Hawksnest State Park
Nature preserve
229 acres3 mi of trail
Ve Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in East Harwich
Few parks or trails are on the map in East Harwich
The biggest trail networks: Hawksnest State Park (3 mi), Thompson's Field Conservation Area (2.8 mi), Harwich Conservation Trust Conservation Restriction (1.6 mi). 20% of East Harwich’s land is conserved, about 1,003 acres. 572 acres are parks and preserves, 101 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
20%
1,003 acres · of 8.0 sq mi of land
Trails
31 mi
3.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
572 ac
101 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
94%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
2.0 mi
2.0 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
11
5 beaches · 2 boat launches
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 Hawksnest State Park, with 3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Thompson's Field Conservation Area
Managed by Town of Harwich
64 acres2.8 mi of trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Harwich Conservation Trust Conservation Restriction
Managed by Harwich Conservation Trust
58 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
D. Isabel Smith Monomoy River Conservation Lands
Nature preserve
84 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Pleasant Bay Woodlands
Managed by Harwich Conservation Trust
49 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Cornelius Pond Woodlands
Managed by Harwich Conservation Trust
15 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Muddy Creek Headwaters Preserve
Managed by Harwich Conservation Trust
15 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Walkers Pond Conservation Area
Managed by Town of Harwich
14 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 25 parks & preserves
Hawksnest State Park229 acres · 3 mi of trail
Thompson's Field Conservation Area64 acres · 2.8 mi of trail · Town of Harwich
DirectionsHarwich Conservation Trust Conservation Restriction58 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Harwich Conservation Trust
D. Isabel Smith Monomoy River Conservation Lands84 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsPleasant Bay Woodlands49 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Harwich Conservation Trust
DirectionsCornelius Pond Woodlands15 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Harwich Conservation Trust
Muddy Creek Headwaters Preserve15 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Harwich Conservation Trust
DirectionsWalkers Pond Conservation Area14 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Town of Harwich
Olivers Pond Natural Heritage Area12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Lady Slipper Lane Conservation Area4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Harwich Conservation Trust
Depot Road Conservation Area20 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Awâhsh Uwatuhshât CR17 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Native Land Conservancy
Route 137 Conservation Area13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Harwich Conservation Trust
Marceline Conservation Restriction7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Harwich
Six Ponds Great Woods3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Harwich Conservation Trust
Cape Cod Land Bank Acquisition8 acres
Long Pond Conservation Area7 acres · Harwich Conservation Trust
DirectionsBay Road Conservation Area6 acres · Town of Harwich
Somerset Woods Conservation Restriction4 acres · Somerset Woods Homeowner's Association, Inc.
DirectionsIndian Prayer Rock3 acres · Town of Harwich
Walker Property2 acres · Town of Harwich
Winslow Drive Conservation Area2 acres · Harwich Conservation Trust
DirectionsMuddy Creek - Pleasant Bay2 acres
DirectionsRed River Valley Preserve1 acres · Harwich Conservation Trust
Josephs Pond Landing1 acres
Who protects it
1,003 conserved acres
20% of East Harwich’s land. Water is left out: East Harwich has 8.0 square miles of land and 0.8 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages East Harwich’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits171 ac
Town or city113 ac
Joint39 ac
State fish & wildlife12 ac
Other state land2 ac
Not recorded824 ac
Watershed Protection Area · 355 acConservation Easement · 288 acLocal Other or Unknown · 154 acState Conservation Area · 137 acLocal Resource Management Area · 129 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 163 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 13 of 80 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Department Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 154 | Open |
| Harwich Water Supply Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 135 | Unknown |
| Town Forest Local Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 129 | Open |
| Cape Cod National Golf Club State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 80 | Restricted |
| Thompson Field Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 58 | Open |
| Muddy Creek Conservation Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 43 | Open |
| Hawksnest State Park State Park | Not recorded | 41 | Open |
| Water Supply Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 33 | Unknown |
| John Joseph Wellfield Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 31 | Unknown |
| Marden Property Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 21 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
10 places to go in East Harwich
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in East Harwich
5 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in East Harwich
2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in East Harwich
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Picnic areas in East Harwich
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Community gardens in East Harwich
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
1 named trail and 11 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.0 miUnpaved · 3.4 mi
Ve Trail0.3 mi
Biking & sports
2.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.0 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
10Tennis
2Soccer
2Baseball
2Football
2Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in East Harwich: 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 | 44 | 53 | 62 | 70 | 77 | 77 | 71 | 61 | 52 | 44 |
| Rain (in) | 4.0 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.8 |
July is the driest month (2.4 in) and the warmest (highs of 77 °F). 4.8 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in East Harwich →
Next door
East Harwich and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Brewster107 miHarwich73 miNorthwest Harwich34 miEast Harwich31 miChatham27 miOrleans25 miHarwich Port4.4 miHarwich Center3.3 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Harwich | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Harwich | 19% | 3.5 | 114 | 95% | A+ |
| Harwich Center | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Brewster | 29% | 4.7 | 247 | 99% | A+ |
| Chatham | 65% | 1.6 | 161 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Northwest Harwich | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Harwich Port | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Orleans | 32% | 1.7 | 68 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in East Harwich
Where can I hike in East Harwich?
The longest trail networks: Hawksnest State Park, 3 miles; Thompson's Field Conservation Area, 2.8 miles; Harwich Conservation Trust Conservation Restriction, 1.6 miles; D. Isabel Smith Monomoy River Conservation Lands, 1.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on East Harwich’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Thompson's Field Conservation Area. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in East Harwich?
2.0 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.0 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near East Harwich?
12,943 acres of parks and open public land lie inside East Harwich or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 819 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from East Harwich 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 →