Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
Nature preserve
849 acres3.1 mi of trail
Goddard Memorial Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Devens
Few parks or trails are on the map in Devens
The biggest trail networks: Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge (3.1 mi), Mulpus Brook Wildlife Management Areas (0.9 mi). 31% of Devens’ land is conserved, about 1,350 acres. 983 acres are parks and preserves, 571 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
31%
1,350 acres · of 6.8 sq mi of land
Trails
23 mi
3.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
983 ac
571 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
84%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
5.1 mi
5.1 mi lanes
Highest peak
358 ft
Shepleys Hill
Lakes & rivers
8
1 beach
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 Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge, with 3.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Mulpus Brook Wildlife Management Areas
Nature preserve
107 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Mirror Lake
Managed by Mirror Lake Management
23 acres0.3 mi of trail
Mirror Lake Trail (primary)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Who protects it
1,350 conserved acres
31% of Devens’ land. Who manages Devens’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service1,686 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits582 ac
Private owners89 ac
Regional agency44 ac
Not recorded106 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 1,686 acConservation Easement · 715 acState Conservation Area · 106 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 399 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 1,686 | Restricted |
| Mulpus Brook Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 106 | Open |
Things to do
5 places to go in Devens
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Devens
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Devens
Peaks in Devens
Shepleys Hill358 ft elevation
DirectionsDisc golf in Devens
Devens Disc Golf Course
DirectionsDevens Disc Golf Course
DirectionsTrails & water
4 named trails and 8 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 3.8 mi
Mirror Lake (secondary trail)1.4 mi
Mirror Lake Trail (primary)1.2 mi
Goddard Memorial Trail0.5 mi
Jackson Gate Trail0.4 mi
Biking & sports
5.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
5.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
Courts & fields
6Baseball
3Basketball
1Soccer
1Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Devens: April 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) | 35 | 38 | 46 | 59 | 70 | 79 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 62 | 50 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 4.4 |
February is the driest month (3.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Devens →
Next door
Devens 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devens | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Shirley | 28% | 1.7 | 390 | 95% | A+ |
| Ayer | 16% | 1.8 | 62 | 94% | A+ |
| Harvard | 31% | 3.7 | 659 | 97% | A+ |
| Lancaster | 14% | 1.0 | 253 | 70% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Devens
Where can I hike in Devens?
The longest trail networks: Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge, 3.1 miles; Mulpus Brook Wildlife Management Areas, 0.9 miles; Mirror Lake, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Devens’ trails?
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge and Mulpus Brook Wildlife Management Areas don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Devens?
5.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 5.1 of painted or protected lanes.
Is there public land near Devens?
49,300 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Devens or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,028 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Devens 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 →