H.O. Cook State Forest
Nature preserve
897 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Photo: ToddC4176 · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Heath
Few parks or trails are on the map in Heath
The biggest trail networks: H.O. Cook State Forest (1.8 mi). 22% of Heath’s land is conserved, about 3,466 acres. 1,843 acres are parks and preserves, 2,410 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
22%
3,466 acres · of 24.9 sq mi of land
Trails
4.2 mi
0.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,843 ac
2,410 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
52%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
1,903 ft
Underwood Hill
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 H.O. Cook State Forest, with 1.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Town Land
Nature preserve
318 acres0.2 mi of trail
Flagg Hill Road Branch
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Crowningshield Conservation Area
Managed by Franklin Land Trust
251 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Howland Memorial Forest
Nature preserve
68 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 9 parks & preserves
H.O. Cook State Forest897 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
Town Land318 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Crowningshield Conservation Area251 acres · Franklin Land Trust
Howland Memorial Forest68 acres
Dell Road Conservation Area63 acres
West Branch Wildlife Sanctuary52 acres
Maitland Memorial Forest39 acres
Fort Shirley32 acres
Harriet Carpenter Read Forest12 acres
Who protects it
3,466 conserved acres
22% of Heath’s land. Who manages Heath’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land1,627 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,483 ac
State natural resources249 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)116 ac
State fish & wildlife82 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government81 ac
Town or city75 ac
Agricultural Easement · 2,462 acConservation Easement · 1,248 acState Resource Management Area · 908 acLocal Other or Unknown · 334 acPrivate Conservation · 275 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,900 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 6 of 90 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| H.O. Cook State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 908 | Open |
| Burnt Hill Road Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 318 | Open |
| Warren W. Smith Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 126 | Open |
| Howland Memorial Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 67 | Restricted |
| Dell Road Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 63 | Open |
| Fort Shirley Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 36 | Open |
| Harriet Carpenter Read Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 20 | Restricted |
| Heath Fairgrounds Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 14 | Open |
| South Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 4 | Open |
| Heath Elementary School Playground Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 4 | Open |
4 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
3 places to go in Heath
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Heath
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Peaks in Heath
Underwood Hill1,903 ft elevation
DirectionsBurnt Hill1,795 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 4.1 mi
Flagg Hill Road Branch0.5 mi
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
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Heath Center Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2017
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Heath: 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) | 30 | 33 | 41 | 54 | 67 | 75 | 79 | 77 | 70 | 58 | 46 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 3.8 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
February is the driest month (3.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 5.1 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Heath →
Next door
Heath 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heath | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Charlemont | 23% | 1.6 | 137 | 24% | A |
| Rowe | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Colrain | 22% | 0.8 | 2,086 | 34% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Heath
Where can I hike in Heath?
The longest trail networks: H.O. Cook State Forest, 1.8 miles; Town Land, 0.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Heath’s trails?
H.O. Cook State Forest and Town Land don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Heath?
51,700 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Heath or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,903 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Heath 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 →