Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve
Managed by Harwich Conservation Trust
84 acres2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Harwich Port
13% of Harwich Port’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: Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve (2 mi). 13% of Harwich Port’s land is conserved, about 216 acres.
Conserved land
13%
216 acres · of 2.6 sq mi of land
Trails
4.4 mi
1.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
126 ac
56 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
4
8 beaches · 1 boat launch
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 Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve, with 2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Grass Pond Bird Sanctuary
Managed by Town of Harwich
13 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Red River Valley Preserve
Managed by Harwich Conservation Trust
9 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Grassy Pond Conservation Area
Managed by Harwich Conservation Trust
9 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 10 parks & preserves
Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve84 acres · 2 mi of trail · Harwich Conservation Trust
DirectionsGrass Pond Bird Sanctuary13 acres · Town of Harwich
Red River Valley Preserve9 acres · Harwich Conservation Trust
Grassy Pond Conservation Area9 acres · Harwich Conservation Trust
Red River Swamp Conservation Area6 acres
DirectionsRed River Conservation Area5 acres · Chatham Conservation Foundation
Skinequit Road Conservation Area1 acres
Larsen Park1 acres
Red River1 acres
Walther Road1 acres
Who protects it
216 conserved acres
13% of Harwich Port’s land. Water is left out: Harwich Port has 2.6 square miles of land and 0.2 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Harwich Port’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city10 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits10 ac
Not recorded205 ac
Private Conservation · 79 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 61 acLocal Other or Unknown · 47 acLocal Conservation Area · 19 acConservation Easement · 10 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 5 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 3 of 33 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Street Bogs Nature Preserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 70 | Open |
| Harwich Port Golf Club Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 61 | Restricted |
| Town of Harwich Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 14 | Open |
| Grass Pond Bird Sanctuary Local Conservation Area | Not recorded | 13 | Open |
| Mount Pleasant Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 9 | Open |
| Unspecified Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 8 | Unknown |
| Harwich Conservation Trust Private Conservation | Not recorded | 7 | Unknown |
| Conservation Land Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 7 | Restricted |
| Red River Swamp Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 6 | Open |
| Grassy Pond Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 5 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
11 places to go in Harwich Port
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Harwich Port
Bank Street Beach
DirectionsRed River Beach
DirectionsPlus 6 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Harwich Port
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Harwich Port
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Trails & water
4 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
17Tennis
8Pickleball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Harwich Port: 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 Port →
Next door
Harwich Port and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Harwich73 miNorthwest Harwich34 miEast Harwich31 miChatham27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harwich Port | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Harwich | 19% | 3.5 | 114 | 95% | A+ |
| Chatham | 65% | 1.6 | 161 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Harwich Center | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Northwest Harwich | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| East Harwich | — 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 Port
Where can I hike in Harwich Port?
The longest trail networks: Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve, 2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Harwich Port’s trails?
Robert F. Smith Cold Brook Preserve and Grass Pond Bird Sanctuary don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Harwich Port?
11,172 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Harwich Port or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 126 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Harwich Port 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 →