Hadley Water Supply Land
Managed by Town of Hadley Water Department
361 acres13.5 mi of trail
RaybunctiousTessman LoopSwiss MissGlenna Bell+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Hadley
42% of Hadley’s land is conserved: 6,191 acres
59 miles of mapped trail cross Hadley, 2.6 per square mile of land. 1,880 acres are parks and preserves, 354 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Hadley Water Supply Land (13.5 mi), Mount Holyoke Range State Park (6.8 mi), Joseph Allen Skinner State Park (6.4 mi).
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns · #133 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
42%
6,191 acres · of 23.1 sq mi of land
Trails
59 mi
2.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,880 ac
354 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
65%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
9.1 mi
0.8 mi lanes · 8.3 mi paths
Highest peak
889 ft
Mount Holyoke
Lakes & rivers
8
1 beach · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Hadley?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild42% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.A trail town2.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 96% of U.S. towns.Room to roam354 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.History along the way5 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Hadley have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Hadley is ahead of 97% of U.S. towns, #133 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 Hadley’s overall grade.
Conserved land42% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails2.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (59 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land354 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,880 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13AParks close to home65% 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 53%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Hadley’s 42% is ahead of 93% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 67% of them.
Water is 6% of Hadley’s area (2 of 25 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 40%.
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 Hadley Water Supply Land, with 13.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Mount Holyoke Range State Park
Managed by Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation
335 acres6.8 mi of trail
Glenna BellChristmas TrailBeary's TrailTwistin' Tristan+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Joseph Allen Skinner State Park
Nature preserve
407 acres6.4 mi of trail
NET/M&M Trail (white)Halfway House Trail (Blue)Devil's FootballTaylor's Notch Trail/RFT (Yellow/Orange)+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Mount Warner Reservation
Nature preserve
153 acres2.3 mi of trail
Salamander Loop Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Bay Road Conservation Restriction
Nature preserve
46 acres1.5 mi of trail
Low DownLower Tricky Turn Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Fort River Grasslands Division
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
251 acres1 mi of trail
Fort River Birding and Nature Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Lake Warner Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
96 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Dyer Conservation Area
Nature preserve
34 acres0.6 mi of trail
Mt. Warner ConnectorMt. Warner Connector Overlook Loop
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 26 parks & preserves
Hadley Water Supply Land361 acres · 13.5 mi of trail · Town of Hadley Water Department
DirectionsMount Holyoke Range State Park335 acres · 6.8 mi of trail · Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation
Joseph Allen Skinner State Park407 acres · 6.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMount Warner Reservation153 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsBay Road Conservation Restriction46 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsFort River Grasslands Division251 acres · 1 mi of trail · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
DirectionsLake Warner Wildlife Management Area96 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Dyer Conservation Area34 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Lake Warner Conservation Area7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Eastman Preserve4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Kestrel Land Trust
Connecticut River Greenway State Park221 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsMount Holyoke Range Conservation Area4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of South Hadley Conservation Commission
Wilderness Area3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSilvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge251 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Alexandra Dawson Wildlife Reserve38 acres
South Athletic Field23 acres · Umass Amherst
DirectionsRiver Drive Conservation Area22 acres
North Maple Street Conservation Land20 acres
Aquifer Protection Area17 acres
Nevinsmith Conservation Restriction15 acres · Town of Hadley Conservation Commission
Hadley Water Department Land12 acres
West Street Common12 acres
DirectionsConservation Land9 acres
World Peace - Lashway Conservation Restriction7 acres · Division of State Parks and Recreation
North Hadley Field1 acres
UMass Amherst Sunwheel1 acres · UMass Amherst
Who protects it
6,191 conserved acres
42% of Hadley’s land. Water is left out: Hadley has 23.1 square miles of land and 1.5 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Hadley’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land5,762 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)1,539 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits713 ac
State parks622 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service590 ac
State conservation561 ac
Joint437 ac
Agricultural Easement · 7,753 acConservation Easement · 1,424 acState Park · 983 acNational Wildlife Refuge · 590 acRecreation or Education Easement · 286 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 4,510 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 9 of 473 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silvio O. Conte National Fish And Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 590 | Restricted |
| J.A. Skinner State Park State Park | Not recorded | 519 | Open |
| Mount Holyoke Range State Park State Park | Not recorded | 239 | Open |
| Connecticut River Greenway State Park State Park | Not recorded | 238 | Open |
| Lake Warner Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 106 | Open |
| Unknown Park Local Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 66 | Open |
| Norwottuck Rail Trail State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 61 | Open |
| River Drive Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 58 | Open |
| Municipal Land Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 42 | Open |
| U Mass Ball Fields Local Recreation Area | Other state land | 37 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
16 places to go in Hadley
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Hadley
Sandy Beach
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Hadley
5 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Hadley
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Hadley
Summit HouseIn Joseph Allen Skinner State Park
DirectionsPlus 5 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Hadley
Mount Holyoke889 ft elevation · In Joseph Allen Skinner State Park
DirectionsMount Warner512 ft elevation
DirectionsNibble Hill
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 8 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 24.1 miHorses · 0.6 miUnpaved · 16.2 mi
NET/M&M Trail (white)2.2 mi
Salamander Loop Trail1.8 mi
Glenna Bell1.8 mi
Raybunctious1.4 mi
Tessman Loop1.0 mi
Fort River Birding and Nature Trail1.0 mi
Jeffrey R. Wood Farm Trail0.9 mi
Halfway House Trail (Blue)0.9 mi
Swiss Miss0.8 mi
Tinker Trail0.8 mi
15 more trails
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum Farm Loop
0.7 miChristmas Trail
0.7 miTinker Toy
0.7 miDevil's Football
0.7 miMt. Warner Connector
0.7 miNoah Webster Trail
0.7 miEarl's Evolution
0.6 miTaylor's Notch Trail/RFT (Yellow/Orange)
0.6 miTriple B/RFT (orange)
0.6 miConglomerate Rock
0.6 miBeary's Trail
0.5 miHunter Trail
0.5 miBig Tree Trail
0.5 miTwo Forest
0.5 miGroundward Down
0.5 miBiking & sports
9.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.8 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
8.3 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
19Tennis
12Tracks
6Baseball
2Soccer
2Basketball
2Football
1Field hockey
1Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →5 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Porter-Phelps-Huntington HouseBuilding · listed 1973
About itHadley Center Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1977
About itHockanum Rural Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1993
About itNorth Hadley Historic DistrictBuilding · listed 1993
About itForty Acres and Its Skirts Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2023
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Hadley: 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 | 60 | 71 | 80 | 85 | 83 | 75 | 63 | 51 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 3.3 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 4.0 |
February is the driest month (2.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 4.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Hadley →
Next door
Hadley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hadley | 42% | 2.6 | 354 | 65% | A+ |
| Hatfield | 16% | 2.6 | 121 | 59% | A |
| Northampton | 30% | 3.5 | 109 | 98% | A+ |
| South Hadley | 31% | 3.3 | 168 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Amherst Town | 35% | 4.0 | 95 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Easthampton | 25% | 2.5 | 72 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Hadley
Where can I hike in Hadley?
The longest trail networks: Hadley Water Supply Land, 13.5 miles; Mount Holyoke Range State Park, 6.8 miles; Joseph Allen Skinner State Park, 6.4 miles; Mount Warner Reservation, 2.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Hadley is conserved land?
42% 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 Hadley’s trails?
Hadley Water Supply Land and Mount Holyoke Range State Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Hadley?
9.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.8 of painted or protected lanes and 8.3 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Hadley?
63,119 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Hadley or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,258 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Hadley have?
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #133 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 Hadley 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 →