Arnold Arboretum
Managed by Harvard University
284 acres9.1 mi of trail
Conifer PathWillow PathBlackwell FootpathOak Path+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Ian Howard · CC BY 2.5AOutdoors
Outdoors in Boston
18% of Boston’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 90 miles of mapped trail cross Boston, 1.9 per square mile of land. 18% of Boston’s land is conserved, about 5,641 acres.
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns · #207 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
18%
5,641 acres · of 48.3 sq mi of land
Trails
90 mi
1.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
5,523 ac
8.3 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
240 mi
106 mi lanes · 89 mi paths
Highest peak
308 ft
Bellevue Hill
Lakes & rivers
26
27 beaches · 16 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Boston?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Boston have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Boston is ahead of 91% of U.S. towns, #207 of 283 in Massachusetts. Trail miles hold the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Boston’s overall grade.
Conserved land18% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (90 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land8.3 acres of park per 1,000 residents (5,523 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13C+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · MA 93% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 91%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 27%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Boston ranks #68 on Outdoors.
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Boston’s 18% is ahead of 37% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 46% of them.
Water is 46% of Boston’s area (41 of 90 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 10%.
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 Arnold Arboretum, with 9.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Franklin Park
Park
488 acres8.2 mi of trail
Tropical ForestRobeson Footpath
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Public Employee Car Park
Spectacle Island
Managed by City of Boston
92 acres5.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail sign
Allandale Woods
Managed by City of Boston Conservation Commission
92 acres2.9 mi of trail
West Loop TrailAllandale TrailCarriage PathSpring House Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Stony Brook Reservation
Nature preserve
562 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Boston Nature Center
Managed by Mass Audubon
63 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dogs usually not allowed
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Olmsted Park
Managed by City of Boston and Town of Brookline
50 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 267 parks & preserves
Arnold Arboretum284 acres · 9.1 mi of trail · Harvard University
DirectionsFranklin Park488 acres · 8.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSpectacle Island92 acres · 5.3 mi of trail · City of Boston
DirectionsAllandale Woods92 acres · 2.9 mi of trail · City of Boston Conservation Commission
DirectionsHarambee Park47 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsStony Brook Reservation562 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
DirectionsBoston Nature Center63 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Mass Audubon
DirectionsOlmsted Park50 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · City of Boston and Town of Brookline
DirectionsAlmont Park18 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBrook Farm147 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLovells Island52 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
Belle Isle Marsh Reservation146 acres · 1 mi of trail · DCR
DirectionsCharles River Esplanade72 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsPope John Paul II Park50 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsJoe Moakley Park60 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · City of Boston Parks and Recreation
DirectionsHancock Woods45 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsGeorges Island41 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Medal of Honor Park6 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsDeer Island Park79 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsShipyard Park10 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsJamaica Pond103 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Boston
DirectionsBack Bay Fens71 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Boston Parks Department
DirectionsCharlestown Navy Yard31 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsHerter Park54 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsRyan Playground14 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsPiers Park10 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Massport
DirectionsNoyes Playground7 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsChestnut Hill Reservation112 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsSouthwest Corridor Park45 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsCastle Island27 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsUMass Harborwalk16 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsWashington/Malcolm X Park14 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMattahunt Woods10 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Boston Parks and Recreation
Roslindale Wetlands10 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Boston Conservation Commission
DirectionsFrancis D. Martini Memorial Shell Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsFidelis Way Park4 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsDorchester Park29 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsRoss Playground12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMcLaughlin Playground12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Neponset Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsVictory Road Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWalker Playground6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWilliam H. Garvey Playground6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCeylon Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Thomas Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsDoherty Playground3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Horatio Harris Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMillennium Park91 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGallagher Memorial Park20 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSavin Hill and Malibu Beach14 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsEdmund A. Connell Fields12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSavin Hill Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPaul Revere Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR)
DirectionsRogers Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFallon Field7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHynes Playground6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsChristopher Lee Playground6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHemenway Playground4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWest Link Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Lo Presti Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGeneva Cliffs3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsEastport Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCharles River Reservation233 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsLong Island231 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNeponset River Estuary160 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNeponset River Reservation59 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Division of State Parks and Recreation
DirectionsMother Brook Reservation33 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Constitution Beach25 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEast Boston Memorial Park22 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMarine Park20 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBremen Street Park14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRose Kennedy Greenway14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRonan Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLederman Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · DCR - Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
DirectionsClifford Playground8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCarter Playground7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWeider Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Draper Playground6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDoherty-Gibson Playground5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRamsay Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsChristopher Columbus Waterfront Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Friends of Christopher Columbus Park
DirectionsBarry Playground4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPeters Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Friends of Peters Park
DirectionsScience Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Museum of Science
Jefferson Playground3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJohnson Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Blackstone Square2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDr. Loesch Family Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Roxbury Heritage State Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFranklin Square1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRev. William F. Toohig Playground1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Winthrop Square1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCopley Square1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJeep Jones Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Neptune Road Airport Edge Buffer1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEdwards Playground1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Schraffts Centre Harborwalk1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMother’s Rest Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFan Pier Harborwalk1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Mayor Thomas M. Menino Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHooker Street Playground1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSouth Boston Maritime Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJohn Harvard Mall1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Dennis Street Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Albert "Junior" Lombardi Memorial Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJustice Edward O. Gourdin Veterans Memorial Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEast First Street Dog Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPenniman Road Play Area1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsChildrens Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Boston Common50 acres
DirectionsBoston National Historical Park45 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsGallops Island25 acres
Riverway23 acres · City of Boston Parks Department;Town of Brookline Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsBoston Public Garden23 acres · City of Boston Parks & Recreation Department
DirectionsRainsford Island18 acres
Leatherbee Woods17 acres · Trustees of Reservations
Havey Beach16 acres
DirectionsSmith Playground15 acres · City of Boston
DirectionsDorchester Shores Reservation14 acres
Commonwealth Ave Mall14 acres · City of Boston
DirectionsBillings Field11 acres
DirectionsCharles River Wildlife Management Area10 acres
DirectionsSenator Joseph Finnegan Park (Neponset River Reservation)10 acres
DirectionsCassidy Playground10 acres
DirectionsHealy Playground9 acres
DirectionsReservation Road Park8 acres
Old Harbor Park8 acres
DirectionsMonterey Hilltop Urban Wild8 acres
Neponset Valley Parkway7 acres
Moynihan Recreation Area6 acres
DirectionsKevin W. Fitzgerald Park6 acres
DirectionsMonument Square6 acres
DirectionsLangone Park6 acres · City of Boston
DirectionsMary Ellen Welch Greenway6 acres · City of Boston
DirectionsMcKinney Playground5 acres
DirectionsMcMorrow Playground5 acres
DirectionsUnderground at Ink Block5 acres
DirectionsPine Tree Preserve5 acres · Boston College
DirectionsRichard McKinnon State Park4 acres
DirectionsPortsmouth Street Playground4 acres
McConnell Park4 acres
DirectionsBack Of The Hill Urban Wild4 acres
DirectionsKennedy Library Harborwalk4 acres
DirectionsPagel Playground4 acres
DirectionsHighland Park3 acres
DirectionsAmerican Legion Playground3 acres
DirectionsBoston Scores Field at Salesian Heights3 acres
DirectionsThomas J. Butler Memorial Park3 acres
DirectionsCamp Meigs Playground3 acres
Lower Mills VFW Memorial Post Playground3 acres
DirectionsEvans Way Park3 acres
Mission Hill Playground3 acres
DirectionsGalvin Memorial Park3 acres
DirectionsParkman Playground3 acres
DirectionsCharlesgate Park2 acres · Search Results Web results Charlesgate Alliance
Orchard Park2 acres
DirectionsNashua Street Park2 acres
DirectionsCrawford St Playground2 acres
DirectionsJoseph Porzio Memorial Park2 acres
DirectionsRena Park2 acres
DirectionsNorman B. Leventhal Park2 acres
DirectionsTitus Sparrow Park2 acres
DirectionsRaymond V. Mellone Park2 acres
DirectionsCity Square Park2 acres
Praught Field2 acres
Athletes Park2 acres
Cutler Park1 acres · Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
Rolling Bridge Park1 acres · City of Boston
DirectionsHowes Playground1 acres
Fan Pier Park1 acres
Parker Hilltop1 acres
Southwest Service Area Airport Edge Buffer1 acres
DirectionsHardiman Playground1 acres
Channel Center Park1 acres
DirectionsAlbert Bertulli Park1 acres · City of Boston
DirectionsAllen Park1 acres
North Bank Bridge Park1 acres · Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR)
DirectionsWilliam F. Flaherty Park1 acres
DirectionsWoodhaven Urban Wild1 acres
DirectionsByrne Playground1 acres
DirectionsSprague Pond Park1 acres · Boston Parks & Recreation
Al Festa Field1 acres
DirectionsDell Ave Rock1 acres
Edward Everett Park1 acres
Buena Vista Urban Wild1 acres
DirectionsMary Soo Hoo Park1 acres
DirectionsForsythe Park1 acres
DirectionsMcGann Playground1 acres
Fernald Terrace Rock1 acres
King School Park1 acres
Elliot Norton Park1 acres · Friends of Elliot Norton Park
DirectionsMarina Park1 acres
DirectionsBrucewood St Park1 acres
DirectionsFlaherty Park1 acres
DirectionsThetford Street Playground1 acres
Everett Street Playground1 acres
DirectionsRipley Playground1 acres
Krentzman Quadrangle1 acres
DirectionsRockies Urban Wilds1 acres · City of Boston
DirectionsMozart Street Playground1 acres
Brophy Park1 acres
DirectionsRita Hester Green1 acres
Thea and James M. Stoneman Centennial Park1 acres
DirectionsAshburton Park1 acres
DirectionsHobart St Play Area1 acres
Paul Revere Mall1 acres
DirectionsRabbi Joseph Shalom Shubow Park1 acres
DirectionsIrving W. Adams Park1 acres
DirectionsMission Main Park1 acres
Fourth Street Park1 acres
DirectionsSmith Family Waterfront1 acres · Boston Children’s Museum
DirectionsO'Day Playground1 acres
Downer Avenue Playground1 acres
The Green1 acres
DirectionsHead Island1 acres
Adams-King Playground1 acres · City of Boston
DirectionsSeaport Common1 acres
DirectionsWellesley Park1 acres
Cedar Square1 acres
DirectionsSymphony Community Park1 acres
DirectionsClaymont Terrace1 acres
Boston African American National Historic Site1 acres · National Park Service
Copp's Hill Terrace1 acres
DirectionsRyan Play Area1 acres
The Grove1 acres
DirectionsHarbour Plaza1 acres
DirectionsVeterans Park1 acres
DirectionsArmenian Heritage Park1 acres · Armenian Heritage Foundation
DirectionsKennedy Playground1 acres
Mt. Bowdoin Green1 acres
DirectionsSea Green1 acres
DirectionsSumner/Lamson Playground1 acres
DirectionsMcLean Playground1 acres
DirectionsRinggold Park1 acres
DirectionsDoyle Park1 acres
William D. Doyle Playground1 acres
Coppens Square1 acres
Peterson Park1 acres
DirectionsSaint James Street Park1 acres
DirectionsSeybolt Park1 acres
DirectionsReggie Wong Memorial Park1 acres · Boston Parks & Recreation Department
DirectionsStonehill Park1 acres · City of Boston
Bremen Street Park Phase II1 acres
DirectionsRamler Park1 acres
DirectionsHuntington-Hemenway Mall1 acres
Stack Street Park1 acres
Stanley-Bellevue Park1 acres
Sitting Grove1 acres
DirectionsCutillo Park1 acres
DirectionsOld City Hall Grounds1 acres
DirectionsPolcari Park1 acres
DirectionsHayes Park1 acres
DirectionsPutnam Square1 acres
DirectionsOak Square1 acres
DirectionsDry Dock Plaza Park1 acres
DirectionsBeauford Play Area1 acres
Kelly's Landing1 acres
DirectionsNorth Street Park1 acres
DirectionsPatrick J. Kelly Daniel M. McGoff Memorial Park1 acres
DirectionsEdward Everett Square1 acres
Harry Ellis Dickson Park1 acres
DirectionsEgleston Square Peace Garden1 acres
DirectionsCook Street Playground1 acres
Hiscock Park1 acres
DirectionsThompson Square1 acres
DirectionsStarr Lane Park1 acres
DirectionsBradford Street Park1 acres · Bradford Street Organization
DirectionsWho protects it
5,641 conserved acres
18% of Boston’s land. Water is left out: Boston has 48.3 square miles of land and 41.3 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Boston’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,936 ac
Other state land711 ac
State parks423 ac
National Park Service273 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits164 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land155 ac
Private owners112 ac
State Park · 1,840 acLocal Park · 1,686 acLocal Other or Unknown · 721 acConservation Easement · 486 acRecreation or Education Easement · 393 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 296 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 25 of 660 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stony Brook Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 564 | Open |
| Franklin Park Local Park | Town or city | 425 | Open |
| Neponset River Reservation State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 337 | Open |
| Charles River Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 268 | Open |
| Long Island Local Park | Town or city | 223 | Open |
| Boston Harbor Islands State Park Local Park | Not recorded | 206 | Open |
| Arnold Arboretum I Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 156 | Open |
| Old Harbor Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 147 | Open |
| Mt Hope Cemetery Local Park | Town or city | 129 | Open |
| St Joseph Cemetery Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 108 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
499 places to go in Boston
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Boston
Pleasure Bay Beach
DirectionsTenean Beach
DirectionsPlus 25 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Boston
Blodgett Pool
DirectionsBoston Centers for Youth & Families Draper PoolIn Draper Playground
DirectionsCass Pool
DirectionsFlaherty PoolIn Healy Playground
DirectionsFrog PondIn Boston Common
DirectionsMarie E. Mirabella PoolHours: Mon–Sun 11 am – 5:30 pm · In Langone Park
DirectionsRyan Wading PoolIn Ryan Playground
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Boston
Adventure Play Slope
DirectionsBillings Field PlaygroundIn Billings Field
DirectionsBrewer-Burroughs Playground
DirectionsBuckley Playground
DirectionsChildren's Center Play Yard
DirectionsClarendon Street Play AreaHours: Mon–Fri 8:15 am – 9 pm; Sat–Sun 7:30 am – 9 pm
DirectionsConnolly Playground
DirectionsDefilippo Playground
Directions22 more playgrounds
Dennis 'DJ' Simmonds PlaygroundIn Harambee Park
DirectionsEagle's Nest Nature Play AreaIn Franklin Park
DirectionsEdgerly Road Playground
DirectionsEllis Memorial Children's Park
DirectionsErie-Ellington Playground
DirectionsEsplanade PlayspaceIn Charles River Esplanade
DirectionsFan Pier Harborwalk Playground
DirectionsGibbons Playground
DirectionsGronk PlaygroundHours: Mo-Su 08:00-dusk · In Charles River Esplanade
DirectionsHarambee Park Boundless PlaygroundIn Harambee Park
DirectionsHardiman PlaygroundIn Hardiman Playground
DirectionsHealy Playground
DirectionsJackson/Mann Schoolyard
DirectionsJohnson PlaygroundIn Johnson Park
DirectionsJoyce Playground
DirectionsKid Port
DirectionsLambert Avenue Playground
DirectionsLangone Park PlaygroundIn Langone Park
DirectionsLittle Scobie Playground
DirectionsMartin Playground
DirectionsMartin's Park
DirectionsMelvinside Play Area
Directions306 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Boston
Bay Village Dog Park
DirectionsBeecher St Play Area
DirectionsBremen Street Dog Park
DirectionsCarleton Court Dog ParkHours: Mon–Sun 6:30 am – 10 pm
DirectionsDog Park @ The Track
DirectionsEast First Street Dog ParkIn East First Street Dog Park
DirectionsJoe Wex Dog Recreation SpaceHours: Open 24 hours · In Peters Park
DirectionsMansfield Dog Park
Directions2 more dog parks
Puddingstone Dog ParkIn Kevin W. Fitzgerald Park
DirectionsRUFF North End
DirectionsPlus 15 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Boston
16 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Boston
Bunker Hill MonumentIn Monument Square
DirectionsCustom House Tower Observation DeckFee
DirectionsFoster's Pavilion
DirectionsHarborwalk Lookout
DirectionsNorth End ParksIn Rose Kennedy Greenway
DirectionsSkywalk ObservatoryFee
DirectionsView of Boston from BU Bridge
Directions41 scenic views are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Peaks in Boston
Bellevue Hill308 ft elevation
DirectionsGreen Hill292 ft elevation
DirectionsPeaked Hill246 ft elevation
DirectionsPeters Hill240 ft elevation · In Arnold Arboretum
DirectionsMonterey Hill233 ft elevation
DirectionsBearberry Hill210 ft elevation · In Stony Brook Reservation
DirectionsParker Hill203 ft elevation · In Parker Hilltop
DirectionsWeld Hill174 ft elevation · In Arnold Arboretum
Directions19 more peaks
Wellington Hill174 ft elevation
DirectionsHemlock Hill171 ft elevation · In Arnold Arboretum
DirectionsSally Rock171 ft elevation
DirectionsBussey Hill154 ft elevation · In Arnold Arboretum
DirectionsOrient Heights154 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Bowdoin151 ft elevation
DirectionsScarboro Hill138 ft elevation · In Franklin Park
DirectionsTelegraph Hill121 ft elevation · In Thomas Park
DirectionsPopes Hill112 ft elevation
DirectionsMeeting House Hill98 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Hope98 ft elevation
DirectionsSavin Hill98 ft elevation · In Savin Hill Park
DirectionsBald Knob72 ft elevation
DirectionsBreeds Hill72 ft elevation · In Monument Square
DirectionsMount Ararat69 ft elevation
DirectionsCopps Hill59 ft elevation
DirectionsCamp Hill52 ft elevation
DirectionsBeacon Hill43 ft elevation
DirectionsFlagstaff Hill33 ft elevation · In Boston Common
DirectionsPicnic areas in Boston
Nature's PavilionIn Franklin Park
DirectionsOak LeaIn Franklin Park
DirectionsPine KnollIn Franklin Park
DirectionsPlus 21 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Boston
6 Chelsea TerraceEastie Farms
DirectionsBay Village GardenBay Village Neighborhood Association
DirectionsBerkley Community GardensThe Trustees of Reservations
DirectionsBraddock Park GardenIn Southwest Corridor Park · Southwest Corridor Conservancy (SWPC)
DirectionsEastie FarmEastie Farm
DirectionsEgleston Community OrchardBoston Food Forest Coalition
DirectionsLeland Street Cooperative GardenCity of Boston
DirectionsLeland Street Cooperative GardenThe Trustees of Reservations
Directions4 more community gardens
Mt. Calvary Revival Garden
DirectionsRain GardenFriends of Elliot Norton Park
DirectionsTom White's Garden
DirectionsWarren and Clarendon Streets Garden
DirectionsPlus 14 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 26 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 12.8 miUnpaved · 34.2 mi
Boston HarborWalk3.6 mi
West Loop Trail0.4 mi
Willow Path0.4 mi
Allandale Trail0.4 mi
Conifer Path0.4 mi
Rock Pond Trail0.4 mi
Blackwell Footpath0.4 mi
Oak Path0.3 mi
Linden Path0.3 mi
Beech Path0.3 mi
15 more trails
Spring House Trail
0.3 miThompson Island Path
0.3 miHarbor Walk
0.3 miHemlock Hill Trail
0.3 miCarriage Path
0.3 miBoston Harborwalk
0.2 miWeld Trail
0.2 miMulch Path
0.2 miEast West Trail
0.2 miBelle Isle Marsh: Lawn Av Wildlife Viewing Path
0.2 miRidge Trail
0.2 miBeth El Cemetery
0.2 miPinebank Promontory
0.2 miBoston HarborWalk North End
0.1 miIndependent Workmen's Circle Cemetery
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Chandler PondChestnut Hill ReservoirreservoirCow Island PondpondDawson PondpondEast Salt MarshFaxon PondpondJamaica PondlakeLeverett PondpondRehder PondpondRock PondpondSalt PondpondScarboro PondSprague PondSpring PondpondStorrow LagoonThe LagoonpondTurtle PondpondWard's PondpondWillow PondpondBelle Isle InletCharles RiverChelsea RiverMiller's RiverMuddy RiverMystic RiverNeponset River
Biking & sports
240 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
106 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
89 mi
off-road bike paths
45 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
167Basketball
157Tennis
123Baseball
77Soccer
20Pickleball
19Football
18Softball
14Tracks
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →324 places on the National Register, 56 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 88 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
Ether Dome, Massachusetts General HospitalNational Historic Landmark · Building · listed 1966
About it★
Massachusetts Historical Society BuildingNational Historic Landmark · Building · listed 1966
About it312 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Boston: 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 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 37 | 39 | 46 | 57 | 67 | 77 | 82 | 81 | 74 | 62 | 52 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 4.8 |
July is the driest month (3.5 in) and the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.8 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in Boston →
Next door
Boston and its neighbors
Boston has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Boston90 miQuincy75 miMilton53 miDedham21 miBrookline16 miCambridge11 miRevere6.6 miWinthrop Town6.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | 18% | 1.9 | 8 | 99%+ | A |
| Milton | 40% | 4.1 | 87 | 98% | A+ |
| Brookline | 20% | 2.4 | 7 | 99%+ | A |
| Cambridge | 15% | 1.7 | 5 | 99%+ | A |
| Winthrop Town | 18% | 3.2 | 9 | 99%+ | A |
| Dedham | 22% | 2.0 | 43 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Revere | 16% | 1.2 | 10 | 99%+ | A |
| Quincy | 35% | 4.5 | 34 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Boston
Where can I hike in Boston?
The longest trail networks: Arnold Arboretum, 9.1 miles; Franklin Park, 8.2 miles; Spectacle Island, 5.3 miles; Allandale Woods, 2.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Boston is conserved land?
18% 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 Boston’s trails?
Arnold Arboretum and Franklin Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Boston?
240 miles of bike routes are on the map: 106 of painted or protected lanes, 89 of off-road paths and 45 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Boston?
66,837 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Boston or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 5,637 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Boston have?
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #207 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 Boston 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 →