McKinstry Brook Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
150 acres1.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Photo: Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger) · Public domainAOutdoors
Outdoors in Southbridge Town
14% of Southbridge Town’s land is conserved: 1,787 acres
21 miles of mapped trail cross Southbridge Town, 1.1 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: McKinstry Brook Wildlife Management Area (1.9 mi), Claire Birtz Wildlife Sanctuary (1.4 mi), Cole Forest (1.2 mi). 560 acres are parks and preserves, 31 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns · #230 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
14%
1,787 acres · of 20.2 sq mi of land
Trails
21 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
560 ac
31 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
82%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
3.8 mi
0.1 mi lanes · 3.7 mi paths
Highest peak
827 ft
Lebanon Hill
Lakes & rivers
15
What kind of outdoors town is Southbridge Town?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild14% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.A trail town1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 81% of U.S. towns.Parks close to home82% of residents live within a half mile of a park.History along the way84 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Southbridge Town have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Southbridge Town is ahead of 89% of U.S. towns, #230 of 283 in Massachusetts. 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 Southbridge Town’s overall grade.
Conserved land14% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (21 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land31 acres of park per 1,000 residents (560 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home82% 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 89%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 19%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Southbridge Town’s 14% is ahead of 18% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 21% 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 McKinstry Brook WMA, with 1.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Claire Birtz Wildlife Sanctuary
Managed by Opacum Land Trust
114 acres1.4 mi of trail
Blue TrailYellow TrailMorse Pond Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Cole Forest
Managed by Town of Southbridge
59 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Thompson Family Forever Wild Preserve
Managed by Opacum Land Trust
40 acres0.9 mi of trail
Thompson Loop Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
All 11 parks & preserves
McKinstry Brook Wildlife Management Area150 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
DirectionsClaire Birtz Wildlife Sanctuary114 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Opacum Land Trust
DirectionsCole Forest59 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Town of Southbridge
DirectionsThompson Family Forever Wild Preserve40 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Opacum Land Trust
DirectionsSouthbridge Town Common2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRobert F. and Jeanne R. Para Family Preserve173 acres · Opacum Land Trust
Breakneck Brook Wildlife Management Area20 acres
Henry Street Field10 acres
DirectionsJoe Capillo Park3 acres · Town of Southbridge
DirectionsDresser Memorial Park2 acres · Town of Southbridge
DirectionsWorld War Memorial Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
1,787 conserved acres
14% of Southbridge Town’s land. Who manages Southbridge Town’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State fish & wildlife87 ac
State natural resources68 ac
Other state land18 ac
Town or city9 ac
Not recorded1,701 ac
Watershed Protection Area · 564 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 318 acPrivate Conservation · 290 acState Conservation Area · 165 acResearch or Educational Area · 136 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 77 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 12 of 40 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Department Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 353 | Unknown |
| Cohasse Country Club Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 162 | Restricted |
| Royal Oaks Country Club Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 156 | Restricted |
| McKinstry Brook Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 146 | Open |
| Southbridge Water Department Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 127 | Unknown |
| Claire Birtz Wildlife Sanctuary Private Conservation | Not recorded | 114 | Open |
| Recreational Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 102 | Open |
| Blackmer Road Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 88 | Unknown |
| Southbridge Middle and High School Athletic Fields Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 83 | Open |
| Southbridge Water Supply Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 78 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
10 places to go in Southbridge Town
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Southbridge Town
Michael A. Veshia Playground
DirectionsPlus 4 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Southbridge Town
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Peaks in Southbridge Town
Lebanon Hill827 ft elevation
DirectionsDennison Hill784 ft elevation
DirectionsBlackmer Hill696 ft elevation
DirectionsPumpkin Hill679 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
10 named trails and 15 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 4.3 miUnpaved · 6.7 mi
Thompson Loop Trail1.0 mi
Southern New England Railway0.8 mi
Westville Lake Trail0.7 mi
Blue Trail0.6 mi
Yellow Trail0.5 mi
Morse Pond Trail0.4 mi
West Street Nature Trail0.4 mi
River Walk0.3 mi
Westville Dam Trail0.3 mi
Connector Trail0.2 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
3.8 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
3.7 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
8Tennis
7Baseball
5Soccer
4Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →84 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 14 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Southbridge Town HallBuilding · listed 1987
About itA. Kinney HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itAcademie BrochuBuilding · listed 1989
About itAlbert H. Wheeler HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itAlden-Delahanty BlockBuilding · listed 1989
About itAlexis Boyer HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itAlpha M. Cheney HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itAmmidown-Harding FarmhouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itAshland Mill TenementBuilding · listed 1989
About itBacon-Morse Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1989
About itBeechwoodBuilding · listed 1989
About itBuilding at 25-27 River StreetBuilding · listed 1989
About it72 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Southbridge Town: 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 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 37 | 45 | 58 | 69 | 77 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 61 | 50 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 3.7 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 4.6 |
February is the driest month (3.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Southbridge Town →
Next door
Southbridge Town 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southbridge Town | 14% | 1.1 | 31 | 82% | A |
| Sturbridge | 29% | 2.2 | 520 | 76% | A+ |
| Charlton | 11% | 0.8 | 100 | 64% | A |
| Dudley | 20% | 0.4 | 53 | 66% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Southbridge Town
Where can I hike in Southbridge Town?
The longest trail networks: McKinstry Brook Wildlife Management Area, 1.9 miles; Claire Birtz Wildlife Sanctuary, 1.4 miles; Cole Forest, 1.2 miles; Thompson Family Forever Wild Preserve, 0.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Southbridge Town is conserved land?
14% 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 Southbridge Town’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Claire Birtz Wildlife Sanctuary (on leash) and Thompson Family Forever Wild Preserve (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Southbridge Town?
3.8 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.1 of painted or protected lanes and 3.7 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Southbridge Town?
31,103 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Southbridge Town or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 566 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Southbridge Town have?
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #230 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 Southbridge Town 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 →