Wharton Plantation
Nature preserve
678 acres6.6 mi of trail
Burnt Meadow Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Pvmoutside · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Groton
34% of Groton’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. 153 miles of mapped trail cross Groton, 4.7 per square mile of land. 6,478 acres are parks and preserves, 569 per 1,000 residents.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #3 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
34%
7,167 acres · of 32.8 sq mi of land
Trails
153 mi
4.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
6,478 ac
569 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
13 mi
13 mi paths
Highest peak
515 ft
Chestnut Hill
Lakes & rivers
23
4 beaches · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Groton?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild34% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.A trail town4.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, among the top 1% of U.S. towns.Parks close to homeVirtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park.History along the way7 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Groton have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Groton is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #3 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs put Groton near the top nationally; trail miles rank highest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Groton’s overall grade.
Conserved land34% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails4.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (153 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land569 acres of park per 1,000 residents (6,478 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13A+Parks 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)Among the top 1%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)#3 of 283
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Groton’s 34% is ahead of 80% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 95% of them.
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 Wharton Plantation, with 6.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary
Nature preserve
411 acres5.7 mi of trail
Heronry TrailChestnut Oak Loop TrailRocky Hill TrailOvenbird Trail+1
No dogs
Directionsto Rocky Hill Trail Head ParkingWebsite ↗
J. Harry Rich State Forest
Nature preserve
386 acres5 mi of trail
J. Harry Rich TrailOxbow LoopEagle LoopJohn Tinker Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Surrenden Farms
Nature preserve
179 acres3.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Shepley Hill
Nature preserve
72 acres2.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Nashua River Rail Trail ParkingWebsite ↗
Gamlin Crystal Spring Conservation Area
Nature preserve
125 acres2.5 mi of trail
Gamlin Esker TrailBoulders TrailIndian Rock Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Groton Woods Conservation Area
Nature preserve
120 acres2.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Williams Barn and Sørhaug Woods
Nature preserve
96 acres2.4 mi of trail
Chestnut Hill Loop TrailBruce Clements TrailPriest Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 129 parks & preserves
Wharton Plantation678 acres · 6.6 mi of trail
DirectionsRocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary411 acres · 5.7 mi of trail
DirectionsJ. Harry Rich State Forest386 acres · 5 mi of trail
DirectionsSurrenden Farms179 acres · 3.4 mi of trail
DirectionsShepley Hill72 acres · 2.8 mi of trail
DirectionsGamlin Crystal Spring Conservation Area125 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
DirectionsGroton Woods Conservation Area120 acres · 2.4 mi of trail
Williams Barn and Sørhaug Woods96 acres · 2.4 mi of trail
Squannacook River Wildlife Management Area159 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsThrone Hill121 acres · 2.2 mi of trail
Skinner Forest113 acres · 2 mi of trail
DirectionsAcademy Hill212 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsTaisey Conservation Restriction96 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsSkitapet Conservation Land58 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsHayes Woods47 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsPhebe R Keyes Woods57 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
Peter E. Bertozzi Conservation Area38 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFritz and Helen Walker Conservation Area105 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsKemp Woods74 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFitch-Woods30 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
Red Line14 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsUnkety Brook Wildlife Management Area186 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsWest Throne Hill Conservation Land53 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsBates Land41 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsMclains Woods Conservation Area33 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsFlavell Crossing Conservation Area107 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Baddacook Conservation Land41 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Still Meadow31 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Groton Hills Conservation Area31 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Mason Back 10056 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Priest Family Conservation Area42 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Nipmuc Meadow35 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Harrison S. Ripley Forest69 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
Blackman Field and Woods48 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsCronin Conservation Area36 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
Sawtell Conservation Area31 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsLongley Estates II Conservation Area43 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsLawrence Land42 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Batten Woods31 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Farmers And Mechanics Club20 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsSargisson Beach17 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Wiewel Conservation Area40 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Wattles Pond Conservation Area26 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsLawrence Woods26 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Hawtree Conservation Area23 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Duck Pond Conservation Area19 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSabine Memorial Woods12 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
David Norris Property52 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Torrey Woods Conservation Area36 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Hurd Property30 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsDeerhaven Conservation Restriction22 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Johnston Conservation Area16 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Northwoods Conservation Area15 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Baddacook Woods14 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Lawrence Park Conservation Area12 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsLongley Estates I Conservation Area21 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Eliades Conservation Area14 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Hemlock Grove12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWatson Way Conservation Area5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Gibbet Hill5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsFloyd Conservation Area53 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Boat House Road/Bedigian25 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMeadowbrook Conservation Area19 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Whispering Brook Conservation Area13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Woodland Pond Conservation Area10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Blackman Land8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPerry Land7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Richard F.Priest Memorial Area6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Cow Pond Brook Park64 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCronin-Massapoag Conservation Area31 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDeerhaven Conservation Area18 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Walnut Run Conservation10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Cold Spring Pond Conservation Area9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Squannacook Picnic Site6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Balcom Eastates Conservation Land1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Gamlin Picnic Site1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Fitch's Bridge Estates1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Mountain Lakes Club Field1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJune's Wood49 acres
DirectionsCarmichael Swamp Conservation Area48 acres
Meredith Bissell Property36 acres
Cow Pond Brook Conservation Area31 acres
Lost Lake Recreation Area29 acres
DirectionsBruner Land26 acres
Best-Fitch Woods24 acres
Martins Pond Conservation Area21 acres
Woodland Park Conservation Area21 acres
DirectionsFlat Pond21 acres
Reynolds Tract18 acres
Brookside Place Conservation Area17 acres
Rock Hill17 acres
DirectionsBernier-Bissell Property17 acres
DirectionsGilson Conservation Area15 acres
Robison Conservation Area15 acres
Hanson Playground14 acres
DirectionsLotz Land14 acres
DirectionsBaddacook Pond Conservation Area13 acres
Sampas Conservation Woods11 acres
Half Moon Swamp11 acres
Milton Starr Land11 acres
Culter Field10 acres
DirectionsOld Mill Conservation Area9 acres
Williams Conservation Land8 acres
Valentine Hollingsworth Conservation Area8 acres
Riley Land6 acres
Mccarthy Drive5 acres
Genthner Woods5 acres
Allen Conservation Area5 acres
Taplin Wildlife Sanctuary5 acres
Fletcher Hill Conservation Area5 acres
Gilson Estates Conservation Area4 acres
Cronin Land4 acres
Knowles Siding Conservation Area4 acres
Charles Bixby Conservation Area3 acres
DirectionsPetapawag Canoe Launch3 acres
DirectionsCarmichael Swamp Conservation Area II2 acres
Angus Acre2 acres
Brookfield Commons2 acres
Reedy Meadow Road2 acres
DirectionsFlavell Road Conservation Area2 acres
Eldridge Conservation Area2 acres
DirectionsMartin's Pond Brook2 acres
DirectionsTarbell School Park2 acres
DirectionsVillage View Open Space1 acres
DirectionsAyer Game Farm1 acres
Legion Field1 acres
Baddocook Woods1 acres
Old Dunstable Road1 acres
James River Greenway1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
7,167 conserved acres
34% of Groton’s land. Who manages Groton’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city2,737 ac
State fish & wildlife1,111 ac
State natural resources1,053 ac
Other state land676 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits669 ac
State conservation549 ac
State parks546 ac
Conservation Easement · 5,857 acState Conservation Area · 3,108 acAgricultural Easement · 483 acLocal Other or Unknown · 475 acRecreation or Education Easement · 387 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 3,291 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 12 of 306 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wharton Plantation State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 597 | Restricted |
| J. Harry Rich State Forest State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 417 | Open |
| Squannacook River Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 394 | Open |
| Sabine Woods State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 139 | Restricted |
| Groton Woods Cons.Area Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 136 | Open |
| Conservation Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 136 | Open |
| Unkety Brook Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 132 | Open |
| Groton Country Club State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 111 | Open |
| West Groton Water District State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 108 | Restricted |
| Groton Water Supply Land State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 86 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
41 places to go in Groton
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Groton
Swimming HoleIn Peter E. Bertozzi Conservation Area
DirectionsPlus 3 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Groton
Groton Country Club Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Groton
Library playgroundIn Hanson Playground
DirectionsTwomey Playground
DirectionsPlus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Groton
Petapawag Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Groton
Buckingham PointIn Duck Pond Conservation Area
DirectionsGibbet Hill Sunset ViewpointIn Gibbet Hill
DirectionsObservation DeckIn Hawtree Conservation Area
DirectionsPlus 7 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Groton
Chestnut Hill515 ft elevation
DirectionsProspect Hill489 ft elevation
DirectionsBrown Loaf463 ft elevation
DirectionsGibbet Hill456 ft elevation
DirectionsThe Throne453 ft elevation · In Academy Hill
DirectionsBaralock Hill433 ft elevation
DirectionsRocky Hill430 ft elevation
DirectionsIndian Hills364 ft elevation
Directions5 more peaks
Snake Hill348 ft elevation · In Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsShepley Hill341 ft elevation · In Shepley Hill
DirectionsClay Pit Hill338 ft elevation
DirectionsFletcher Hill331 ft elevation
DirectionsScarlet Hill
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 23 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 3.5 miHorses · 25.8 miUnpaved · 133.5 mi
Squannacook River Rail Trail2.4 mi
Fireroad1.9 mi
Loop Trail1.7 mi
Ice Line Trail1.4 mi
J. Harry Rich Trail1.3 mi
Red Line Trail1.3 mi
Heronry Trail1.3 mi
Brown Trail1.2 mi
Skitapet Trail1.0 mi
Oxbow Loop0.9 mi
15 more trails
Chestnut Oak Loop Trail
0.9 miBurnt Meadow Trail
0.8 miEast Trail
0.8 miChestnut Hill Loop Trail
0.7 miBoulders Trail
0.7 miBruce Clements Trail
0.7 miEagle Loop
0.7 miCasella Trail
0.7 miGamlin Esker Trail
0.6 miIndian Rock Trail
0.6 miPriest Trail
0.6 miGibbet Hill Trail
0.6 miSabine River Trail
0.5 miRocky Hill Trail
0.4 miStoddart Trail
0.4 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Archie PondBaddacook PondBurnt Meadow PondCady PondCow PondpondDead RiveroxbowDuck PondpondFairytale PondpondGroton School PondHalf Moon PondKnops PondLost LakeMartins PondMassapoag PondSpringy PondUpper Cady PondUpper Massapoag PondreservoirWattles PondWhitney PondCow Pond BrookNashua RiverPepperell PondSquannacook River
Biking & sports
13 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
13 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
24Tennis
22Baseball
9Soccer
8Pickleball
3Basketball
2Field hockey
2Football
1Beach volleyball
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 16 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Groton InnBuilding · listed 1976
About itGroton Leatherboard CompanyDistrict · listed 2002
About itGov. George S. Boutwell HouseBuilding · listed 2005
About itBennett-Shattuck HouseBuilding · listed 2006
About itDistrict 7 SchoolBuilding · listed 2008
About itGroton High SchoolBuilding · listed 2010
About itFirst Parish Church of GrotonBuilding · listed 2021
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Groton: 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) | 35 | 37 | 46 | 59 | 70 | 78 | 84 | 82 | 74 | 62 | 50 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 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 Groton →
Next door
Groton and its neighbors
Groton has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Groton153 miWestford140 miLittleton46 miDunstable42 miPepperell33 miShirley27 miTyngsborough26 miAyer16 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groton | 34% | 4.7 | 569 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Shirley | 28% | 1.7 | 390 | 95% | A+ |
| Pepperell | 20% | 1.5 | 201 | 93% | A+ |
| Ayer | 16% | 1.8 | 62 | 94% | A+ |
| Dunstable | 30% | 2.5 | 796 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Westford | 24% | 4.6 | 104 | 97% | A+ |
| Tyngsborough | 15% | 1.6 | 64 | 91% | A+ |
| Littleton | 17% | 2.8 | 155 | 96% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Groton
Where can I hike in Groton?
The longest trail networks: Wharton Plantation, 6.6 miles; Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 5.7 miles; J. Harry Rich State Forest, 5 miles; Surrenden Farms, 3.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Groton is conserved land?
34% 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 Groton’s trails?
Wharton Plantation and Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Groton?
13 miles of bike routes are on the map: 13 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Groton?
61,429 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Groton or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 6,831 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Groton have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #3 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 Groton 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 →