 1,000 residents. 96% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #51 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
34%
13,011 acres · of 59.9 sq mi of land
Trails
202 mi
3.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
5,742 ac
116 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
96%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
13 mi
1.4 mi lanes · 11 mi paths
Highest peak
190 ft
Clay Hill
Lakes & rivers
64
119 beaches · 10 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Barnstable Town?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
A trail town3.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 98% of U.S. towns.Land that stays wild34% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.Room to roam116 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.History along the way82 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Barnstable Town have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Barnstable Town is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #51 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Barnstable Town’s overall grade.
Conserved land34% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails3.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (202 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land116 acres of park per 1,000 residents (5,742 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13AParks 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)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 Barnstable Town’s 34% is ahead of 80% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 80% of them.
Water is 22% of Barnstable Town’s area (17 of 76 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 27%.
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 West Barnstable Conservation Area, with 33.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Hyannis Ponds Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
362 acres14 mi of trail
BushwoodThe Back NineAutomileArt's Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Sandy Neck
Managed by Town of Barnstable
2,119 acres13.6 mi of trail
ORV Beach TrailMarsh TrailHorse TrailTrail 4+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Old Jail Lane Conservation Area
Nature preserve
271 acres6.5 mi of trail
Central ParkFin's FollyHills and DalesCaptains Logs+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hathaways Pond Conservation Area
Nature preserve
127 acres4 mi of trail
Little HathawaysPondsidePintsideThe Upside+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Town of Barnstable Land Bank Property
Nature preserve
245 acres3.4 mi of trail
Danforth TrailsAirport Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary
Nature preserve
114 acres2.8 mi of trail
Beck Family TrailBone Hill TrailWoodcock TrailLong Meadow Pasture Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Long Pond Conservation Area
Managed by Town of Barnstable
46 acres2.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 71 parks & preserves
West Barnstable Conservation Area1,097 acres · 33.6 mi of trail
DirectionsHyannis Ponds Wildlife Management Area362 acres · 14 mi of trail
DirectionsSandy Neck2,119 acres · 13.6 mi of trail · Town of Barnstable
DirectionsOld Jail Lane Conservation Area271 acres · 6.5 mi of trail
DirectionsHathaways Pond Conservation Area127 acres · 4 mi of trail
Town of Barnstable Land Bank Property245 acres · 3.4 mi of trail
DirectionsLong Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary114 acres · 2.8 mi of trail
DirectionsLong Pond Conservation Area46 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · Town of Barnstable
DirectionsOtis Atwood Conservation Area73 acres · 2.4 mi of trail
DirectionsEagle Pond Sanctuary118 acres · 2.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBridge Creek Conservation Area221 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Town of Barnstable
Skunknett River Wildlife Sanctuary138 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsCrocker Neck Conservation Area101 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsSantuit Pond Wildlife Conservation Easement78 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWater Department Land114 acres · 1 mi of trail · Town of Barnstable Water Department
DirectionsLumbert Pond Conservation Area35 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsDanforth Recreation Area26 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsBarnstable County Farm41 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsSantuit River Conservation Area18 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsWhelan Conservation Area13 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsGreat Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary73 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Old Neck Lane26 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Hyannis Village Green5 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsJohn Jenkins Forestry And Wild Life Reservation7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Cordwood25 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Kalmus Park Beach50 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsProperty 04237 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Barnstable Land Trust
Hamblin Pond Beach7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBarnstable Forest6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Armstrong-Kelley Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMichael K. Aselton Memorial Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBismore Memorial Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGreen Hill Cr1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Kelly Austin Cr1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Cotuit Memorial Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGreat Marsh978 acres
Salt Meadow63 acres · Barnstable Land Trust
Jules Island53 acres
Cr #3242 acres
Sampsons Island37 acres
Burgess Park31 acres
DirectionsShubael Pond Conservation Restriction29 acres
Sand Island28 acres
Meadow Point Conservation Area28 acres · Barnstable Land Trust
Huckins Island25 acres
Duck Island19 acres
Property 05217 acres · Barnstable Land Trust
Little Thatch Island16 acres
John F. Kennedy Memorial Park14 acres
DirectionsMill Pond11 acres
Bayview II CR10 acres
Indian Trail10 acres
Brick Factory Sanctuary10 acres · Barnstable Land Trust
DirectionsDiscover Flying RC- Cape Cod Airfield8 acres
DirectionsBayview I CR8 acres · Barnstable Land Trust
Servis Family Conservation Area6 acres
DirectionsBarnstable Land Trust CR6 acres · Barnstable Land Trus
Mollys Island6 acres
Tupper Island5 acres
Peppercorn Lane Conservation Area5 acres · Barnstable Land Trust
Ellen A. McBarron Field4 acres
Bay View Farm3 acres
Weeks Island2 acres
Isham Marsh2 acres
Clear Lake Bog2 acres
High Island2 acres
Sandy Neck Sandwich1 acres
Mothers Park1 acres
Marstons Mills Cr1 acres
DirectionsHistorical Society of Santuit and Cotuit1 acres
Barnstable Land Trust1 acres
Who protects it
13,011 conserved acres
34% of Barnstable Town’s land. Water is left out: Barnstable Town has 59.9 square miles of land and 16.5 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Barnstable Town’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city3,409 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,091 ac
Other state land869 ac
State fish & wildlife438 ac
State conservation318 ac
State parks309 ac
Private owners138 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 5,916 acState Conservation Area · 4,852 acConservation Easement · 2,169 acWatershed Protection Area · 1,215 acState Resource Management Area · 919 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,268 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 110 of 796 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Marshes Conservation Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 2,610 | Open |
| Great Marshes Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 2,152 | Open |
| Sandy Neck Beach Conservation Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 1,370 | Open |
| West Barnstable Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 1,108 | Open |
| Wequaquet Lake State Resource Management Area | Other state land | 588 | Open |
| Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 583 | Open |
| Barnstable Water Supply Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 580 | Unknown |
| Water Department Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 528 | Unknown |
| Hyannis Ponds Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 359 | Open |
| Cape Cod Land Bank Acquisition Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 325 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
174 places to go in Barnstable Town
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Barnstable Town
Christian Camp Meeting Beach
DirectionsCraigville Beach
DirectionsDowses Beach
DirectionsHamblini Pond Beach
DirectionsHyannis Port Beach
DirectionsKeyes Beach
DirectionsKeyes Memorial Beach
DirectionsLong Beach
Directions10 more beaches
Long Beach
DirectionsLoop Beach
DirectionsMillway Beach
DirectionsOpeechee Heights Beach
DirectionsOregon Beach
DirectionsPublic Beach
DirectionsSandy Neck Beach
DirectionsWequaquet Estates Beach
DirectionsWequaquet Lake Beach
DirectionsWianno Beach
Directions119 beaches are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Public pools in Barnstable Town
Public Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Barnstable Town
Centerville Playground
DirectionsLuke's Love Boundless Playground
DirectionsPlus 14 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Barnstable Town
Barnstable Dog ParkIn Hathaways Pond Conservation Area
DirectionsBoat launches in Barnstable Town
Hoopers Landing
DirectionsLovells Pond Boat Ramp
DirectionsLovells Pond Boat Ramp
DirectionsWequaquet Lake Boat Ramp
DirectionsPlus 6 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Barnstable Town
Walker Point DeckIn West Barnstable Conservation Area
DirectionsPlus 10 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Barnstable Town
Clay Hill190 ft elevation
DirectionsScorton Hill115 ft elevation
DirectionsSunset Hill72 ft elevation
DirectionsCobbs Hill56 ft elevation
DirectionsShootflying Hill52 ft elevation
DirectionsWhite Hill52 ft elevation · In Sandy Neck
DirectionsPicnic areas in Barnstable Town
5 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Barnstable Town
Sandy Neck CampsiteFee · In Sandy Neck · Town of Barnstable
DirectionsSandy Terraces Nudist CampgroundFee · Sandy Terraces Associates
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Barnstable Town
Meetinghouse Farm
DirectionsPlus 2 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 56 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 51.1 miHorses · 2.4 miUnpaved · 82.0 mi
Marsh Trail5.3 mi
ORV Beach Trail4.3 mi
ToT South2.1 mi
The Back Nine2.1 mi
Crooked Cartway1.9 mi
ToT North1.8 mi
Power Line1.8 mi
Horse Trail1.7 mi
Bushwood1.6 mi
Otis Atwood Loop1.6 mi
15 more trails
Broken Arrow
1.3 miBig Ring
1.2 miNorth Ridge
1.0 miDanforth Trails
1.0 miAutomile
1.0 miThe Flats
0.8 miArt's Trail
0.8 miC-O-MM and Get It!
0.8 miDeer Run
0.8 miTractor Tire Trail
0.8 miDube Rock Trail
0.8 miTown Line
0.7 miBurning Man
0.7 miWalker Point Trail
0.7 miTrayser Trail
0.7 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Amelia PondpondAmy PondpondAunt Bettys PondpondBarnstable MarinaBearse PondlakeBog PondpondColeman PondpondCooper PondpondCrocker PondlakeCrystal LakelakeEagle PondpondFawcetts PondpondFlintrock PondpondFresh PondpondGarretts PondpondHamblin PondlakeHathaway Pond NorthpondHathaway Pond SouthpondHinckley PondpondHiramar PondpondIsrael PondpondJoshua PondpondLake ElizabethlakeLamson PondpondLewis PondpondLittle Parkers PondpondLittle PondpondLong PondlakeLovells PondpondLumbert PondpondMall PondpondMary Dunn PondpondMelody PondpondMicah PondpondMiddle PondlakeMill PondpondMystic PondlakeNeck PondpondNight Heron PondpondNo Bottom PondpondNorth PondpondOtter PondpondParker PondpondPattys PondpondPaulo's lakelakePinquickset CovePopolo PondpondRed Lily PondpondRory PondpondRound PondpondBrickyard CreekBridge CreekHerring RiverMarstons Mills RiverSantuit RiverScorton Creek
Biking & sports
13 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.4 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
11 mi
off-road bike paths
0.3 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
133Tennis
23Baseball
15Basketball
12Pickleball
6Soccer
4Softball
3Football
2Tracks
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →82 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 13 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Old JailBuilding · listed 1971
About itU.S. CustomshouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itWianno ClubBuilding · listed 1979
About itBarnstable County CourthouseBuilding · listed 1981
About itOld King's Highway Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1987
About itAdams-Crocker-Fish HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itAncient Burying GroundSite · listed 1987
About itBarzillai Weeks HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itBenomi and Barnabas Crocker HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itBlish-Garret HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itBuilding at 237-239 Main StreetBuilding · listed 1987
About it70 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Barnstable Town: 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 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 39 | 40 | 45 | 54 | 64 | 73 | 80 | 79 | 72 | 62 | 53 | 45 |
| Rain (in) | 3.9 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.8 |
July is the driest month (2.8 in) and the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 4.8 inches fall in March, the wettest month. The climate in Barnstable Town →
Next door
Barnstable Town and its neighbors
Barnstable Town has the most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Barnstable Town202 miSandwich170 miMashpee121 miYarmouth104 miWest Yarmouth27 miYarmouth Port16 miMashpee Neck11 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town | 34% | 3.4 | 116 | 96% | A+ |
| Mashpee | 36% | 5.2 | 287 | 95% | A+ |
| Yarmouth | 33% | 4.3 | 65 | 99%+ | A+ |
| West Yarmouth | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Yarmouth Port | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Mashpee Neck | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Sandwich | 39% | 4.0 | 154 | 88% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Barnstable Town
Where can I hike in Barnstable Town?
The longest trail networks: West Barnstable Conservation Area, 33.6 miles; Hyannis Ponds Wildlife Management Area, 14 miles; Sandy Neck, 13.6 miles; Old Jail Lane Conservation Area, 6.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Barnstable Town is conserved land?
34% 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 Barnstable Town’s trails?
West Barnstable Conservation Area and Hyannis Ponds Wildlife Management Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Barnstable Town?
13 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.4 of painted or protected lanes, 11 of off-road paths and 0.3 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Barnstable Town?
33,384 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Barnstable Town or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 6,842 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Barnstable Town have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #51 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 Barnstable Town 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 →