East Quabbin/Dana
Managed by DCR
8,861 acres32.4 mi of trail
Rabbit Run Rail BedSoapstone Mtn TrailIndian Kitchen TrailMonson Turnpike+1
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lot
Dana Common Historic and Archaeological District · Public domainA+Outdoors
Outdoors in Petersham
More than half of Petersham’s land is conserved: 77%
77% of Petersham’s land is conserved, about 26,678 acres. 5,439 acres are parks and preserves, 4,590 per 1,000 residents. 74 miles of mapped trail cross Petersham, 1.4 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Conserved land
77%
26,678 acres · of 54.2 sq mi of land
Trails
74 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
5,439 ac
4,590 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
74%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
1,211 ft
Sherman Hill
Lakes & rivers
11
1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Petersham?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild77% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.Room to roam4,590 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.A trail town1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 87% of U.S. towns.History along the way7 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Petersham have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Petersham is ahead of 97% of U.S. towns. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Petersham’s overall grade.
Conserved land77% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (74 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land4,590 acres of park per 1,000 residents (5,439 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13A+Parks close to home74% of residents within a half mile of a park · MA 93% · U.S. 72%B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 97%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Petersham’s 77% is ahead of 100% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 27% of them.
Water is 21% of Petersham’s area (14 of 68 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 62%.
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 East Quabbin/Dana, with 32.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Brooks Woodland Preserve
Nature preserve
733 acres12.2 mi of trail
Surprise Meadow TrailTumbledown SouthDudley TrailJohnson Hill Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Harvard Forest
Nature preserve
3,148 acres11.6 mi of trail
Reed Loop TrailBoardwalkTumbledown WestTumbledown South
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Swift River Reservation
Managed by Trustees of Reservations
439 acres5.7 mi of trail
Yellow LoopBlue Loop TrailReed Loop TrailDropdown Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Federated Women's Club State Forest
Nature preserve
985 acres2.9 mi of trail
Gorge TrailSoapstone Mtn Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Quabbin Reservoir Reservation
Managed by DCR - Division Of Water Supply Protection
20,863 acres1.3 mi of trail
Gorge TrailSoapstone Mtn Trail
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lot
Petersham State Forest
Nature preserve
477 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Phillipston Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
826 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 18 parks & preserves
East Quabbin/Dana8,861 acres · 32.4 mi of trail · DCR
DirectionsBrooks Woodland Preserve733 acres · 12.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHarvard Forest3,148 acres · 11.6 mi of trail
DirectionsSwift River Reservation439 acres · 5.7 mi of trail · Trustees of Reservations
DirectionsFederated Women's Club State Forest985 acres · 2.9 mi of trail
DirectionsQuabbin Reservoir Reservation20,863 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · DCR - Division Of Water Supply Protection
DirectionsPetersham State Forest477 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Phillipston Wildlife Management Area826 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary790 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsPetersham Town Forest114 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of Petersham Town Forest Committee
White Horse Lane Conservation Area85 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Petersham Conservation Commission
Popple Camp Wildlife Management Area580 acres · Department of Fish And Game
Raccoon Hill Wildlife Management Area72 acres
Sputtermill Pond Access59 acres
Babbitt Wildlife Sanctuary54 acres · Town of Petersham Conservation Commission
DirectionsSouth Street Conservation Area26 acres · Town of Petersham Conservation Commission
Town Common2 acres
Prince River Wildlife Management Area1 acres
Who protects it
26,678 conserved acres
77% of Petersham’s land. Water is left out: Petersham has 54.2 square miles of land and 14.0 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Petersham’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation4,624 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits4,398 ac
Joint1,546 ac
Town or city1,307 ac
U.S. Forest Service929 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land632 ac
Other state land454 ac
Watershed Protection Area · 13,078 acConservation Easement · 8,514 acPrivate Conservation · 4,132 acForest Stewardship Easement · 3,315 acState Conservation Area · 1,616 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 6,780 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 13 of 264 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quabbin Reservoir Watershed Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 12,279 | Restricted |
| Harvard Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 1,661 | Restricted |
| Phillipston Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 961 | Open |
| Federated Womens Club State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 952 | Open |
| Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary Private Conservation | Not recorded | 702 | Restricted |
| Brooks Woodland Preserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 699 | Open |
| Popple Camp Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 584 | Open |
| Swift River Reservation Private Conservation | Not recorded | 483 | Restricted |
| Petersham State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 475 | Open |
| Two Mile Landbridge Private Conservation | U.S. Forest Service | 465 | Closed |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
22 places to go in Petersham
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Petersham
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Waterfalls in Petersham
1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Petersham
2 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Petersham
Sherman Hill1,211 ft elevation · In Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsLoring Hill1,171 ft elevation · In Rutland Brook Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsChimney Hill1,138 ft elevation
DirectionsBald Hill1,043 ft elevation · In Harvard Forest
DirectionsCarter Hill1,040 ft elevation
DirectionsCamels Hump Hill1,027 ft elevation · In East Quabbin/Dana
DirectionsWhitney Hill1,004 ft elevation · In East Quabbin/Dana
DirectionsSkinner Hill925 ft elevation · In East Quabbin/Dana
Directions9 more peaks
Pottapaug Hill886 ft elevation · In East Quabbin/Dana
DirectionsSoapstone Hill883 ft elevation · In East Quabbin/Dana
DirectionsMount Pomeroy856 ft elevation · In Quabbin Reservoir Reservation
DirectionsMount Zion853 ft elevation · In Quabbin Reservoir Reservation
DirectionsRattlesnake Hill820 ft elevation · In East Quabbin/Dana
DirectionsLittle Skinner Hill817 ft elevation · In East Quabbin/Dana
DirectionsSchool Hill778 ft elevation · In East Quabbin/Dana
DirectionsCurtis Hill758 ft elevation · In Quabbin Reservoir Reservation
DirectionsParker Hill656 ft elevation · In Quabbin Reservoir Reservation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Petersham
Federated Womens' Club State Forest Primitive CampsiteFee · In Federated Women's Club State Forest · Massachusetts DCR
DirectionsTrails & water
24 named trails and 11 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 9.1 miUnpaved · 27.6 mi
Yellow Loop2.9 mi
Reed Loop Trail1.4 mi
Rabbit Run Rail Bed1.3 mi
Soapstone Mtn Trail1.0 mi
Monson Turnpike0.9 mi
Gorge Trail0.8 mi
Surprise Meadow Trail0.8 mi
Tumbledown South0.7 mi
Indian Kitchen Trail0.7 mi
Blue Loop Trail0.6 mi
14 more trails
Dudley Trail
0.5 miJohnson Hill Trail
0.5 miConnor's Pond Trail
0.4 miLedges Trail
0.4 miTumbledown West
0.3 miBuell Trail
0.3 miRutland Brook Trail
0.3 miTumbledown East
0.3 miTumbledown North
0.3 miDropdown Trail
0.2 miJerry's Trail
0.2 miBoardwalk
0.2 miside trail to lookout
0.1 miStarfire Trail
0.1 miBiking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
2Baseball
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 23 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Gay FarmBuilding · listed 1977
About itPetersham Common Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1982
About itPrescott Town HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itHolland-Towne HouseBuilding · listed 1990
About itDana Common Historic and Archaeological DistrictDistrict · listed 2013
About itDistrict No. 5 SchoolBuilding · listed 2016
About itDistrict No. 4 SchoolBuilding · listed 2016
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Petersham: 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) | 33 | 36 | 44 | 57 | 69 | 77 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 60 | 49 | 38 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (3.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Petersham →
Next door
Petersham and its neighbors
Petersham has the most mapped trails of the 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petersham | 77% | 1.4 | 4,590 | 74% | A+ |
| New Salem | 81% | 0.4 | 277 | 49% | A− |
| Hardwick | 40% | 0.4 | 1,342 | 85% | A |
| Ware | 30% | 0.7 | 119 | 76% | A |
| Phillipston | 41% | 0.7 | 2,115 | 71% | A |
| Athol | 29% | 1.2 | 411 | 80% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Petersham
Where can I hike in Petersham?
The longest trail networks: East Quabbin/Dana, 32.4 miles; Brooks Woodland Preserve, 12.2 miles; Harvard Forest, 11.6 miles; Swift River Reservation, 5.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Petersham is conserved land?
77% 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 Petersham’s trails?
East Quabbin/Dana and Brooks Woodland Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Petersham?
80,454 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Petersham or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 5,714 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Petersham have?
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade. 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 Petersham 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 →