Lynn Woods Reservation
Nature preserve
1,665 acres35.9 mi of trail
Overlook TrailDeep Woods Trail EastBow Ridge (Partial)Cornel Path+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger) · Public domainAOutdoors
Outdoors in Lynn
14% of Lynn’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. 43 miles of mapped trail cross Lynn, 4.0 per square mile of land. 14% of Lynn’s land is conserved, about 976 acres.
Ahead of 87% of U.S. towns · #241 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
14%
976 acres · of 10.7 sq mi of land
Trails
43 mi
4.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
231 ac
2.3 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
6.8 mi
2.0 mi lanes · 3.4 mi paths
Highest peak
285 ft
Burrill Hill
Lakes & rivers
7
4 beaches · 7 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Lynn?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Lynn have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Lynn is ahead of 87% of U.S. towns, #241 of 283 in Massachusetts. Trail miles hold the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Lynn’s overall grade.
Conserved land14% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A−Trails4.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (43 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land2.3 acres of park per 1,000 residents (231 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13C−Parks 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)Ahead of 87%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 15%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Lynn ranks #115 on Outdoors.
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Lynn’s 14% is ahead of 20% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 88% of them.
Water is 21% of Lynn’s area (3 of 14 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 11%.
Park acres per resident are where Lynn trails most U.S. towns: 2.3 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 104,236 people share 231 acres.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to 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 Lynn Woods Reservation, with 35.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Spring Pond Water Department Land
Nature preserve
8 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Lynn Heritage State Park
Managed by DCR
5 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Gallagher Playground
Park
16 acres0.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 30 parks & preserves
Lynn Woods Reservation1,665 acres · 35.9 mi of trail
DirectionsSpring Pond Water Department Land8 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Lynn Heritage State Park5 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · DCR
DirectionsGallagher Playground16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Breed Park (Bowser Field)10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBarry Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHood Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFrey Playground8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsKeaney Park16 acres
Agganis Athletic Complex15 acres
DirectionsFrog Pond Conservation Area10 acres
Lynn Common10 acres
DirectionsGowdy Memorial Park9 acres
Neptune Boulevard Park9 acres
DirectionsGeneral Electric Athletic Association Field7 acres
DirectionsMagnolia Avenue Playground6 acres
Manning Field4 acres
Flax Pond Playground4 acres
Floating Bridge Park4 acres
Kiley Playground3 acres
DirectionsClark Street Playground3 acres
Red Rock Park3 acres
Carroll Parkway3 acres
DirectionsGoldfish Pond Park2 acres
Northern Avenue Playground2 acres
DirectionsHenry Avenue Playground2 acres
Cook Street Playground2 acres
Ames Playground1 acres
Marshview Park1 acres · Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsWarren Street Playground1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
976 conserved acres
14% of Lynn’s land. Water is left out: Lynn has 10.7 square miles of land and 2.8 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Lynn’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land455 ac
Town or city133 ac
State parks14 ac
Private owners12 ac
State conservation1 ac
Not recorded368 ac
State Resource Management Area · 256 acWatershed Protection Area · 233 acLocal Historic or Cultural Area · 205 acLocal Other or Unknown · 97 acPrivate Historic or Cultural · 84 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 4 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 14 of 65 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breeds Pond Reservoir Watershed Protection Area | Other state land | 206 | Closed |
| Pine Grove Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 200 | Open |
| Walden and Glen Lewis Pond State Resource Management Area | Other state land | 117 | Open |
| Flax Pond State Resource Management Area | Other state land | 57 | Open |
| Sluice Pond State Resource Management Area | Other state land | 46 | Open |
| St Josephs Cemetery Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 41 | Unknown |
| Water District Area Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 27 | Unknown |
| Lynn Shore Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 23 | Open |
| St Marys Cemetery Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 22 | Unknown |
| Fraser Field Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 16 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
69 places to go in Lynn
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Lynn
Kings Beach
DirectionsLynn Beach
DirectionsPlus 2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Lynn
Bennett Street Playground
DirectionsFilene Playground
DirectionsHigh Rock Tower Park/Res
DirectionsHigh Rock Tower Park/Res
DirectionsSagamore Street Playground
DirectionsSheridan Street Playground
DirectionsWilliams Avenue Park
Directions33 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Lynn
Barkland Avenue Dog Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Lynn
Briarcliff Lodge Boat Ramp
DirectionsPlus 6 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Lynn
OverlookIn Lynn Woods Reservation
DirectionsStone TowerIn Lynn Woods Reservation
DirectionsPlus 4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Lynn
Burrill Hill285 ft elevation · In Lynn Woods Reservation
DirectionsMount Gilead253 ft elevation · In Lynn Woods Reservation
DirectionsMount Hermon249 ft elevation · In Lynn Woods Reservation
DirectionsMount Moriah243 ft elevation · In Lynn Woods Reservation
DirectionsWeetamoo Cliff223 ft elevation · In Lynn Woods Reservation
DirectionsProspect Hill207 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Spickett203 ft elevation · In Lynn Woods Reservation
DirectionsLong Hill180 ft elevation
Directions4 more peaks
Indian Hill144 ft elevation
DirectionsHigh Rock138 ft elevation
DirectionsPine Hill138 ft elevation
DirectionsDog Hill98 ft elevation · In Lynn Woods Reservation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Lynn
5 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Lynn
1 community garden without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
21 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 17.7 miUnpaved · 17.8 mi
Overlook Trail1.2 mi
Bow Ridge (Partial)0.8 mi
Deep Woods Trail East0.8 mi
Cornel Path0.6 mi
The Wicked Hard Trail0.5 mi
Undercliff Path0.5 mi
Boulder Path0.4 mi
Jackson Path0.4 mi
Shark's Tooth East0.3 mi
Breed's Pond Trail0.3 mi
11 more trails
Birch Pond Trail
0.3 miOld Goat Path (OGP)
0.3 miRichardson Pathway
0.3 miBombshell Trail (Blue)
0.2 miChicken Soup Trail
0.2 miNick's Path
0.2 miLoop Trail
0.2 miTracy Trail
0.2 miDeep Woods Trail West
0.2 miGoat Path
0.2 miBow Ridge Trail and Shark's Tooth
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
6.8 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.0 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
3.4 mi
off-road bike paths
1.3 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
25Baseball
24Basketball
20Tennis
7Soccer
3Pickleball
1Hockey rinks
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →29 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Charles Lovejoy HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itG.A.R. Hall and MuseumBuilding · listed 1979
About itLynn Masonic HallBuilding · listed 1979
About itLynn Public LibraryBuilding · listed 1979
About itLynn, ArmoryBuilding · listed 1979
About itSt. Stephen's Memorial ChurchBuilding · listed 1979
About itHigh Rock Tower-High Rock Cottage and Daisy CottageDistrict · listed 1979
About itOld Post Office BuildingBuilding · listed 1981
About itFabens BuildingBuilding · listed 1982
About itMowers' BlockBuilding · listed 1982
About it17 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Lynn: 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) | 36 | 38 | 45 | 57 | 67 | 76 | 81 | 80 | 73 | 62 | 51 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 |
February is the driest month (3.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.7 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in Lynn →
Next door
Lynn and its neighbors
Lynn has the most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynn | 14% | 4.0 | 2 | 99%+ | A |
| Saugus | 20% | 2.9 | 50 | 94% | A+ |
| Nahant | 14% | 2.8 | 49 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Lynnfield | 28% | 1.9 | 41 | 96% | A+ |
| Swampscott | 18% | 1.6 | 9 | 99%+ | A |
| Peabody | 15% | 1.3 | 14 | 98% | A |
| Revere | 16% | 1.2 | 10 | 99%+ | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Lynn
Where can I hike in Lynn?
The longest trail networks: Lynn Woods Reservation, 35.9 miles; Spring Pond Water Department Land, 0.4 miles; Lynn Heritage State Park, 0.4 miles; Gallagher Playground, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Lynn is conserved land?
14% 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 Lynn’s trails?
Lynn Woods Reservation and Spring Pond Water Department Land don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Lynn?
6.8 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.0 of painted or protected lanes, 3.4 of off-road paths and 1.3 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Lynn?
26,438 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lynn or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 485 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Lynn have?
Ahead of 87% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #241 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 Lynn 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 →