Forest Park
Managed by City of Springfield Parks and Recreation Department
654 acres10.9 mi of trail
Bowling Green Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Springfield
15% of Springfield’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. 15% of Springfield’s land is conserved, about 3,003 acres. The biggest trail networks: Forest Park (10.9 mi), Hubbard Park (0.5 mi).
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns · #225 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
15%
3,003 acres · of 31.9 sq mi of land
Trails
20 mi
0.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,848 ac
18 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
21 mi
14 mi lanes · 3.9 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
19
1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Springfield?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Springfield have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Springfield is ahead of 90% of U.S. towns, #225 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; the share of residents near a park ranks highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Springfield’s overall grade.
Conserved land15% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A−Trails0.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (20 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land18 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,848 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13BParks 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)Ahead of 90%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 21%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Springfield ranks #85 on Outdoors.
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Springfield’s 15% is ahead of 23% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 9% of them.
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 Forest Park, with 10.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Hubbard Park
Park
31 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
South Branch Park
Park
135 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Beauregard & Schiavina Memorial Park
Park
13 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Cottage Hill Park
Park
3 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 95 parks & preserves
Forest Park654 acres · 10.9 mi of trail · City of Springfield Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsHubbard Park31 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
South Branch Park135 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Beauregard & Schiavina Memorial Park13 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Cottage Hill Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Calhoun Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Five Mile Pond Park20 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsVenture Pond Cons. Area4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Connecticut River Access Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMyrtle Street Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBlunt Park161 acres
DirectionsVan Horn Park130 acres
DirectionsNorth Branch Park96 acres
Woodland Park Cons. Area58 acres
Helen C White Conservation Area43 acres
DirectionsAbbey Brook30 acres
DirectionsWhite Cedar Bog27 acres
DirectionsBreckwood Park23 acres
North Branch Tributary Park21 acres
Nathan Bill Park21 acres
DirectionsDelta Hills Conservation Area21 acres
DirectionsHallahan Acq.19 acres
Labelle Dr. Conservation Area19 acres
Entry Dingle Brook Park19 acres
Greenleaf Park19 acres
DirectionsSpringfield Armory National Historic Site18 acres · National Park Service
DirectionsTreetop Park18 acres
DirectionsRose Chase Conservation Area18 acres
Acorn Park17 acres
DirectionsTamarack Bog16 acres
Edgemere Road Swamp15 acres
Marshall Roy Park14 acres
DirectionsGrayson Kettle13 acres
Duggan Leatherleaf Bog13 acres
Kenefick Park12 acres
DirectionsKeddy Tracts12 acres
Riverfront Park10 acres · City of Springfield Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsFanti Bog9 acres
North Riverfront Park9 acres
DirectionsSouth Branch Conservation Area9 acres
Oakland St. Park9 acres
DirectionsValentine Park9 acres
Lake Lorraine Conservation Are9 acres
Anne&Joseph Mem. Cons. Area9 acres
Long Pond Bog9 acres
Grand Valley Conservation Area9 acres
Atwater Park8 acres
Emerson Wight Park8 acres
Armory Square8 acres
DirectionsGraila Road Swamp7 acres
Abbey Brook Extension7 acres
DirectionsGurdon Bill Park7 acres
DirectionsRuth Elizabeth Park6 acres
DirectionsStebbins Park5 acres
Walsh Park5 acres
DirectionsMerrill/Wrentham Bog4 acres
Mill Pond Access4 acres
Garvey Promontory4 acres
Samuel A. Bolden Park4 acres
DirectionsGood Shepherds Brook4 acres
Emily Bill Park4 acres
DirectionsJaime Uolloa Park3 acres
DirectionsSouth Branch Extension Conservation Area3 acres
Angelina Park3 acres
Roberto Clemente Field3 acres
DirectionsMagazine Playground3 acres
DirectionsLake Lorraine State Park3 acres
G Frank Adams Park3 acres
DirectionsThomas St. Playground3 acres
DirectionsRio Vista Park3 acres
Court Square Park2 acres
DirectionsJohn A. Sullivan Park2 acres
DirectionsHarriet Tubman Park2 acres
DirectionsPendleton Ave. Park2 acres
Ellis Playground2 acres
DirectionsWason Avenue Park2 acres
DirectionsHutchinson Bog2 acres
Barrows Playgound1 acres
Edward J Murphy Park1 acres
DirectionsHennessey Park1 acres
Gerrish Park1 acres
Wetstone Tract1 acres
DirectionsThompson Triangle1 acres
Steiger Park1 acres
DirectionsGunn Square Park1 acres
DirectionsGodfrey Park1 acres
Tower Square Park1 acres
DirectionsBruce's Landing1 acres
DirectionsMary Shea Park1 acres
General Edwards Triangle1 acres · City of Springfield Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsFederal Square1 acres
DirectionsBircham Park1 acres
DirectionsMerrick Park1 acres
DirectionsArmoury Commons1 acres
Directions5 Mile Pond Access1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
3,003 conserved acres
15% of Springfield’s land. Who manages Springfield’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,363 ac
National Park Service20 ac
State parks2 ac
Private owners1 ac
State fish & wildlife1 ac
Not recorded1,643 ac
Local Park · 1,661 acLocal Other or Unknown · 807 acPrivate Historic or Cultural · 382 acResearch or Educational Area · 107 acLocal Conservation Area · 43 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 197 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Park Local Park | Not recorded | 636 | Open |
| South Branch Park Local Park | Not recorded | 217 | Open |
| Blunt Park Local Park | Town or city | 162 | Open |
| North Branch Tributary Park Local Park | Not recorded | 122 | Open |
| St Michaels Cemetery Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 120 | Open |
| Van Horn Park Local Park | Town or city | 115 | Open |
| Veterans Memorial Golf Course Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 106 | Restricted |
| Hillcrest Park Cemetery Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 98 | Unknown |
| Oak Grove Cemetery Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 92 | Open |
| Forest Park Extension Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 77 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
58 places to go in Springfield
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Springfield
Camp STAR Angelina PoolIn Forest Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Springfield
Bill PlaygroundIn Nathan Bill Park
DirectionsGlickman Playground
DirectionsLincoln Street School Playground
DirectionsSixteen Acres Sch. Playground
Directions46 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Boat launches in Springfield
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Springfield
King Philip's Stockade ViewpointIn Forest Park
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Springfield
Laurel HillIn Forest Park
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Springfield
6 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
2 named trails and 19 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.4 miUnpaved · 18.1 mi
Venture Pond Path0.5 mi
Bowling Green Path0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Barney PondpondBreckwood LakepondDimmock PondpondDuck PondpondFive Mile PondpondFountain LakeIsland PondpondLake LookoutreservoirLake LorrainelakeLake MassasoitreservoirLoon PondpondMill PondreservoirMona LakelakePlastic Park PondreservoirPorter LakeVan Horn Park Lower PondreservoirVan Horn Park Upper PondreservoirChicopee RiverConnecticut River
Biking & sports
21 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
14 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
3.9 mi
off-road bike paths
3.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
86Tennis
39Basketball
34Baseball
15Soccer
7Football
3Softball
1Field hockey
1Lacrosse
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →92 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 36 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
Springfield Armory National Historic SiteNational Historic Landmark · District · listed 1966
About itFirst Church of Christ, CongregationalBuilding · listed 1972
About itHampden County CourthouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itMills-Stebbins VillaBuilding · listed 1973
About itAmes Hill/Crescent Hill DistrictDistrict · listed 1974
About itCourt Square Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1974
About itQuadrangle-Mattoon Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1974
About itMaple-Union CornersDistrict · listed 1976
About itMcKnight DistrictDistrict · listed 1976
About itSouth Congregational ChurchBuilding · listed 1976
About itState ArmoryBuilding · listed 1976
About itMemorial Square DistrictDistrict · listed 1977
About it80 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Springfield: 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) | 35 | 39 | 47 | 60 | 71 | 80 | 85 | 83 | 75 | 63 | 51 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 3.1 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 3.9 |
February is the driest month (2.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 4.4 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Springfield →
Next door
Springfield and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
West Springfield Town55 miAgawam Town49 miLudlow44 miChicopee38 miSpringfield20 miLongmeadow17 miEast Longmeadow7.9 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | 15% | 0.6 | 18 | 99%+ | A |
| Ludlow | 24% | 1.6 | 103 | 77% | A+ |
| Chicopee | 4% | 1.7 | 14 | 90% | A− |
| West Springfield Town | 17% | 3.3 | 21 | 92% | A |
| Agawam Town | 16% | 2.1 | 52 | 90% | A+ |
| East Longmeadow | 10% | 0.6 | 34 | 87% | A |
| Longmeadow | 28% | 1.9 | 86 | 88% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Springfield
Where can I hike in Springfield?
The longest trail networks: Forest Park, 10.9 miles; Hubbard Park, 0.5 miles; South Branch Park, 0.4 miles; Beauregard & Schiavina Memorial Park, 0.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Springfield is conserved land?
15% 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 Springfield’s trails?
Forest Park and Hubbard Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Springfield?
21 miles of bike routes are on the map: 14 of painted or protected lanes, 3.9 of off-road paths and 3.6 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Springfield?
34,790 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Springfield or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,851 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Springfield have?
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #225 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 Springfield 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 →