Quashnet Woods State Reservation
Nature preserve
640 acres9.1 mi of trail
Ashers West Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: T.S. Custadio aka ToddC4176 at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Mashpee
Mashpee has 121 miles of mapped trails, 5.2 for every square mile of land
36% of Mashpee’s land is conserved, about 5,377 acres. 4,415 acres are parks and preserves, 287 per 1,000 residents. 95% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #27 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
36%
5,377 acres · of 23.4 sq mi of land
Trails
121 mi
5.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
4,415 ac
287 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
95%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
10 mi
10 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
29
43 beaches · 14 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Mashpee?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Mashpee have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Mashpee is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #27 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Mashpee’s overall grade.
Conserved land36% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails5.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (121 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land287 acres of park per 1,000 residents (4,415 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13AParks 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)Among the top 1%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 91%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Mashpee’s 36% is ahead of 84% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 98% of them.
Water is 14% of Mashpee’s area (4 of 27 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 31%.
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 Quashnet Woods State Reservation, with 9.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Mashpee River Woodlands
Nature preserve
254 acres6.1 mi of trail
Long River TrailPartridge Berry TrailGreat Pine TrailJohnson Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
South Cape Beach State Park
Nature preserve
490 acres5.3 mi of trail
beach access
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Bayberry LotWebsite ↗
Santuit Pond Preserve
Nature preserve
190 acres4.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Johns Pond Park
Nature preserve
217 acres4.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Mashpee Pine Barrens Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
211 acres4.2 mi of trail
Great Hay Road South
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lowell Holly Reservation
Nature preserve
64 acres1.8 mi of trail
White TrailOrange TrailBlue TrailRed Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
South Mashpee Pine Barrens Conservation Area
Managed by Town of Mashpee Conservation Commission
96 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 33 parks & preserves
Quashnet Woods State Reservation640 acres · 9.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMashpee River Woodlands254 acres · 6.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSouth Cape Beach State Park490 acres · 5.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSantuit Pond Preserve190 acres · 4.6 mi of trail
DirectionsJohns Pond Park217 acres · 4.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMashpee Pine Barrens Wildlife Management Area211 acres · 4.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLowell Holly Reservation64 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsSouth Mashpee Pine Barrens Conservation Area96 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Town of Mashpee Conservation Commission
DirectionsChild's River Cooridoor230 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
Conservation Land80 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsNoisy Hole Conservation Area28 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWaquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve35 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge282 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
DirectionsSamuel Godfrey Lot12 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMashpee Community Park3 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsJehu Pond Conservation Area74 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsAlper Conservation34 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Alper Land15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Mashpee River Reservation11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · The trustees of reservations
Joseph Tobey Lot10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Prime View Conservation Area9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Mashpee Conservation Commission
William Simons Conservation Area6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Mashpee Pond Lot31 acres
DirectionsKings Grant15 acres
DirectionsAttaquin Park12 acres
DirectionsMashpee River Access12 acres
DirectionsStriar Land7 acres
Popponesset Beach6 acres
Simon Lowe Conservation Area4 acres
Punkhorn Point3 acres
B Z Realty Trust Land3 acres
DirectionsParkers Island Tract3 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The Trustees3 acres
Who protects it
5,377 conserved acres
36% of Mashpee’s land. Water is left out: Mashpee has 23.4 square miles of land and 3.9 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Mashpee’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service660 ac
State fish & wildlife310 ac
Town or city288 ac
State natural resources280 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits226 ac
State parks70 ac
State conservation21 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 1,627 acState Conservation Area · 1,141 acConservation Easement · 1,020 acNational Wildlife Refuge · 608 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 552 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 532 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 8 of 221 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 608 | Restricted |
| South Cape Beach State Park State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 475 | Open |
| Quashnet Woods State Reservation & Wildlife Management Area Unknown | Not recorded | 393 | Open |
| Mashpee River Woodlands Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 290 | Open |
| Town of Mashpee Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 262 | Unknown |
| Johns Pond Park Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 260 | Open |
| South Mashpee Pine Barrens Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 258 | Open |
| Willowbend Country Club Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 228 | Restricted |
| Mashpee River Reservation Private Conservation | Not recorded | 219 | Closed |
| Quashnet Woodlands Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 209 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
84 places to go in Mashpee
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Mashpee
South Cape BeachIn South Cape Beach State Park
DirectionsSouth Cape BeachIn South Cape Beach State Park
Directions43 beaches are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Public pools in Mashpee
2 public pools without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Mashpee
15 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Mashpee
Johns Pond Boat Launch
DirectionsMashpee Neck Boat Ramp
DirectionsMashpee Neck Marina Boat Ramp
DirectionsPlus 11 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Mashpee
viewing deckIn South Cape Beach State Park
DirectionsPlus 6 scenic views without a name on the map.
Trails & water
24 named trails and 29 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 17.2 mi
Long River Trail1.7 mi
Great Hay Road South1.6 mi
White Trail0.9 mi
Great Hay Rd North0.7 mi
Partridge Berry Trail0.5 mi
Orange Trail0.5 mi
Great Pine Trail0.4 mi
Johnson Trail0.4 mi
Ashers West Path0.3 mi
Chicadee Trail0.3 mi
14 more trails
Popponesset Avenue Trail
0.3 miWhitcomb's Landing
0.3 miFox Trail
0.3 miRiverview Ave Trail
0.3 miPeters Path
0.2 miTowanda Trail
0.2 miAshers East Path
0.2 miBlue Trail
0.2 miQuippish Road (Right Of Way)
0.2 miForest Road Trail
0.1 miDead End
0.1 miRed Trail
0.1 miAsh Street Trail
0.1 mibeach access
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Amos PondpondAshumet PondpondBright's CoveCombs PondpondDean PondpondFells PondpondFlashy PondpondFlat PondpondFrog PondHamblin PondpondJehu PondpondJohns PondpondLily PondpondMashpee PondpondMashpee-Wakeby PondpondMoody PondpondOckway BayPopponessett BayRed Brook ReservoirreservoirSage Lot PondpondSantuit PondpondShoestring BayTim PondpondWakeby PondpondWashburn PondpondWitch PondpondGreat RiverMashpee RiverSantuit River
Biking & sports
10 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
10 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
62Tennis
15Baseball
14Pickleball
12Basketball
8Soccer
4Tracks
4Football
1Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 6 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Mashpee: 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) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 39 | 40 | 46 | 55 | 65 | 73 | 80 | 79 | 73 | 63 | 53 | 45 |
| Rain (in) | 4.0 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.8 |
July is the driest month (2.8 in) and the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 5.0 inches fall in March, the wettest month. The climate in Mashpee →
Next door
Mashpee and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Falmouth221 miBarnstable Town202 miSandwich170 miMashpee121 miNew Seabury13 miForestdale7.2 miSeabrook0.3 miPopponesset0.2 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mashpee | 36% | 5.2 | 287 | 95% | A+ |
| Barnstable Town | 34% | 3.4 | 116 | 96% | A+ |
| Falmouth | 28% | 5.0 | 203 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Sandwich | 39% | 4.0 | 154 | 88% | A+ |
| Popponesset | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Forestdale | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Seabrook | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| New Seabury | — 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 Mashpee
Where can I hike in Mashpee?
The longest trail networks: Quashnet Woods State Reservation, 9.1 miles; Mashpee River Woodlands, 6.1 miles; South Cape Beach State Park, 5.3 miles; Santuit Pond Preserve, 4.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Mashpee is conserved land?
36% 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 Mashpee’s trails?
Quashnet Woods State Reservation and Mashpee River Woodlands don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Mashpee?
10 miles of bike routes are on the map: 10 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Mashpee?
29,953 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Mashpee or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,481 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Mashpee have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #27 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 Mashpee 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 →