Mount Misery Conservation Area
Managed by Town of Lincoln
222 acres6.4 mi of trail
Bay Circuit TrailAdams Woods - Mt Misery Path
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Daderot · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Lincoln
37% of Lincoln’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. 81 miles of mapped trail cross Lincoln, 5.7 per square mile of land. 37% of Lincoln’s land is conserved, about 3,349 acres.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #5 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
37%
3,349 acres · of 14.2 sq mi of land
Trails
81 mi
5.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,833 ac
408 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
1.4 mi
1.3 mi paths
Highest peak
348 ft
Pine Hill
Lakes & rivers
14
1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Lincoln?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild37% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.A trail town5.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, among the top 1% of U.S. towns.Parks close to homeVirtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park.History along the way9 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Lincoln have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Lincoln is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #5 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs put Lincoln near the top nationally; trail miles rank highest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Lincoln’s overall grade.
Conserved land37% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails5.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (81 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land408 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,833 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13AParks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · MA 93% · U.S. 72%A+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Among the top 1%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)#5 of 283
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Lincoln’s 37% is ahead of 85% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 99% of them.
Water is 5% of Lincoln’s area (1 of 15 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 35%.
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 Mount Misery Conservation Area, with 6.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Flints Pond Conservation Area
Nature preserve
289 acres5.3 mi of trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary
Managed by Mass Audubon
166 acres5.3 mi of trail
Forest Discovery TrailDrumlin LoopHayfield LoopOverlook Connector+1
Dogs usually not allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
Pine Hill Conservation Area
Nature preserve
315 acres5.2 mi of trail
Pine Hill Spur
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Minute Man National Historical Park
Managed by National Park Service
406 acres4.6 mi of trail
Battle Road Trail
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto Paul Revere Capture Site LotWebsite ↗
Walden Pond State Reservation
Nature preserve
78 acres2.8 mi of trail
Hemlock PathEsker TrailPine Ridge TrailHeywood's Meadow Path+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Trailer Parking
Wheeler Farm
Nature preserve
94 acres2.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Tanners Brook Conservation Area
Nature preserve
107 acres1.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 66 parks & preserves
Mount Misery Conservation Area222 acres · 6.4 mi of trail · Town of Lincoln
DirectionsFlints Pond Conservation Area289 acres · 5.3 mi of trail
DirectionsDrumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary166 acres · 5.3 mi of trail · Mass Audubon
DirectionsPine Hill Conservation Area315 acres · 5.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMinute Man National Historical Park406 acres · 4.6 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsWalden Pond State Reservation78 acres · 2.8 mi of trail
DirectionsWheeler Farm94 acres · 2.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTanners Brook Conservation Area107 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
Adams Woods72 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsBeaver Pond Conservation Area74 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
DirectionsFarrar Pond Conservation Trust26 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsBaker Bridge Fields Conservation Land98 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsBergen-Culver Conservation Land81 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Town of Lincoln Conservation Commission
DirectionsCodman East Conservation Land50 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsCodman South Conservation Land53 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Town of Lincoln Conservation Commission
DirectionsFernald Woods50 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWalden Woods Project31 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
Osborne Farm Conservation Area38 acres · 1 mi of trail
Lincoln Ridge Conservation Trust31 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsCodman North Conservation Land83 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsPierce Park30 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsdeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum28 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · The Trustees of Reservations
DirectionsRicci Farm95 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Flint Fields24 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsMcDowell Woods74 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Mass Audubon
DirectionsPigeon Hill Conservation Area51 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
Farrar Village Conservation Trust37 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsDean-Condit Conservation Land14 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Town of Lincoln Conservation Commission
Farm Meadow Conservation Land46 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Smith Hill Conservation Restriction11 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Silver Hill Bog Conservation Area29 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Browning Fields22 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsBrooks Hill Conservation Restriction16 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Stony Brook South Conservation Land15 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Pierce Hill Conservation Area15 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Muster Field13 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsTown Well16 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Harrington Conservation Project13 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Donaldson Field13 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsTwin Pond Conservation Area11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsStonehedge Conservation Land7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Old Sudbury Road Conservation Land21 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsUmbrello Conservation Land20 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFarrar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Mass Audubon
DirectionsSmith-Andover Field7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMass Audubon Headquarters37 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Mass Audubon
DirectionsValley Brook Conservation Area24 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Valley Pond Conservation Restriction16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · LLCT
Old Concord Road Site13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSpencer Land6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Lincoln Conservation Commission
Longmeadow5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Conant Land5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPine Loch Conservation Area2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Cambridge Water Supply Land196 acres
Codman Community Farm20 acres · Codman Community Farms
DirectionsFIt Trail Park and Playground16 acres
DirectionsGreat Meadows National Wildlife Refuge9 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Woods End8 acres
DirectionsFarrar Meadow Conservation Area7 acres · Town of Lincoln Conservation Commission
DirectionsHiddenwood Path6 acres
Baker Conservation Land4 acres
Schwann Land4 acres
Denormandie Land3 acres
Recreation Area3 acres
DirectionsWoodvale Farm Conservation Area2 acres
Deborah Birt Memorial Park Lincoln Woods1 acres
Who protects it
3,349 conserved acres
37% of Lincoln’s land. Water is left out: Lincoln has 14.2 square miles of land and 0.8 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Lincoln’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits1,258 ac
Town or city1,153 ac
National Park Service330 ac
Other state land120 ac
Joint87 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)56 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service27 ac
Conservation Easement · 2,146 acLocal Other or Unknown · 688 acPrivate Conservation · 633 acHistoric or Cultural Area · 328 acAgricultural Easement · 259 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,252 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 28 of 478 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minute Man National Historical Park Historic or Cultural Area | National Park Service | 328 | Restricted |
| Cambridge Water Supply Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 189 | Closed |
| Drumlin Farm Private Conservation | Not recorded | 110 | Restricted |
| Walden Pond State Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 77 | Open |
| Sandy Pond Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 74 | Open |
| Baker Bridge South Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 63 | Open |
| Lincoln Elementary School Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 60 | Open |
| Codman South Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 52 | Open |
| Beaver Pond Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 52 | Open |
| Wheeler Farm Private Conservation | Not recorded | 52 | Restricted |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
42 places to go in Lincoln
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Lincoln
Fit Trail PlaygroundIn FIt Trail Park and Playground
DirectionsPlus 25 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Lincoln
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Lincoln
Cartopper Only LaunchIn Mount Misery Conservation Area
DirectionsScenic views in Lincoln
4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Lincoln
Pine Hill348 ft elevation · In Pine Hill Conservation Area
DirectionsMount Tabor322 ft elevation
DirectionsSmiths Hill302 ft elevation
DirectionsHathaway Hill285 ft elevation · In Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsMount Misery262 ft elevation · In Mount Misery Conservation Area
DirectionsBrooks HillIn Minute Man National Historical Park
DirectionsMoccasin Hill
DirectionsPigeon Hill
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Lincoln
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
20 named trails and 14 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 15.0 miHorses · 1.3 miUnpaved · 34.0 mi
Battle Road Trail2.2 mi
Bay Circuit Trail1.4 mi
Esker Trail1.0 mi
Adams Woods - Mt Misery Path0.4 mi
Forest Discovery Trail0.4 mi
Stonehedge Loop Trail0.4 mi
Drumlin Loop0.3 mi
Hayfield Loop0.2 mi
Hemlock Path0.2 mi
Pine Ridge Trail0.2 mi
10 more trails
Overlook Connector
0.2 miHeywood's Meadow Path
0.2 miEmerson's Cliff Trail
0.1 miBeeline Trail
0.1 miPine Hill Spur
0.1 miHeywood's Meadow Trail
0.1 miPond Path
0.1 miStonehedge Road Access
0.1 miSocial
0.1 miBird Hill Path
0.1 miBiking & sports
1.4 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.3 mi
off-road bike paths
0.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
56Tennis
10Basketball
9Baseball
4Equestrian
4Beach volleyball
3Soccer
1Field hockey
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →9 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 11 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Minute Man National Historical ParkDistrict · listed 1966
About itHoar TavernBuilding · listed 1973
About itDaniel Brooks HouseBuilding · listed 1973
About itGrange, TheBuilding · listed 1974
About itGrange, The,Building · listed 1976
About itLincoln Center Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1985
About itWoods End Road Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1988
About itFlint HouseBuilding · listed 2003
About itHenry Higginson HouseBuilding · listed 2005
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Lincoln: 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) | 36 | 39 | 47 | 59 | 70 | 79 | 84 | 83 | 75 | 63 | 52 | 41 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
February is the driest month (3.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Lincoln →
Next door
Lincoln 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | 37% | 5.7 | 408 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Concord | 37% | 5.1 | 198 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Weston | 24% | 5.5 | 143 | 98% | A+ |
| Bedford | 23% | 3.5 | 80 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Waltham | 18% | 2.9 | 13 | 99% | A |
| Lexington | 22% | 4.0 | 61 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Wayland | 41% | 3.8 | 106 | 98% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Lincoln
Where can I hike in Lincoln?
The longest trail networks: Mount Misery Conservation Area, 6.4 miles; Flints Pond Conservation Area, 5.3 miles; Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, 5.3 miles; Pine Hill Conservation Area, 5.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Lincoln 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 Lincoln’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Mount Misery Conservation Area (on leash) and Flints Pond Conservation Area (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Lincoln?
1.4 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.3 of off-road paths and 0.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Lincoln?
47,156 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lincoln or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,956 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Lincoln have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #5 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 Lincoln 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 →