Tully River Reservation
Nature preserve
1,179 acres10.7 mi of trail
Tully TrailTully Lake Loop TrailBlue TrailWhite Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Royalston
37% of Royalston’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. 9,518 acres are parks and preserves, 6,519 per 1,000 residents. 37% of Royalston’s land is conserved, about 9,852 acres.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Conserved land
37%
9,852 acres · of 41.8 sq mi of land
Trails
38 mi
0.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
9,518 ac
6,519 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.6 mi
0.6 mi paths
Highest peak
1,342 ft
White Hill
Lakes & rivers
10
1 beach · 2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Royalston?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Royalston have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Royalston is among the top 1% of U.S. towns. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; park acres per resident rank highest, trail miles lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Royalston’s overall grade.
Conserved land37% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails0.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (38 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land6,519 acres of park per 1,000 residents (9,518 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13A+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 conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Royalston’s 37% is ahead of 85% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 17% 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 Tully River Reservation, with 10.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Millers River Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
1,414 acres2.7 mi of trail
Paine Swamp TrailOLd Gale Hill RdBlue and Yellow TrailOld Gale Hill Rd
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail sign
Royalston State Forest
Nature preserve
866 acres2.2 mi of trail
Falls Road (Tully Trail)Tully Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Royalston Falls
Nature preserve
332 acres2.2 mi of trail
Falls Road (Tully Trail)Tully TrailTully Trail (yellow)NET/M&M Trail/ Tully Trail (white yellow)+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Birch Hill Reservoir Area
Nature preserve
515 acres1.8 mi of trail
Boston and Maine Railroad Alignment (1874-1940)Through the Gorge
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Warwick State Forest
Nature preserve
139 acres1.7 mi of trail
Tully TrailNET/M&M Trail (white)Old M & M Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Fish Brook Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
136 acres1.4 mi of trail
Tully Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Jacobs Hill Reservation
Nature preserve
165 acres1.1 mi of trail
Tully Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 36 parks & preserves
Tully River Reservation1,179 acres · 10.7 mi of trail
DirectionsMillers River Wildlife Management Area1,414 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
DirectionsRoyalston State Forest866 acres · 2.2 mi of trail
Royalston Falls332 acres · 2.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBirch Hill Reservoir Area515 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsWarwick State Forest139 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
Fish Brook Wildlife Management Area136 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
Jacobs Hill Reservation165 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
Eagle Reserve Conservation Area141 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMillers River Wildlife Conservation Easement184 acres · 1 mi of trail
Birch Hill Wildlife Management Area2,895 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsOtter River State Forest145 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsFish Brook Wildlife Conservation Easement75 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
Doane's Falls30 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsChase Memorial Forest110 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsProctor-Kenney Forest571 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Lawrence Brook Wildlife Conservation Easement508 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
The Ledges40 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Ehrich Forest125 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Tall Timbers28 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Long Pond Wildlife Management Area6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Taft Hill Wildlife Conservation Easement390 acres
Lawrence Brook Wildlife Management Area299 acres · Department Of Fish And Game
Tully Mountain Wildlife Conservation Easement116 acres
Kreiger Forest97 acres
Shedd Forest89 acres
Perkins Woodlands83 acres
Amadon-Willis Forest65 acres
Reed Forest61 acres
Miles Forest52 acres
Tully Mountain Wildlife Management Area35 acres
Guiney Memorial Forest35 acres
Falls Road Conservation Area11 acres
Coddings Meadow10 acres
Long Pond Wildlife Conservation Easement8 acres
Royalston Common1 acres
Who protects it
9,852 conserved acres
37% of Royalston’s land. Who manages Royalston’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State parks1,599 ac
State conservation1,594 ac
State natural resources1,280 ac
State fish & wildlife1,269 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits785 ac
Town or city354 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government29 ac
Conservation Easement · 5,266 acState Conservation Area · 4,465 acRecreation or Education Easement · 1,617 acState Resource Management Area · 1,054 acPrivate Conservation · 752 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 3,579 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 252 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birch Hill Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 2,890 | Open |
| Millers River Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 1,366 | Open |
| Royalston State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 865 | Open |
| Royalston Falls Private Conservation | Not recorded | 199 | Open |
| Jacobs Hill Reservation Private Conservation | Not recorded | 165 | Open |
| Fish Brook Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 160 | Open |
| Warwick State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 139 | Open |
| Ehrich Memorial Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 124 | Open |
| Chase Memorial Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 114 | Open |
| Otter River State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 51 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
34 places to go in Royalston
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Royalston
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Royalston
5 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Royalston
2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Royalston
Doane's FallsIn Doane's Falls
DirectionsDoane's FallsIn Doane's Falls
DirectionsRoyalston FallsIn Royalston Falls
DirectionsSpirit FallsIn Jacobs Hill Reservation
DirectionsPlus 2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Royalston
Eagle Reserve Viewing PlatformIn Eagle Reserve Conservation Area
DirectionsLong Pond OverlookIn Jacobs Hill Reservation
DirectionsPlus 3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Royalston
White Hill1,342 ft elevation · In Amadon-Willis Forest
DirectionsProspect Hill1,335 ft elevation · In Ehrich Forest
DirectionsBliss Hill1,240 ft elevation
DirectionsTaft Hill1,234 ft elevation
DirectionsFrye Hill1,214 ft elevation
DirectionsHarrington Hill1,211 ft elevation
DirectionsButterworth Ridge1,188 ft elevation
DirectionsWyman Hill1,165 ft elevation
Directions3 more peaks
Beryl Hill1,096 ft elevation · In Birch Hill Wildlife Management Area
DirectionsGale Hill1,047 ft elevation · In Millers River Wildlife Management Area
DirectionsDavis Hill981 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Royalston
Falls Brook ShelterIn Royalston Falls
DirectionsTully Lake CampgroundFee · In Tully River Reservation · The Trustees of Reservations
DirectionsDisc golf in Royalston
Disc GolfIn Tully River Reservation
DirectionsTully Lake Disc Golf CourseHours: dusk-dawn · In Tully River Reservation
DirectionsTrails & water
20 named trails and 10 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 3.0 miHorses · 0.6 miUnpaved · 23.8 mi
Tully Trail8.9 mi
Falls Road (Tully Trail)2.1 mi
Tully Lake Loop Trail1.7 mi
NET/M&M Trail/ Tully Trail (white yellow)0.9 mi
Paine Swamp Trail0.8 mi
OLd Gale Hill Rd0.7 mi
NET/M&M Trail (white)0.7 mi
Blue and Yellow Trail0.6 mi
Stone Road Trail0.6 mi
Old M & M Trail0.5 mi
10 more trails
Peninsula Trail
0.5 miTully Trail (yellow)
0.3 miBoston and Maine Railroad Alignment (1874-1940)
0.3 miBlue Trail
0.2 miOld Gale Hill Rd
0.2 miThrough the Gorge
0.2 miWhite Trail
0.2 miEagle Reserve Accessible Trail
0.2 miRed Trail
0.2 miGreen Trail
0.1 miBiking & sports
0.6 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.6 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
2Tennis
1Beach volleyball
1Volleyball
1Soccer
1Baseball
1Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 5 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Royalston Common Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1976
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Royalston: May and July 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) | 32 | 35 | 43 | 56 | 68 | 76 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 59 | 47 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 3.6 | 4.0 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.9 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Royalston →
Next door
Royalston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royalston | 37% | 0.9 | 6,519 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Orange | 34% | 0.4 | 763 | 79% | A |
| Athol | 29% | 1.2 | 411 | 80% | A+ |
| Winchendon | 20% | 1.7 | 398 | 73% | A+ |
| Phillipston | 41% | 0.7 | 2,115 | 71% | A |
| Templeton | 20% | 0.8 | 285 | 61% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Royalston
Where can I hike in Royalston?
The longest trail networks: Tully River Reservation, 10.7 miles; Millers River Wildlife Management Area, 2.7 miles; Royalston State Forest, 2.2 miles; Royalston Falls, 2.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Royalston is conserved land?
37% 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 Royalston’s trails?
Tully River Reservation and Millers River Wildlife Management Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Royalston?
0.6 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.6 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Royalston?
70,021 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Royalston or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 11,211 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Royalston have?
Among the top 1% 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 Royalston 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 →