Texeira Conservation Area
Managed by Town of Harwich
17 acres0.7 mi of trail
Francis Worrell Loop Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Harwich Center
25% of Harwich Center’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. The biggest trail networks: Texeira Conservation Area (0.7 mi), Island Pond Conservation Area (0.6 mi). 25% of Harwich Center’s land is conserved, about 352 acres.
Conserved land
25%
352 acres · of 2.2 sq mi of land
Trails
3.3 mi
1.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
102 ac
57 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
1.1 mi
1.1 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
3
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 Texeira Conservation Area, with 0.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Island Pond Conservation Area
Managed by Town of Harwich
41 acres0.6 mi of trail
Island Loop Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Brooks Park
Managed by Town of Harwich
18 acres0.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
William & Barbara Hacker Wildlife Sanctuary
Managed by Harwich Conservation Trust
11 acres0.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail signWebsite ↗
All 11 parks & preserves
Texeira Conservation Area17 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Town of Harwich
DirectionsIsland Pond Conservation Area41 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Town of Harwich
Brooks Park18 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of Harwich
DirectionsWilliam & Barbara Hacker Wildlife Sanctuary11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Harwich Conservation Trust
DirectionsPleasant Lake Avenue Conservation Area5 acres · Harwich Conservation Trust
Conservation Area3 acres · Harwich Conservation Trust
Chatham Rail Trail Extension2 acres
DirectionsSouth Street Conservation Restriction2 acres · Harwich Conservation Trust
Cape Cod Rail Trail1 acres · MA Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsWeston Woods Conservation Area1 acres · Town of Harwich
Weston Wood Road Conservation Area1 acres · Harwich Conservation Trust
Who protects it
352 conserved acres
25% of Harwich Center’s land. Who manages Harwich Center’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits78 ac
Not recorded310 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 256 acConservation Easement · 78 acPrivate Conservation · 19 acLocal Historic or Cultural Area · 18 acResearch or Educational Area · 10 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 41 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 37 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cranberry Valley Golf Club Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 190 | Restricted |
| Harwich Community Center Recreational Fields Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 36 | Open |
| Town of Harwich Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 17 | Open |
| Island Pond Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 16 | Open |
| High School Recreational Fields Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 10 | Open |
| Andrews Pond Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 9 | Open |
| Chatham Rail Trail Extension Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 8 | Open |
| Island Pond Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 7 | Open |
| Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 6 | Unknown |
| Holy Trinity Cemetery Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 4 | Unknown |
3 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
3 places to go in Harwich Center
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Harwich Center
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Picnic areas in Harwich Center
2 picnic areas without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Trails & water
2 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 1.2 mi
Island Loop Trail0.5 mi
Francis Worrell Loop Trail0.5 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
1.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.1 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
8Pickleball
5Baseball
4Tennis
1Basketball
1Football
1Soccer
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Harwich Center: 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 | 71 | 78 | 77 | 71 | 62 | 52 | 44 |
| Rain (in) | 3.9 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.7 |
July is the driest month (2.4 in) and the warmest (highs of 78 °F). 4.7 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in Harwich Center →
Next door
Harwich Center 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harwich Center | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| East Harwich | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| 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 | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Harwich Center
Where can I hike in Harwich Center?
The longest trail networks: Texeira Conservation Area, 0.7 miles; Island Pond Conservation Area, 0.6 miles; Brooks Park, 0.2 miles; William & Barbara Hacker Wildlife Sanctuary, 0.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Harwich Center’s trails?
Texeira Conservation Area and Island Pond Conservation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Harwich Center?
1.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.1 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Harwich Center?
11,719 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Harwich Center or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 143 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Harwich Center 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 →