Charles River Reservation
Managed by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
140 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Cambridge
15% of Cambridge’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. 11 miles of mapped trail cross Cambridge, 1.7 per square mile of land. 15% of Cambridge’s land is conserved, about 615 acres.
Ahead of 88% of U.S. towns · #236 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
15%
615 acres · of 6.4 sq mi of land
Trails
11 mi
1.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
556 ac
4.7 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
67 mi
30 mi lanes · 30 mi paths
Highest peak
43 ft
Dana Hill
Lakes & rivers
13
2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Cambridge?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild15% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.Parks close to homeVirtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park.A trail town1.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 91% of U.S. towns.History along the way204 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Cambridge have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Cambridge is ahead of 88% of U.S. towns, #236 of 283 in Massachusetts. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Cambridge’s overall grade.
Conserved land15% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (11 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land4.7 acres of park per 1,000 residents (556 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13CParks 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 88%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 17%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Cambridge ranks #108 on Outdoors.
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Cambridge’s 15% is ahead of 25% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 40% of them.
Water is 10% of Cambridge’s area (1 of 7 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 14%.
Park acres per resident are where Cambridge trails most U.S. towns: 4.7 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 122,588 people share 556 acres.
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 Charles River Reservation, with 1.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Danehy Park
Park
46 acres0.9 mi of trail
Methane trench
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Riverbend Park
Managed by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
7 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 55 parks & preserves
Charles River Reservation140 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsDanehy Park46 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsKingsley Park28 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsMagazine Beach15 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverbend Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsGreene Rose Heritage Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Cambridge Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsRichard McKinnon State Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGold Star Mother's Park/Gore Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Cambridge
DirectionsLowell Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsSacramento Field1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Cambridge Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsBinney Street Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Cambridge
DirectionsFront Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Briggs Field14 acres
DirectionsCambridge Common9 acres
DirectionsDonnelly Field7 acres
DirectionsSaint Peters Field7 acres
DirectionsJerry's Pond5 acres
DirectionsJohn F. Kennedy Park5 acres · Harvard University
DirectionsHoyt Field5 acres · City of Cambridge
DirectionsScience Park4 acres · Museum of Science
DirectionsGlacken Field4 acres
The Common at CX4 acres
DirectionsLechmere Canal Park4 acres · City of Cambridge
DirectionsWilliam G. Maher Park4 acres
DirectionsCambridge Parkway4 acres · Dcr - Division Of Urban Parks And Recreation
DirectionsRiverside Press Park3 acres
DirectionsJoan Lorentz Park3 acres
DirectionsRaymond Park3 acres
DirectionsAlewife Linear Park3 acres
DirectionsWatertown-Cambridge Greenway2 acres
DirectionsSennott Park2 acres
DirectionsAhern Field2 acres
DirectionsTimothy J. Toomey, Jr. Park2 acres
DirectionsLongfellow Park2 acres
DirectionsRothlisberger Park2 acres
DirectionsMcMath Park2 acres
DirectionsDana Park2 acres
University Park Common2 acres · MIT
DirectionsAlewife Brook Parkway2 acres
DirectionsCorporal Burns Park1 acres · City of Cambridge Parks
DirectionsLindstrom Field1 acres
DirectionsFlagstaff Park1 acres
DirectionsRafferty Park1 acres
DirectionsPacific Street Park1 acres
Clement G. Morgan Park1 acres
DirectionsOld Morse Park1 acres
Charles Park1 acres
DirectionsGrand Junction Park1 acres
DirectionsNew Riverside Park1 acres · City of Cambridge
Reverend Thomas J. Williams Park1 acres · City of Cambridge Department of Public Works, Park & Forestry
DirectionsFort Washington Park1 acres
DirectionsCosta Lopez Park1 acres
DirectionsLoughrey Walkway1 acres
DirectionsHastings Square1 acres
Who protects it
615 conserved acres
15% of Cambridge’s land. Water is left out: Cambridge has 6.4 square miles of land and 0.7 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Cambridge’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city109 ac
State parks17 ac
State conservation9 ac
National Park Service2 ac
Not recorded484 ac
State Park · 203 acLocal Other or Unknown · 141 acLocal Park · 90 acLocal Historic or Cultural Area · 58 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 40 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 10 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles River Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 135 | Open |
| Fresh Pond Golf Course Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 84 | Open |
| Alewife Brook Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 68 | Open |
| Cambridge Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 51 | Open |
| Danehy Park Local Park | Town or city | 43 | Open |
| Fresh Pond Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 26 | Open |
| Harvard Yard Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 15 | Open |
| Briggs Field Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 14 | Restricted |
| Mount Auburn Cemetery Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 11 | Open |
| Neveille Manor Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 9 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
130 places to go in Cambridge
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Cambridge
McCrehan Pool
DirectionsWading PoolIn Magazine Beach
DirectionsPlus 1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Cambridge
Alden Play Area
DirectionsAlexander W. Kemp PlaygroundIn Cambridge Common
DirectionsAnthony Paolillo Tot Lot
DirectionsArthur J. Shallow PlaygroundIn Market Street Park
DirectionsBergin Playground
DirectionsBotanical Gardens
DirectionsChildren's PlayscapeIn Kingsley Park
DirectionsCooper Playground
Directions12 more playgrounds
Duffett Tot Lot
DirectionsFulmore PlaygroundIn Fulmore Park
DirectionsGibbons Park
DirectionsGold Star Mothers ParkIn Gold Star Mother's Park/Gore Park
DirectionsHurly Street/VFW Playground
DirectionsLouis A. DePasquale Universal Design PlaygroundIn Danehy Park
DirectionsLowell School Playground
DirectionsMemorial Drive Tot LotIn Riverbend Park
DirectionsRegina Antoine Tot LotIn Danehy Park
DirectionsSacramento Field PlaygroundIn Sacramento Field
DirectionsTot Lot
DirectionsWilder Play AreaIn Wilder-Lee Park
Directions100 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Cambridge
Child Street Dog Park
DirectionsDanehy Dog ParkHours: Open 24 hours · In Danehy Park
DirectionsPacific Street Dog ParkHours: Open 24 hours
DirectionsPemberton Street Dog Run
DirectionsPlus 4 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Cambridge
Duck Boat RampIn Richard McKinnon State Park
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Cambridge
CCC Overlook #1In Kingsley Park
DirectionsCCC Overlook #2In Kingsley Park
DirectionsPeaks in Cambridge
Dana Hill43 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Cambridge
11 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Cambridge
Green Street Neighborhood Garden
DirectionsPlus 2 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
4 named trails and 13 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.4 miUnpaved · 7.1 mi
Methane trench1.0 mi
Beech Path0.2 mi
Blair Pond Path0.2 mi
Broad Canal Boardwalk0.1 mi
Biking & sports
67 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
30 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
30 mi
off-road bike paths
7.2 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
36Tennis
36Basketball
23Soccer
20Baseball
9Multi-sport
4Lacrosse
3Softball
2Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →204 places on the National Register, 17 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 38 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
192 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Cambridge: 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 | 73 | 62 | 51 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 4.7 |
February is the driest month (3.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.7 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in Cambridge →
Next door
Cambridge 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 15% | 1.7 | 5 | 99%+ | A |
| Boston | 18% | 1.9 | 8 | 99%+ | A |
| Somerville | 5% | 0.5 | 2 | 99%+ | B |
| Belmont | 17% | 3.5 | 14 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Watertown | 13% | 3.4 | 6 | 99%+ | A |
| Arlington | 10% | 1.8 | 6 | 99%+ | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Cambridge
Where can I hike in Cambridge?
The longest trail networks: Charles River Reservation, 1.1 miles; Danehy Park, 0.9 miles; Kingsley Park, 0.9 miles; Magazine Beach, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Cambridge is conserved land?
15% 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 Cambridge’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Charles River Reservation and Magazine Beach. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Cambridge?
67 miles of bike routes are on the map: 30 of painted or protected lanes, 30 of off-road paths and 7.2 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Cambridge?
37,594 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Cambridge or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 595 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Cambridge have?
Ahead of 88% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #236 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 Cambridge 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 →