October Mountain State Forest
Managed by Division of State Parks and Recreation
1,259 acres8.6 mi of trail
Boulder Trail (orange)Eagle Ledge TrailLedge Trail (blue)Schoolhouse Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Lee
37% of Lee’s land is conserved: 6,245 acres
3,475 acres are parks and preserves, 608 per 1,000 residents. 95% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 26 miles of mapped trail cross Lee, 1.0 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns · #95 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
37%
6,245 acres · of 26.1 sq mi of land
Trails
26 mi
1.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,475 ac
608 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
95%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.2 mi
0.2 mi paths
Highest peak
1,214 ft
The Pinnacle
Lakes & rivers
8
1 beach
What kind of outdoors town is Lee?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Lee have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Lee is ahead of 98% of U.S. towns, #95 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, trail miles lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Lee’s overall grade.
Conserved land37% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails1.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (26 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land608 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,475 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13A+Parks close to home95% of residents within a half mile of a park · MA 93% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 98%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 67%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Lee’s 37% is ahead of 87% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 20% 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 October Mountain State Forest, with 8.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Beartown State Forest
Nature preserve
688 acres3.7 mi of trail
Laura Lookout trailOld Wildcat TrailBeebe TrailBurgoyne Pass (old road)+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Basin Pond
Managed by Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
268 acres2.1 mi of trail
Basin Pond Upper RouteBasin Pond Lower RouteBasin Pond TrailDam Spur Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Appalachian Trail Corridor
Managed by National Park Service
218 acres1.1 mi of trail
Appalachian TrailBlue Blaze Trail to UGP Cabin
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto AT parking
Goose Pond Reservation
Nature preserve
104 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Town of Lee Water Department Land
Nature preserve
654 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Ferncliff Property
Nature preserve
18 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
George L. Darey Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
66 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 19 parks & preserves
October Mountain State Forest1,259 acres · 8.6 mi of trail · Division of State Parks and Recreation
DirectionsBeartown State Forest688 acres · 3.7 mi of trail
Basin Pond268 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
DirectionsAppalachian Trail Corridor218 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsGoose Pond Reservation104 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Town of Lee Water Department Land654 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
Ferncliff Property18 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
George L. Darey Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area66 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsLanders Road Reserve367 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Athletic Field4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHop Brook Wildlife Management Area353 acres
Longcope Property45 acres
Dunn Park32 acres
DirectionsHousatonic Fishing Access, Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)19 acres · BNRC
DirectionsAbbey Court Park7 acres
Edith Wharton Park3 acres
Little League Field3 acres
East Lee Park2 acres
Alsop Reserve1 acres
Who protects it
6,245 conserved acres
37% of Lee’s land. Who manages Lee’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits2,844 ac
Other state land486 ac
National Park Service245 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)143 ac
Town or city60 ac
Joint8 ac
Not recorded4,106 ac
Conservation Easement · 2,239 acState Conservation Area · 1,621 acState Resource Management Area · 1,027 acRecreation or Education Easement · 698 acWatershed Protection Area · 571 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,835 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 5 of 84 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| October Mountain State Forest State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 1,370 | Open |
| Water Department Land State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 652 | Open |
| Beartown State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 630 | Open |
| Hop Brook Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 456 | Open |
| Appalachian National Scenic Trail National Scenic or Historic Trail | National Park Service | 245 | Open |
| Chestnut Street Reserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 130 | Open |
| Town Farm Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 120 | Open |
| George L. Darey Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 112 | Open |
| Cedrone Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 108 | Open |
| Goose Pond Reservation Private Conservation | Not recorded | 104 | Closed |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
9 places to go in Lee
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Lee
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Lee
Bradley St. Playground
DirectionsMarble St. Playground
DirectionsPlus 1 playground without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Lee
1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Lee
Dam Overlook Observation PlatformIn Basin Pond
DirectionsPeaks in Lee
The Pinnacle1,214 ft elevation
DirectionsBeartown Mountain1,211 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Lee
Lee CampgroundIn October Mountain State Forest · DCR
DirectionsTrails & water
24 named trails and 8 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 2.3 miUnpaved · 8.8 mi
Boulder Trail (orange)1.6 mi
Laura Lookout trail1.2 mi
Eagle Ledge Trail1.2 mi
Ledge Trail (blue)1.2 mi
Schoolhouse Loop1.1 mi
Basin Pond Upper Route1.1 mi
Golden Hill Trail1.0 mi
Appalachian Trail0.9 mi
Old Wildcat Trail0.9 mi
Schemerhorn Trail0.8 mi
14 more trails
Beebe Trail
0.7 miBurgoyne Pass (old road)
0.6 miBasin Pond Lower Route
0.5 miBlue Blaze Trail to UGP Cabin
0.5 miski trail
0.4 miTamarack Trail
0.4 miBasin Pond Trail
0.4 miGorge Trail (South Side)
0.4 miGorge Trail (North Side)
0.4 miBoulder Trail Connecter (orange)
0.3 miDonato's Trail
0.2 miLoop Trail
0.2 miDam Spur Trail
0.2 miAccess Boulder Tral
0.1 miBiking & sports
0.2 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.2 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
15Tennis
2Basketball
2Baseball
1Pickleball
1Skate park
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).
Merrell TavernBuilding · listed 1972
About itLee Lower Main Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1976
About itHyde HouseBuilding · listed 1976
About itGolden Hill BridgeStructure · listed 1994
About itSouth Lee Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1999
About itHyde SchoolBuilding · listed 2004
About itLee StationBuilding · listed 2010
About itWhen to get out
May is the best month for walking in Lee
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) | 32 | 35 | 44 | 57 | 69 | 77 | 82 | 79 | 72 | 60 | 48 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 3.3 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.7 inches fall in September, the wettest month. The climate in Lee →
Next door
Lee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee | 37% | 1.0 | 608 | 95% | A+ |
| Lenox | 36% | 1.7 | 734 | 90% | A+ |
| Lenox Dale | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Washington | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Stockbridge | 26% | 0.7 | 830 | 91% | A+ |
| Tyringham | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Becket | 24% | 0.7 | 1,162 | 28% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Lee
Where can I hike in Lee?
The longest trail networks: October Mountain State Forest, 8.6 miles; Beartown State Forest, 3.7 miles; Basin Pond, 2.1 miles; Appalachian Trail Corridor, 1.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Lee is conserved land?
37% 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 Lee’s trails?
October Mountain State Forest and Beartown State Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Lee?
0.2 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.2 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Lee?
88,271 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lee or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,755 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Lee have?
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #95 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 Lee 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 →