Prospect Hill Park
Park
274 acres7 mi of trail
Sunset TrailMalloy TrailPine Ledge TrailProspectors Ridge Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Waltham
Waltham has 38 miles of mapped trails, 2.9 for every square mile of land
99% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 18% of Waltham’s land is conserved, about 1,444 acres. The biggest trail networks: Prospect Hill Park (7 mi), Beaver Brook North Reservation (5.5 mi), Storer Conservation Land (3.9 mi).
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns · #177 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
18%
1,444 acres · of 12.7 sq mi of land
Trails
38 mi
2.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
872 ac
13 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
9.2 mi
1.1 mi lanes · 7.3 mi paths
Highest peak
443 ft
Prospect Hill
Lakes & rivers
11
4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Waltham?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
A trail town2.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 97% of U.S. towns.Parks close to home99% of residents live within a half mile of a park.Land that stays wild18% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.History along the way108 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Waltham have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Waltham is ahead of 94% of U.S. towns, #177 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Waltham’s overall grade.
Conserved land18% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%ATrails2.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (38 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land13 acres of park per 1,000 residents (872 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13B−Parks close to home99% of residents within a half mile of a park · MA 93% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 94%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 38%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Waltham’s 18% is ahead of 35% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 74% of them.
Water is 7% of Waltham’s area (1 of 14 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 16%.
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 Prospect Hill Park, with 7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Beaver Brook North Reservation
Nature preserve
201 acres5.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Storer Conservation Land
Nature preserve
105 acres3.9 mi of trail
Lyman TrailHemlock TrailBull Run TrailPine Springs Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Sanderson Heights
Nature preserve
26 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Chesterbrook Woods
Nature preserve
26 acres1.2 mi of trail
Storer PathPine Springs TrailHemlock TrailPaine Pass
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail sign
Beaver Brook Reservation
Nature preserve
46 acres1.1 mi of trail
Esker TrailToboggan RunPlympton PathKendall Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Sachar Woods
Managed by Brandeis University
16 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Theater Lot
Shady's Pond Conservation Area
Nature preserve
32 acres0.9 mi of trail
Western Greenway
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 45 parks & preserves
Prospect Hill Park274 acres · 7 mi of trail
DirectionsBeaver Brook North Reservation201 acres · 5.5 mi of trail
DirectionsStorer Conservation Land105 acres · 3.9 mi of trail
DirectionsSanderson Heights26 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsChesterbrook Woods26 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBeaver Brook Reservation46 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSachar Woods16 acres · 1 mi of trail · Brandeis University
DirectionsShady's Pond Conservation Area32 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsNortheast Elementary School Land17 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Complex24 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsWaltham School Department Land20 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Mackerel Hill19 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsForest Grove Park9 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Waltham
Lowell Field5 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMonsignor McCabe Playground5 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Directions200 Trapelo Road25 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWaltham Housing Authority Land11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsBow Street Parcel8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCedarwood Playground7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsElsie Turner Field6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsLeary Field13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMcKenna Playground3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Waltham
DirectionsBobby Connors Playground3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHillcroft Playground2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Peter Gilmore Playground1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsYMCA Land8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBishops Forest7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDCR "Lot 3"5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDrake Playground2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFlowed Meadow Conservation Area1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Newton
DirectionsLandry Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsChemistry Station Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNipper Maher Park20 acres
DirectionsSmith Street Wetlands17 acres
DirectionsMokema Conservation Land7 acres
Waltham Common7 acres
DirectionsCity Land6 acres
DirectionsCornelia Warren Park5 acres
DirectionsGraverson Playground5 acres
DirectionsLazazzero Playground4 acres
DirectionsRiverwalk Park4 acres
DirectionsJuniper Hill1 acres
Pond End Tot Lot1 acres
McDonald Playground1 acres
DirectionsFitch Spray Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
1,444 conserved acres
18% of Waltham’s land. Water is left out: Waltham has 12.7 square miles of land and 1.0 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Waltham’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city371 ac
State parks88 ac
State conservation56 ac
Other state land25 ac
Not recorded996 ac
Local Park · 334 acLocal Other or Unknown · 281 acState Park · 253 acWatershed Protection Area · 172 acResearch or Educational Area · 94 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 59 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 81 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prospect Hill Park Local Park | Town or city | 246 | Open |
| Cambridge Water Supply Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 172 | Closed |
| Beaver Brook North Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 157 | Open |
| Mt Feake Cemetery Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 85 | Open |
| Cedar Hill Girl Scout Camp Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 74 | Restricted |
| Beaver Brook Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 60 | Unknown |
| Charles River Reservation State Park | Not recorded | 50 | Open |
| Calvary Cemetery Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 42 | Open |
| Shandys Pond Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 32 | Open |
| Lawrence Meadow State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 31 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
88 places to go in Waltham
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Waltham
Charlesbank Swimming Pool
DirectionsPlus 1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Waltham
200 Trapelo Road Universal PlaygroundIn 200 Trapelo Road
Directions40 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Waltham
Dog RanchIn Beaver Brook North Reservation
DirectionsPlus 2 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Waltham
Woerd Avenue Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Waltham
2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Waltham
7 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Waltham
Prospect Hill443 ft elevation · In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsLittle Prospect436 ft elevation · In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsBear Hill292 ft elevation
DirectionsOwl Hill226 ft elevation
DirectionsCedar Hill217 ft elevation
DirectionsReservoir Hill161 ft elevation · In Sachar Woods
DirectionsMount Feake112 ft elevation
DirectionsStearns Hill
Directions1 more peak
Winthrop Hill
DirectionsPicnic areas in Waltham
Picnic Site 1In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 10In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 11In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 12In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 2In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 3In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 4In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 5In Prospect Hill Park
Directions5 more picnic areas
Picnic Site 6In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 7In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 8In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 9In Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsValley ShelterIn Prospect Hill Park
DirectionsPlus 6 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Waltham
Camp Cedar Hill
DirectionsDisc golf in Waltham
1 disc golf course without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 11 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 17.6 miUnpaved · 26.1 mi
Western Greenway1.9 mi
Storer Path0.5 mi
Pine Springs Trail0.5 mi
Sunset Trail0.4 mi
Malloy Trail0.4 mi
Hemlock Trail0.4 mi
Pine Ledge Trail0.4 mi
Bull Run Trail0.4 mi
Lyman Trail0.3 mi
Prospectors Ridge Trail0.3 mi
15 more trails
Bond Trail
0.3 miHansen Slope Trail
0.3 miBarry Trail
0.3 miRidge Trail
0.3 miHobbes Trail
0.2 miBoston Rock Trail
0.2 miFitz Trail
0.2 miBlueberry Trail
0.2 miPaine Pass
0.2 miWhitney Trail
0.2 miDinosaur Rock Trail
0.2 miWatch Works Trail
0.1 miWood Trail
0.1 miButtrick Trail
0.1 miEsker Trail
0.1 miBiking & sports
9.2 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
7.3 mi
off-road bike paths
0.8 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
36Tennis
27Basketball
17Baseball
11Soccer
9Pickleball
5Softball
4Tracks
2Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →108 places on the National Register, 3 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 15 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Castle, TheBuilding · listed 1979
About itUS Post Office-Waltham MainBuilding · listed 1986
About itPhineas Lawrence HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itAaron Martin HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itAaron Martin HousesBuilding · listed 1989
About itAmerican Waltham Watch Company Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1989
About itAmerican Watch Tool CompanyBuilding · listed 1989
About itAmos Stearns HouseBuilding · listed 1989
About itBaker, Charles, PropertyBuilding · listed 1989
About it96 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Waltham: 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) | 36 | 39 | 46 | 59 | 69 | 78 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 63 | 52 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 4.6 |
February is the driest month (3.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Waltham →
Next door
Waltham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waltham | 18% | 2.9 | 13 | 99% | A |
| Weston | 24% | 5.5 | 143 | 98% | A+ |
| Belmont | 17% | 3.5 | 14 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Newton | 15% | 2.7 | 12 | 99%+ | A |
| Lincoln | 37% | 5.7 | 408 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Watertown | 13% | 3.4 | 6 | 99%+ | A |
| Lexington | 22% | 4.0 | 61 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Waltham
Where can I hike in Waltham?
The longest trail networks: Prospect Hill Park, 7 miles; Beaver Brook North Reservation, 5.5 miles; Storer Conservation Land, 3.9 miles; Sanderson Heights, 1.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Waltham is conserved land?
18% 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 Waltham’s trails?
Prospect Hill Park and Beaver Brook North Reservation don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Waltham?
9.2 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.1 of painted or protected lanes, 7.3 of off-road paths and 0.8 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Waltham?
45,292 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Waltham or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 983 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Waltham have?
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #177 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 Waltham 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 →