Gardner Water Supply Land
Nature preserve
1,342 acres6.2 mi of trail
Brook Loop OutletJeep Road from 140 parking lotHeywood BranchChristmast Tree Crossing+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Rehua · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Gardner
33% of Gardner’s land is conserved: 4,665 acres
3,477 acres are parks and preserves, 164 per 1,000 residents. 26 miles of mapped trail cross Gardner, 1.2 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Gardner Water Supply Land (6.2 mi), High Ridge Wildlife Management Area (2.7 mi), Perley Brook Reservoir (2.1 mi).
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns · #122 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
33%
4,665 acres · of 22.1 sq mi of land
Trails
26 mi
1.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,477 ac
164 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
91%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
6.0 mi
3.1 mi lanes · 2.9 mi paths
Highest peak
1,276 ft
Reservoir Hill
Lakes & rivers
18
4 beaches
What kind of outdoors town is Gardner?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild33% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.Room to roam164 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.A trail town1.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 84% of U.S. towns.History along the way13 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Gardner have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Gardner is ahead of 97% of U.S. towns, #122 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Gardner’s overall grade.
Conserved land33% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails1.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (26 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land164 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,477 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13AParks close to home91% of residents within a half mile of a park · MA 93% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 97%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 57%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Gardner’s 33% is ahead of 78% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 25% of them.
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 Gardner Water Supply Land, with 6.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
High Ridge Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
868 acres2.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Perley Brook Reservoir
Nature preserve
116 acres2.1 mi of trail
Brook LoopBrook Loop OutletHeywood BranchAccess Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lake Wampanoag Wildlife Sanctuary
Nature preserve
310 acres1.9 mi of trail
Moosewood TrailMedow LoopWoodland Loop TrailPond Shore Loop
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Rome Conservation Area, North Country Conservation Trust (NCLT)
Managed by NCLT
165 acres1.4 mi of trail
Barred Owl Trail (red)Wilder Brook Up
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Smith / Rodecki Water Supply Land
Nature preserve
82 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 28 parks & preserves
Gardner Water Supply Land1,342 acres · 6.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHigh Ridge Wildlife Management Area868 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
DirectionsPerley Brook Reservoir116 acres · 2.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLake Wampanoag Wildlife Sanctuary310 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsDunn Park131 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsRome Conservation Area, North Country Conservation Trust (NCLT)165 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · NCLT
Smith / Rodecki Water Supply Land82 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Pulaski Playground5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsOlivia Case Playground5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsBickford Playground4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsGreen Street Conservation Area98 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Bailey Brook Park31 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsJackson Playground5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGreenwood Playground3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPark Street Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBailey Brook Conservation Area274 acres
DirectionsOtter River Conservation160 acres
DirectionsEbenezer Keyes Conservation Area155 acres
Smith / Rodecki Water Suuply Land49 acres
Quag Pond Bog Natural Heritage Area33 acres
DirectionsRome Conservation Area, North County Conservation Land Trust (NCLT)21 acres
Deerberry Ridge Conservation Area16 acres
Rome Conservation Aream North Country Conservation Trust7 acres
Town Well7 acres
Greenwood Memorial Pool & Spray Park3 acres
DirectionsStedman Playground3 acres
DirectionsCrystal Lake Park2 acres
Monument Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
4,665 conserved acres
33% of Gardner’s land. Who manages Gardner’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State fish & wildlife593 ac
State parks310 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits258 ac
State conservation178 ac
Town or city147 ac
Other state land17 ac
Not recorded3,421 ac
Watershed Protection Area · 1,671 acState Conservation Area · 910 acLocal Other or Unknown · 869 acConservation Easement · 289 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 225 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 289 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 9 of 72 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Ridge Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 877 | Restricted |
| City of Gardner Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 857 | Open |
| Gardner Water Supply Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 589 | Unknown |
| Bailey Brook Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 263 | Open |
| Green Street Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 202 | Open |
| Lake Wampanoag Wildlife Sanctuary Private Conservation | Not recorded | 197 | Open |
| Municipal Golf Gourse Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 154 | Open |
| Otter River Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 149 | Open |
| Camp Collier Local Recreation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 145 | Open |
| Dunn State Park State Park | State parks | 131 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
55 places to go in Gardner
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Gardner
4 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Gardner
Greenwood Memorial Outdoor Pool & Spray ParkIn Greenwood Memorial Pool & Spray Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Gardner
Jackson Skate ParkIn Jackson Playground
Directions33 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Gardner
Gardner Dog ParkIn Pulaski Playground
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Peaks in Gardner
Reservoir Hill1,276 ft elevation
DirectionsBickford Hill1,263 ft elevation
DirectionsHowe Hill1,257 ft elevation
DirectionsParker Hill1,247 ft elevation
DirectionsBarber Hill1,224 ft elevation
DirectionsRay Hill1,201 ft elevation
DirectionsWashington Hill1,165 ft elevation
DirectionsCoolidge Hill1,155 ft elevation · In Gardner Water Supply Land
Directions4 more peaks
Greenwood Hill1,145 ft elevation
DirectionsBeaman Hill1,138 ft elevation
DirectionsKendall Hill1,132 ft elevation
DirectionsProspect Hill1,122 ft elevation
DirectionsDisc golf in Gardner
Bailey Brook Disc Golf CourseIn Bailey Brook Park
DirectionsPlus 1 disc golf course without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Gardner
St. Paul's Community Garden
DirectionsTrails & water
14 named trails and 18 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 2.3 miHorses · 1.2 miUnpaved · 7.9 mi
Brook Loop1.9 mi
Heywood Branch1.6 mi
Barred Owl Trail (red)0.9 mi
Moosewood Trail0.9 mi
Brook Loop Outlet0.9 mi
Wilder Brook Up0.6 mi
Jeep Road from 140 parking lot0.6 mi
Medow Loop0.5 mi
Christmast Tree Crossing0.2 mi
Woodland Loop Trail0.2 mi
4 more trails
Walking Path
0.2 miCalvin Coolidge Outlet to Rail Trail
0.2 miPond Shore Loop
0.1 miAccess Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Beagle PondreservoirCowee PondreservoirCrystal LakeDunn PondpondDyer PondFarm PondpondHilchey PondreservoirHobbys PondKendall PondMurdock PondreservoirParker PondreservoirPerley Brook ReservoirreservoirQuad PondpondRamsdall PondreservoirStump PondpondTravers PondreservoirWrights ReservoirreservoirOtter River
Biking & sports
6.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
3.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
2.9 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
11Tennis
10Basketball
8Baseball
3Softball
2Equestrian
1Skate park
1Beach volleyball
1Soccer
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →13 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 13 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
First Minister's HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itGardner News BuildingBuilding · listed 1979
About itSmith, F.W., Silver CompanyBuilding · listed 1979
About itHeywood, Levi, Memorial Library BuildingBuilding · listed 1979
About itJabez Partridge HomesteadBuilding · listed 1979
About itLake Street Fire StationBuilding · listed 1980
About itElm Street Fire StationBuilding · listed 1980
About itGarbose BuildingBuilding · listed 1983
About itHeywood-Wakefield Company ComplexBuilding · listed 1983
About itWest Gardner Square Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1985
About itGardner Uptown Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1999
About itMiss Toy Town DinerBuilding · listed 2003
About it1 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Gardner: 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) | 32 | 35 | 43 | 55 | 67 | 75 | 80 | 78 | 71 | 59 | 47 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 4.2 |
February is the driest month (3.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 5.0 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Gardner →
Next door
Gardner and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Winchendon72 miWestminster50 miAshburnham33 miHubbardston32 miGardner26 miTempleton24 miSouth Ashburnham1.7 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardner | 33% | 1.2 | 164 | 91% | A+ |
| Templeton | 20% | 0.8 | 285 | 61% | A |
| Ashburnham | 33% | 0.9 | 361 | 65% | A |
| Westminster | 31% | 1.4 | 256 | 73% | A+ |
| South Ashburnham | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Winchendon | 20% | 1.7 | 398 | 73% | A+ |
| Hubbardston | 46% | 0.8 | 446 | 54% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Gardner
Where can I hike in Gardner?
The longest trail networks: Gardner Water Supply Land, 6.2 miles; High Ridge Wildlife Management Area, 2.7 miles; Perley Brook Reservoir, 2.1 miles; Lake Wampanoag Wildlife Sanctuary, 1.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Gardner is conserved land?
33% 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 Gardner’s trails?
Gardner Water Supply Land and High Ridge Wildlife Management Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Gardner?
6.0 miles of bike routes are on the map: 3.1 of painted or protected lanes and 2.9 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Gardner?
68,346 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Gardner or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,801 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Gardner have?
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #122 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 Gardner 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 →