Wompatuck State Park
Managed by Division of State Parks and Recreation
876 acres14.3 mi of trail
Rogue Dead GuyBeer RunYah Mon!Milliken Memorial Path+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Wwoods · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Cohasset
Cohasset has 37 miles of mapped trails, 3.8 for every square mile of land
27% of Cohasset’s land is conserved, about 1,674 acres. 1,273 acres are parks and preserves, 151 per 1,000 residents. 98% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #36 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
27%
1,674 acres · of 9.8 sq mi of land
Trails
37 mi
3.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,273 ac
151 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
6.2 mi
6.2 mi paths
Highest peak
177 ft
Scituate Hill
Lakes & rivers
7
25 beaches · 5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Cohasset?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Cohasset have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Cohasset is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #36 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 Cohasset’s overall grade.
Conserved land27% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%ATrails3.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (37 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land151 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,273 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13AParks close to home98% 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 88%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Cohasset’s 27% is ahead of 66% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 86% of them.
Water is more than half of Cohasset’s area (22 of 31 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 8%.
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 Wompatuck State Park, with 14.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Whitney & Thayer Woods
Managed by The Trustees of Reservations
527 acres7.8 mi of trail
Bancroft TrailMilliken Memorial Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Brass Kettle Conservation Area
Managed by Cohasset Conservation Trust
151 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Great Brewster Woods
Managed by Cohasset Conservation Trust
18 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Turkey Hill
Managed by The Trustees of Reservations
20 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
The Robert Pape Reservation
Nature preserve
23 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Barnes Wildlife Sanctuary
Managed by Town of Cohasset Conservation Commission
32 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 43 parks & preserves
Wompatuck State Park876 acres · 14.3 mi of trail · Division of State Parks and Recreation
DirectionsWhitney & Thayer Woods527 acres · 7.8 mi of trail · The Trustees of Reservations
DirectionsBrass Kettle Conservation Area151 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Cohasset Conservation Trust
DirectionsWheelwright Park85 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsGreat Brewster Woods18 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Cohasset Conservation Trust
DirectionsTurkey Hill20 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · The Trustees of Reservations
DirectionsThe Robert Pape Reservation23 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Barnes Wildlife Sanctuary32 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Cohasset Conservation Commission
Dean's Meadow8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Churchill Conservation Area39 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Breadencheese Conservation Area32 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
George M. Ingram Memorial Park27 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
James Brook Woods27 acres
DirectionsBancroft Bird Sanctuary15 acres
DirectionsPegram Preserve15 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
DirectionsFreedom Field9 acres
DirectionsMilliken-Bancroft Field9 acres
DirectionsPeppermint Brook Conservation Area9 acres
Supper Island Conservation Restriction8 acres
Joy Place Marsh6 acres
Adams Property5 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Dormitzer Salt Marsh5 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Albert A. Golden Reservation5 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Williams Salt Marsh Conservation Area4 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Steinmetz Wildlife Reserve4 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Andrus Island - G Prescott Low Property4 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Wheelwright Highlands4 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Anne & Daniel Campbell Meadow4 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Cohasset Town Common4 acres
DirectionsVinal Pasture Conservation Area3 acres
Brass Kettle Brook Conservation Restriction3 acres · Town of Cohasset Water Department
Blake-Holmes Property3 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Wheelwright Conservation Area2 acres · Town of Scituate Conservation Commission
The Boot Preserve2 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Bailey1 acres · Town of Scituate Conservation Commission
DirectionsRemick Salt Marsh Conservation Area1 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Garrison Landing1 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Giuggio Overlook1 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Sumner Smith Overlook Conservation Area1 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Pelletier Conservation Area1 acres · Cohasset Conservation Trust
Beechwood Common1 acres
DirectionsWorld War I Memorial1 acres
DirectionsConstitution Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
1,674 conserved acres
27% of Cohasset’s land. Water is left out: Cohasset has 9.8 square miles of land and 21.6 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Cohasset’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits337 ac
State parks190 ac
Town or city46 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land23 ac
Not recorded1,411 ac
Private Conservation · 656 acState Park · 437 acConservation Easement · 275 acState Resource Management Area · 197 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 170 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 139 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 15 of 76 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wompatuck State Park State Park | Not recorded | 635 | Open |
| Whitney and Thayer Woods Private Conservation | Not recorded | 488 | Open |
| Cohasset Golf Course Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 170 | Restricted |
| Brass Kettle Conservation Area Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 78 | Open |
| Barbara Churchill Conservervation Area Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 39 | Closed |
| Little League Field Local Park | Town or city | 36 | Open |
| Brass Kettle Brook Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 31 | Unknown |
| Great Brewster Park Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 26 | Closed |
| Water District Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 24 | Unknown |
| Woodside Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 20 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
47 places to go in Cohasset
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Cohasset
Plus 22 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Cohasset
South Shore Community Center Playground
DirectionsPlus 6 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Cohasset
Parker Ave Boat Ramp
DirectionsPlus 4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Cohasset
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Peaks in Cohasset
Scituate Hill177 ft elevation
DirectionsBear Hill151 ft elevation
DirectionsDeer Hill121 ft elevation
DirectionsWalnut Hill115 ft elevation
DirectionsJames Hill89 ft elevation
DirectionsBeacon Rock75 ft elevation
DirectionsKent Rocks66 ft elevation
DirectionsJoy Hill
Directions1 more peak
Old James HillIn Whitney & Thayer Woods
DirectionsTrails & water
9 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 23.8 miHorses · 8.9 miUnpaved · 16.9 mi
Bancroft Trail2.0 mi
Milliken Memorial Path0.7 mi
Rogue Dead Guy0.6 mi
Beer Run0.5 mi
Yah Mon!0.4 mi
Dirty Dozen0.2 mi
Upper Yah Mon!0.2 mi
Chugga Chugga0.2 mi
Boo Boo0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
6.2 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
6.2 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
38Tennis
5Basketball
5Baseball
2Soccer
1Football
1Pickleball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →7 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 10 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Caleb Lothrop HouseBuilding · listed 1976
About itGovernment Island Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1994
About itCohasset Common Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1996
About itJosephine M. Hagerty HouseBuilding · listed 1997
About itCapt. John Wilson House and Bates Ship ChandleryDistrict · listed 2002
About itCohasset Central CemeterySite · listed 2002
About itPratt Historic BuildingBuilding · listed 2006
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Cohasset: 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) | 38 | 40 | 46 | 57 | 67 | 76 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 62 | 52 | 43 |
| Rain (in) | 4.1 | 3.9 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 5.0 |
July is the driest month (3.5 in) and the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 5.1 inches fall in March, the wettest month. The climate in Cohasset →
Next door
Cohasset and its neighbors
Cohasset has the second most mapped trails of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohasset | 27% | 3.8 | 151 | 98% | A+ |
| Scituate | 20% | 1.7 | 86 | 91% | A+ |
| Hingham | 20% | 3.9 | 105 | 94% | A+ |
| Hull | 23% | 0.9 | 40 | 99%+ | A+ |
| North Scituate | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Cohasset
Where can I hike in Cohasset?
The longest trail networks: Wompatuck State Park, 14.3 miles; Whitney & Thayer Woods, 7.8 miles; Brass Kettle Conservation Area, 1.6 miles; Wheelwright Park, 1.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Cohasset is conserved land?
27% 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 Cohasset’s trails?
Wompatuck State Park and Whitney & Thayer Woods don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Cohasset?
6.2 miles of bike routes are on the map: 6.2 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Cohasset?
20,602 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Cohasset or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,463 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Cohasset have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #36 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 Cohasset 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 →