Leadmine Mountain Wildlife Conservation Easement
Nature preserve
833 acres13.4 mi of trail
Seven Ridges TrailArbutus Park TrailLeadmine TrailMountain Laurel Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailhead
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Sturbridge
Sturbridge has 5,176 acres of parks, 520 for every 1,000 residents
82 miles of mapped trail cross Sturbridge, 2.2 per square mile of land. 29% of Sturbridge’s land is conserved, about 7,000 acres. The biggest trail networks: Leadmine Mountain Wildlife Conservation Easement (13.4 mi), Wolf Swamp Wildlife Management Area (7.2 mi), Breakneck Brook Wildlife Management Area (6.1 mi).
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns · #115 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
29%
7,000 acres · of 37.2 sq mi of land
Trails
82 mi
2.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
5,176 ac
520 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
76%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
6.1 mi
0.6 mi lanes · 3.1 mi paths
Highest peak
1,076 ft
Blake Hill
Lakes & rivers
20
3 beaches · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Sturbridge?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Sturbridge have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Sturbridge is ahead of 97% of U.S. towns, #115 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; park acres per resident rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Sturbridge’s overall grade.
Conserved land29% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%ATrails2.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (82 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land520 acres of park per 1,000 residents (5,176 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13A+Parks close to home76% 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 of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 60%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Sturbridge’s 29% is ahead of 71% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 57% 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 Leadmine Mountain Wildlife Conservation Easement, with 13.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Wolf Swamp Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
247 acres7.2 mi of trail
Pond Loop
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailhead
Breakneck Brook Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
745 acres6.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Breakneck Brook Wildlife Management Area
Plimpton Community Forest
Managed by Town of Sturbridge Conservation Commission
308 acres5.3 mi of trail
Field Loop TrailPlimpton LoopHolden TrailTown Line Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Breakneck Brook Wildlife Conservation Easement
Nature preserve
493 acres3.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Riverlands
Managed by Sturbridge Trails Committee
135 acres3.5 mi of trail
Cistern TrailFlow Trail #2Flow Trail #3Grand Trunk Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailhead
Opacum Woods
Nature preserve
259 acres2.8 mi of trail
Blue TrailYellow TrailWhite TrailRed Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Leadmine Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
553 acres2.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 20 parks & preserves
Leadmine Mountain Wildlife Conservation Easement833 acres · 13.4 mi of trail
DirectionsWolf Swamp Wildlife Management Area247 acres · 7.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBreakneck Brook Wildlife Management Area745 acres · 6.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPlimpton Community Forest308 acres · 5.3 mi of trail · Town of Sturbridge Conservation Commission
DirectionsBreakneck Brook Wildlife Conservation Easement493 acres · 3.8 mi of trail
Riverlands135 acres · 3.5 mi of trail · Sturbridge Trails Committee
DirectionsOpacum Woods259 acres · 2.8 mi of trail
DirectionsLeadmine Wildlife Management Area553 acres · 2.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLeadmine Mountain Conservation Area96 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Sturbridge Trails Committee
DirectionsHeins Farm Conservation Area91 acres · 1.6 mi of trail
DirectionsTantiusques Reservation62 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsEast Brimfield Lake Flood Risk Management Project156 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsLong Pond Conservation Area72 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMcKinstry Brook Wildlife Management Area174 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
DirectionsOpacum Conservation Area17 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Sturbridge Conservation Commission
Herve and Mary Jane Gaumond Memorial Sanctuary29 acres
Cedar Pond Recreation Area12 acres
Leadmine Pond Public Access2 acres
DirectionsSturbridge Town Common1 acres
DirectionsVillage Common1 acres
Who protects it
7,000 conserved acres
29% of Sturbridge’s land. Who manages Sturbridge’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources1,771 ac
State fish & wildlife1,581 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits590 ac
State parks254 ac
Other state land167 ac
Town or city90 ac
Private owners22 ac
Conservation Easement · 3,881 acState Conservation Area · 1,624 acState Park · 1,439 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 497 acPrivate Historic or Cultural · 312 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 2,092 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 3 of 95 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells State Park State Park | Not recorded | 1,439 | Open |
| Breakneck Brook Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 722 | Open |
| Leadmine Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 516 | Open |
| Old Sturbridge Village Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 312 | Restricted |
| Plimpton Community Forest Unknown | Not recorded | 279 | Open |
| Wolf Swamp Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 243 | Open |
| Water Department Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 223 | Unknown |
| Outdoor World Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 174 | Restricted |
| McKinstry Brook Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 144 | Open |
| Hamilton Rod and Gun Club Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 142 | Restricted |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
29 places to go in Sturbridge
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Sturbridge
Streeter BeachIn East Brimfield Lake Flood Risk Management Project
DirectionsSturbridge Town BeachHours: May Mo[-1]-Sep Mo[1] Su-Sa,PH dawn-dusk · In Cedar Pond Recreation Area
DirectionsPlus 1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Sturbridge
Kidstory
DirectionsPlus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Sturbridge
Big Alum Boat Ramp
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Sturbridge
Carpenter's Rocks
DirectionsPerry's PointIn Opacum Woods
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Sturbridge
Blake Hill1,076 ft elevation · In Leadmine Wildlife Management Area
DirectionsMount Dan948 ft elevation
DirectionsLeadmine Mountain942 ft elevation · In Leadmine Mountain Wildlife Conservation Easement
DirectionsHigh Bunk899 ft elevation · In Breakneck Brook Wildlife Management Area
DirectionsGay Hill889 ft elevation
DirectionsBarnes Hill876 ft elevation
DirectionsFiske Hill856 ft elevation
DirectionsWhite Hill843 ft elevation
Directions2 more peaks
Walker Mountain840 ft elevation
DirectionsShepard Hill791 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Sturbridge
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Sturbridge
Outdoor World
DirectionsWells State ParkMassachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 20 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 19.2 miHorses · 0.8 miUnpaved · 13.5 mi
Seven Ridges Trail2.4 mi
Mission Trail2.1 mi
Leadmine Trail1.8 mi
Mountain Road Trail1.7 mi
Arbutus Park Trail1.6 mi
North Trail1.4 mi
Mountain Laurel Trail1.4 mi
Yellow Trail1.2 mi
Lower Loop1.0 mi
Hitchcock Mountain Trail1.0 mi
15 more trails
Blue Trail
1.0 miField Loop Trail
1.0 miStafford Turnpike Loop
1.0 miCow Stile Trail
0.9 miPlimpton Loop
0.9 miSouth Trail
0.8 miLong Pond Trail
0.8 miHolden Trail
0.8 miLeadmine Loop
0.8 miUpper Loop
0.7 miSand Hill Trail
0.6 miLegendary Loop
0.6 miCistern Trail
0.6 miPinelands Trail
0.6 miPond View Loop Trail
0.6 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Beaver PondBig Alum LakelakeCedar LakelakeHamant Brook ReservoirreservoirKelly Road PondLeadmine PondLong PondpondLower Hamant PondMill PondNew Boston Road PondOpacum PondpondPistol PondPond HoleQuinebaug RiverQuinebaug River ReservoirreservoirShattuck Road PondUpper Hamant PondWalker PondHobbs BrookQuinebaug River
Biking & sports
6.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.6 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
3.1 mi
off-road bike paths
2.4 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
10Tennis
6Baseball
5Basketball
1Soccer
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →3 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.
When to get out
The best walking months in Sturbridge: 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 | 15.2 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 34 | 37 | 45 | 58 | 68 | 76 | 81 | 80 | 73 | 61 | 50 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 3.7 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 3.9 | 4.5 |
February is the driest month (3.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.9 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Sturbridge →
Next door
Sturbridge and its neighbors
Sturbridge has the most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Sturbridge82 miCharlton35 miBrimfield27 miSouthbridge Town21 miBrookfield12 miHolland9.3 miEast Brookfield6.8 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sturbridge | 29% | 2.2 | 520 | 76% | A+ |
| Southbridge Town | 14% | 1.1 | 31 | 82% | A |
| Brookfield | 35% | 0.8 | 778 | 83% | A+ |
| Charlton | 11% | 0.8 | 100 | 64% | A |
| Holland | 21% | 0.8 | 707 | 77% | A |
| Brimfield | 14% | 0.8 | 299 | 46% | A− |
| East Brookfield | 26% | 0.7 | 610 | 84% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Sturbridge
Where can I hike in Sturbridge?
The longest trail networks: Leadmine Mountain Wildlife Conservation Easement, 13.4 miles; Wolf Swamp Wildlife Management Area, 7.2 miles; Breakneck Brook Wildlife Management Area, 6.1 miles; Plimpton Community Forest, 5.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Sturbridge is conserved land?
29% 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 Sturbridge’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Leadmine Mountain Wildlife Conservation Easement (on leash), Wolf Swamp Wildlife Management Area (on leash) and Riverlands (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Sturbridge?
6.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.6 of painted or protected lanes, 3.1 of off-road paths and 2.4 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Sturbridge?
35,763 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Sturbridge or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 5,912 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Sturbridge have?
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #115 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 Sturbridge 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 →