Carolina Hill
Nature preserve
781 acres21.6 mi of trail
Godzilla's RampageEntering the Tail of the DragonThe EliminatorSimo's Rise above+1
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: T.S. Custadio aka ToddC4176 at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Marshfield
24% of Marshfield’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. 64 miles of mapped trail cross Marshfield, 2.2 per square mile of land. 24% of Marshfield’s land is conserved, about 4,443 acres.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #14 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
24%
4,443 acres · of 28.6 sq mi of land
Trails
64 mi
2.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
4,358 ac
168 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.4 mi
0.4 mi paths
Highest peak
253 ft
Carolina Hill
Lakes & rivers
14
2 beaches · 2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Marshfield?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Marshfield have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Marshfield is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #14 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs put Marshfield near the top nationally; the share of residents near a park ranks highest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Marshfield’s overall grade.
Conserved land24% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%ATrails2.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (64 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land168 acres of park per 1,000 residents (4,358 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)Ahead of 95%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Marshfield’s 24% is ahead of 61% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 58% of them.
Water is 10% of Marshfield’s area (3 of 32 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 22%.
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 Carolina Hill, with 21.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Furnace Brook Watershed
Nature preserve
357 acres5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Nelson Memorial Forest
Nature preserve
176 acres3.3 mi of trail
Cove Brook Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail sign
Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary
Nature preserve
442 acres2.3 mi of trail
Pond LoopSecret TrailRiver WalkPiggery Loop
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Cornhill Woodland
Nature preserve
125 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Two Mile Farm Reservation
Nature preserve
61 acres1.8 mi of trail
Cart Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Webster's Wilderness
Nature preserve
150 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hoyt-Hall Preserve
Nature preserve
115 acres1.3 mi of trail
Hoyt-Hall Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
All 66 parks & preserves
Carolina Hill781 acres · 21.6 mi of trail
DirectionsFurnace Brook Watershed357 acres · 5 mi of trail
DirectionsNelson Memorial Forest176 acres · 3.3 mi of trail
DirectionsDaniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary442 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCornhill Woodland125 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsTwo Mile Farm Reservation61 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsWebster's Wilderness150 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsHoyt-Hall Preserve115 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsJohn Little Conservation Area74 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Marshfield Conservation Commission
DirectionsPudding Hill Reservation33 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsJose C. Carreiro Woodland22 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Union Street Woodland41 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsWildlands Trust - Phillips Farm39 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Wildlands Trust
DirectionsPratt Farm29 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Marshfield
DirectionsBrooks-Tilden Shipyard12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSchool St. Well Site11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Crowders Woodlot5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of Marshfield Conservation Commission
Veteran's Memorial Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsChurch Street Well50 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLach Pit Well Site30 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Taylor Fund Woodland17 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
South River Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Marshfield
DirectionsEnglish Salt Marsh431 acres
South River Marsh191 acres
North River Wildlife Sanctuary187 acres
Wharf Creek - Estes Woods87 acres
Mantia Salt Marsh79 acres
DirectionsDuxbury Marsh50 acres
Oak Street Woodland44 acres
Coast Guard Hill35 acres · Marshfield Recreation
DirectionsBass Creek Meadow34 acres
Cut River Meadow33 acres
Mounces Meadow31 acres
Sprague Forest31 acres
North & South River Estuary31 acres
Messer Land26 acres
MassAudubon - Little/Tilden Gift25 acres
Oak Street School25 acres
West Brook Meadow25 acres
Tilden Island24 acres
Well Site24 acres
Leblanc Marsh23 acres
Peter Igo Park19 acres
Blueberry Island16 acres
King Philips Esker16 acres
Shearwater Marsh15 acres
Bourne Island Marsh14 acres
Veader Memorial Forest14 acres
C Monahan Sanctuary13 acres
Pine Island13 acres
Edgewood Forest9 acres
Wildcat Woodland9 acres
Ferry Hill Thicket7 acres
North River Lot6 acres
Brant Rock Marsh5 acres
DirectionsHighland Street Field4 acres
Coopers Pond4 acres
Rivermoor Habitat Park3 acres
Drake-Powell Memorial Forest3 acres
Green Harbor Lots3 acres · Town of Marshfield Conservation Commission
Cove Creek Nature Area2 acres
Fetlock Farms2 acres · Town of Marshfield Conservation Commission
Spring St Cc Land2 acres
South River Junction1 acres
South Port Lot1 acres
Kent Park1 acres
Who protects it
4,443 conserved acres
24% of Marshfield’s land. Water is left out: Marshfield has 28.6 square miles of land and 3.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Marshfield’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits935 ac
Town or city748 ac
Not recorded3,304 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 1,779 acConservation Easement · 1,084 acPrivate Conservation · 976 acWatershed Protection Area · 417 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 339 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 658 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 19 of 233 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hill Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 470 | Open |
| Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary Private Conservation | Not recorded | 460 | Open |
| Carolina Hill Woodlands Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 247 | Open |
| South River Marsh Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 215 | Open |
| Nelson Memorial Forest Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 177 | Closed |
| Town of Marshfield Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 167 | Open |
| Green Harbor Golf Club Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 125 | Restricted |
| Marshfield Rod And Gun Club Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 107 | Restricted |
| Marshfield Country Club Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 98 | Restricted |
| Marshfield Water Supply Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 82 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
31 places to go in Marshfield
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Marshfield
2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Marshfield
9 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Marshfield
Marshfield Boat Launch Facility
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Marshfield
Fox HillIn Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsObservation blindIn Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsObservation blindIn Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Marshfield
Carolina Hill253 ft elevation · In Carolina Hill
DirectionsTelegraph Hill200 ft elevation
DirectionsMarshfield Hills190 ft elevation
DirectionsHagar Hill184 ft elevation
DirectionsHolly Hill151 ft elevation
DirectionsSnake Hill144 ft elevation
DirectionsPudding Hill128 ft elevation
DirectionsBlack Mountain118 ft elevation
Directions3 more peaks
Duck Hill69 ft elevation
DirectionsFerry Hill69 ft elevation
DirectionsTea Rock Hill36 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Marshfield
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Marshfield
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
17 named trails and 14 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 6.6 miHorses · 4.8 miUnpaved · 33.6 mi
South River Trail2.9 mi
Godzilla's Rampage1.8 mi
Hoyt-Hall Trail1.8 mi
Wildlands Trust - Phillips Farm Path1.1 mi
Entering the Tail of the Dragon0.7 mi
The Eliminator0.5 mi
Simo's Rise above0.5 mi
Pond Loop0.4 mi
River Walk0.4 mi
Secret Trail0.4 mi
7 more trails
Cart Path
0.3 miCove Brook Trail
0.3 miRed trail
0.2 miSimo's Rise Above
0.2 miBlue trail
0.1 miPiggery Loop
0.1 miWildlands Trust - Phillips Farm Path Connector
0.1 miBiking & sports
0.4 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.4 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
16Tennis
12Baseball
5Soccer
4Basketball
2Football
2Beach volleyball
1Skate park
1Hockey rinks
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 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 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Marshfield: 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 | 15.2 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 38 | 40 | 47 | 57 | 67 | 76 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 63 | 52 | 43 |
| Rain (in) | 4.2 | 3.8 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.9 |
July is the driest month (3.4 in) and the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 5.3 inches fall in March, the wettest month. The climate in Marshfield →
Next door
Marshfield and its neighbors
Marshfield has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Marshfield64 miDuxbury55 miNorwell42 miPembroke32 miScituate29 miNorth Pembroke1.9 miMarshfield Hills1.0 miOcean Bluff-Brant Rock0.6 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshfield | 24% | 2.2 | 168 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Scituate | 20% | 1.7 | 86 | 91% | A+ |
| Norwell | 15% | 2.0 | 154 | 96% | A+ |
| Marshfield Hills | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Duxbury | 28% | 2.3 | 180 | 99% | A+ |
| Pembroke | 19% | 1.5 | 77 | 87% | A+ |
| North Pembroke | — 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 Marshfield
Where can I hike in Marshfield?
The longest trail networks: Carolina Hill, 21.6 miles; Furnace Brook Watershed, 5 miles; Nelson Memorial Forest, 3.3 miles; Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, 2.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Marshfield is conserved land?
24% 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 Marshfield’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Carolina Hill. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Marshfield?
0.4 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.4 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Marshfield?
27,618 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Marshfield or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,730 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Marshfield have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #14 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 Marshfield 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 →