Rocky Woods Reservation
Nature preserve
467 acres8.3 mi of trail
Ridge TrailQuarry TrailHarwood Notch TrailWilson Swamp Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Medfield
36% of Medfield’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. 45 miles of mapped trail cross Medfield, 3.1 per square mile of land. 36% of Medfield’s land is conserved, about 3,269 acres.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #8 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
36%
3,269 acres · of 14.4 sq mi of land
Trails
45 mi
3.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,458 ac
265 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
5.7 mi
2.8 mi lanes · 1.3 mi paths
Highest peak
440 ft
Cedar Hill
Lakes & rivers
12
What kind of outdoors town is Medfield?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild36% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.A trail town3.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 97% of U.S. towns.Parks close to homeVirtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park.History along the way7 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Medfield have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Medfield is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #8 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs put Medfield near the top nationally; trail miles rank highest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Medfield’s overall grade.
Conserved land36% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails3.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (45 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land265 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,458 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 98%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Medfield’s 36% is ahead of 83% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 76% 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 Rocky Woods Reservation, with 8.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Noon Hill Reservation
Nature preserve
315 acres4.8 mi of trail
Dead End
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Noon Hill Conservation Area
Managed by Town of Medfield Conservation Commission
279 acres3.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Shattuck Reservation
Nature preserve
222 acres2.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Fork Factory Brook
Nature preserve
148 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dead End
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Medfield Charles River State Reservation
Nature preserve
240 acres1.3 mi of trail
Bay Circuit TrailOld Route 27
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Sawmill Brook Water Department Land
Managed by Town of Medfield Water and Sewer Board
34 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dead EndVista
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Medfield Water Supply Land
Managed by Town of Medfield Water Department
25 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 32 parks & preserves
Rocky Woods Reservation467 acres · 8.3 mi of trail
DirectionsNoon Hill Reservation315 acres · 4.8 mi of trail
DirectionsNoon Hill Conservation Area279 acres · 3.4 mi of trail · Town of Medfield Conservation Commission
DirectionsShattuck Reservation222 acres · 2.9 mi of trail
DirectionsFork Factory Brook148 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMedfield Charles River State Reservation240 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSawmill Brook Water Department Land34 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Town of Medfield Water and Sewer Board
Medfield Water Supply Land25 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Town of Medfield Water Department
Elm Street Conservation Area24 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Town of Medfield Conservation Commission
Hawthorne Village Conservation Area21 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Town of Medfield Conservation Commission
Haven Road Conservation Area21 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Town of Medfield Conservation Commission
Charles River Natural Valley Storage Area341 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Town of Medfield Conservation Commission
DirectionsMcCarthy Park57 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Town of Medfield Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsRed Gate Farm Conservation Area32 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Town of Medfield
Former Medfield State Hospital Grounds92 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsPinecroft Farm84 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Holmquist Farm26 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Charles River Wildlife Management Area190 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMedfield Rhododendron Reservation189 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Jade Walk Peninsula5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBaxter Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Medfield Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsDanielson Pond1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Mill Brook Conservation Area31 acres · Town of Medfield Conservation Commission
Medfield Rhododendrons Reservervation11 acres
North Street Conservation Area10 acres · Town of Medfield Conservation Commission
DirectionsConservation Area9 acres · Town of Medfield Conservation Commission
Cedariver8 acres
Millbrook Road Conservation Area6 acres · Town of Medfield Conservation Commission
Coleman Property4 acres
Donnelly Property4 acres
Meeting House Pond1 acres
DirectionsConservation Restriction1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
3,269 conserved acres
36% of Medfield’s land. Who manages Medfield’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Army Corps of Engineers1,351 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits431 ac
Town or city354 ac
Not recorded2,056 ac
Conservation Easement · 1,668 acLocal Other or Unknown · 804 acPrivate Conservation · 659 acState Park · 287 acState Other or Unknown · 197 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 930 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 12 of 197 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noon Hill Reservation Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 599 | Open |
| Town of Medfield Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 355 | Closed |
| Medfield Charles River State Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 287 | Open |
| Medfield State Hospital State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 197 | Unknown |
| Unknown Park Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 155 | Open |
| Fork Factory Brook Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 146 | Closed |
| Norfolk Hunt Club Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 98 | Restricted |
| Henry L Shattuck Reservation Private Conservation | Not recorded | 88 | Open |
| Medfield Jr. Sr. High School Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 79 | Open |
| Mccarthy Park Local Park | Town or city | 57 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
13 places to go in Medfield
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Medfield
Ralph Wheelock School Playground
DirectionsRalph Wheelock School Playground
DirectionsPlus 3 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Medfield
Noon Hill LookoutIn Noon Hill Conservation Area
DirectionsThe Promontory
DirectionsPeaks in Medfield
Cedar Hill440 ft elevation · In Rocky Woods Reservation
DirectionsMine Hill364 ft elevation · In Rocky Woods Reservation
DirectionsNoon Hill358 ft elevation · In Noon Hill Reservation
DirectionsCastle Hill282 ft elevation
DirectionsIndian Hill279 ft elevation · In Noon Hill Conservation Area
DirectionsMount Nebo249 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
23 named trails and 12 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 9.1 miHorses · 7.2 miUnpaved · 8.4 mi
Bay Circuit Trail2.0 mi
Ridge Trail1.0 mi
Wilson Swamp Trail0.8 mi
Woodcliff Hills Trail0.8 mi
Quarry Trail0.7 mi
Harwood Notch Trail0.7 mi
Cheney Pond Trail0.6 mi
Red Gate Farm Trail0.5 mi
Dead End0.5 mi
Tower Trail0.3 mi
13 more trails
East West Trail
0.3 miBridle Trail
0.3 miLoop Trail
0.3 miNoanet Trail
0.3 miHemlock Knoll Trail
0.2 miCedar Hill Trail
0.2 miJune Pond Trail
0.2 miChickering Pond Trail
0.1 miPublic Easement
0.1 miFlint Locke - Hawthorne Link Path
0.1 miCharles River Link Trail
0.1 miEcho Pond Trail
0.1 miGas pipelne
0.1 miBiking & sports
5.7 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.8 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
1.3 mi
off-road bike paths
1.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
12Baseball
10Soccer
6Tennis
2Basketball
1Multi-sport
1Lacrosse
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). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
First Parish Unitarian ChurchBuilding · listed 1974
About itPeak HouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itMedfield State HospitalDistrict · listed 1994
About itDwight-Derby HouseBuilding · listed 2002
About itInness-Fitts House and Studio/BarnBuilding · listed 2002
About itFirst Baptist Church of MedfieldBuilding · listed 2003
About itVine Lake CemeterySite · listed 2005
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Medfield: 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 | 15.2 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 37 | 40 | 47 | 60 | 70 | 79 | 84 | 83 | 75 | 63 | 52 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.9 | 4.0 | 4.7 |
February is the driest month (3.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.9 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Medfield →
Next door
Medfield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medfield | 36% | 3.1 | 265 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Millis | 24% | 1.3 | 162 | 96% | A+ |
| Millis-Clicquot | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Sherborn | 23% | 3.5 | 497 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Dover | 39% | 5.1 | 530 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Walpole | 18% | 2.4 | 75 | 88% | A+ |
| Norfolk | 16% | 1.6 | 48 | 80% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Medfield
Where can I hike in Medfield?
The longest trail networks: Rocky Woods Reservation, 8.3 miles; Noon Hill Reservation, 4.8 miles; Noon Hill Conservation Area, 3.4 miles; Shattuck Reservation, 2.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Medfield 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 Medfield’s trails?
Rocky Woods Reservation and Noon Hill Reservation don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Medfield?
5.7 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.8 of painted or protected lanes, 1.3 of off-road paths and 1.6 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Medfield?
54,258 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Medfield or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,480 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Medfield have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #8 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 Medfield 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 →