Middlesex Fells Reservation
Nature preserve
1,157 acres33.3 mi of trail
Reservoir TrailSkyline TrailRock Circuit TrailSilver Mine Path+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Medford
30% of Medford’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 Medford, 5.5 per square mile of land. 30% of Medford’s land is conserved, about 1,530 acres.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #66 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
30%
1,530 acres · of 8.1 sq mi of land
Trails
45 mi
5.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,439 ac
24 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
21 mi
13 mi lanes · 4.6 mi paths
Highest peak
249 ft
Gerry Hill
Lakes & rivers
7
3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Medford?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild30% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.A trail town5.5 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 way31 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Medford have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Medford is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #66 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Medford’s overall grade.
Conserved land30% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%ATrails5.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (45 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land24 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,439 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13B+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)Among the top 1%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 77%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Medford’s 30% is ahead of 72% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 99% of them.
Water is 6% of Medford’s area (1 of 9 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 28%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A 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 Middlesex Fells Reservation, with 33.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Wright's Pond
Nature preserve
122 acres2.5 mi of trail
Cross Fells Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Mystic River Reservation
Nature preserve
252 acres1.7 mi of trail
Mystic River Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Mystic Lakes State Park
Nature preserve
42 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Medford Boat Club Parking Lot
Brooks Estate
Nature preserve
55 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 26 parks & preserves
Middlesex Fells Reservation1,157 acres · 33.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWright's Pond122 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMystic River Reservation252 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
DirectionsMystic Lakes State Park42 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsBrooks Estate55 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
Carr Park11 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsThomas Brooks Park6 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsVictory Park7 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsThe Park at River's Edge11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Preotle Lane LLC
DirectionsTufts Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsDugger Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLogan Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Hickey Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Medford Parks Department
Harris Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMagoun Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Torbert Macdonald State Park51 acres · DCR
DirectionsColumbus Memorial Park5 acres
DirectionsMorrison Park4 acres
Barry Park4 acres
Gillis Field2 acres
McNally Park2 acres
DirectionsClippership Park2 acres
DirectionsRoyall House Park2 acres
Hastings Heights Park1 acres
Capen Park1 acres
DirectionsHonor Roll Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
1,530 conserved acres
30% of Medford’s land. Water is left out: Medford has 8.1 square miles of land and 0.6 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Medford’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State parks100 ac
Town or city76 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits49 ac
State conservation19 ac
Private owners13 ac
Other state land2 ac
Not recorded1,332 ac
State Park · 1,169 acLocal Historic or Cultural Area · 101 acConservation Easement · 92 acLocal Park · 90 acState Other or Unknown · 61 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 96 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 45 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex Fells Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 955 | Open |
| Mystic River Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 217 | Open |
| Oak Grove Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 100 | Open |
| Mystic Lakes State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 57 | Open |
| Carr Park Local Park | Town or city | 11 | Open |
| Brooks Playstead Local Park | Town or city | 11 | Open |
| River's Edge Park Local Park | Private owners | 11 | Open |
| Tufts Park Local Park | Town or city | 10 | Open |
| Thomas Brooks Park Local Park | Town or city | 8 | Open |
| Victory Park Local Park | Town or city | 7 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
55 places to go in Medford
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Medford
Tufts PoolIn Tufts Park
DirectionsTufts Pool Wading PoolIn Tufts Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Medford
Playstead Park Playground
DirectionsPlus 23 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Medford
Station Landing Dog ParkIn Mystic River Reservation
DirectionsPlus 3 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Medford
3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Medford
6 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Medford
Gerry Hill249 ft elevation · In Middlesex Fells Reservation
DirectionsRamshead Hill230 ft elevation · In Middlesex Fells Reservation
DirectionsSilver Mine Hill217 ft elevation · In Middlesex Fells Reservation
DirectionsPasture Hill194 ft elevation · In Middlesex Fells Reservation
DirectionsWalnut Hill135 ft elevation
DirectionsRock Hill125 ft elevation · In Middlesex Fells Reservation
DirectionsFlagstaff Hill102 ft elevation · In Middlesex Fells Reservation
DirectionsMount Andrew20 ft elevation
Directions2 more peaks
Pine HillIn Middlesex Fells Reservation
DirectionsWenepoykin HillIn Middlesex Fells Reservation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Medford
4 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Medford
Winthrop Street Community GardenIn Mystic River Reservation
DirectionsPlus 1 community garden without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
14 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 14.5 miUnpaved · 23.8 mi
Reservoir Trail2.2 mi
Skyline Trail1.5 mi
Rock Circuit Trail0.9 mi
Cross Fells Trail0.8 mi
Silver Mine Path0.5 mi
Gerry Hill Path0.4 mi
Red Cross Path0.4 mi
Hemlock Pool Path0.4 mi
Woodland Path0.3 mi
Pickerel Path0.2 mi
4 more trails
Wright's Tower Trail
0.2 miNanepashemet Road / Reservoir Trail
0.1 miMystic River Path
0.1 miSouth Border Road Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
21 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
13 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
4.6 mi
off-road bike paths
3.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Mountain Bike LoopBike route
2.6 miCourts & fields
20Basketball
18Baseball
16Tennis
6Pickleball
5Soccer
1Softball
1Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →31 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 11 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Grace Episcopal ChurchBuilding · listed 1972
About itBigelow BlockBuilding · listed 1975
About itLawrence Light Guard ArmoryBuilding · listed 1975
About itOld Ship Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1975
About itIsaac Hall HouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itHillside Avenue Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1975
About itJonathan Wade HouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itPark Street Railroad StationBuilding · listed 1975
About itShepherd Brooks EstateBuilding · listed 1975
About itUnitarian Universalist Church and ParsonageBuilding · listed 1975
About it19 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Medford: 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 | 39 | 46 | 57 | 68 | 77 | 82 | 81 | 74 | 62 | 51 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 4.7 |
February is the driest month (3.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Medford →
Next door
Medford and its neighbors
Medford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medford | 30% | 5.5 | 24 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Somerville | 5% | 0.5 | 2 | 99%+ | B |
| Malden | 13% | 1.3 | 3 | 99%+ | A− |
| Arlington | 10% | 1.8 | 6 | 99%+ | A |
| Everett | 11% | 1.7 | 2 | 99%+ | A− |
| Winchester | 20% | 3.5 | 22 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Stoneham | 33% | 6.5 | 44 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Medford
Where can I hike in Medford?
The longest trail networks: Middlesex Fells Reservation, 33.3 miles; Wright's Pond, 2.5 miles; Mystic River Reservation, 1.7 miles; Mystic Lakes State Park, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Medford is conserved land?
30% 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 Medford’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Middlesex Fells Reservation (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Medford?
21 miles of bike routes are on the map: 13 of painted or protected lanes, 4.6 of off-road paths and 3.6 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Mountain Bike Loop.
Is there public land near Medford?
33,412 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Medford or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,453 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Medford have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #66 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 Medford 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 →