Mill Pond & Pipestave Hill Recreation Area
Nature preserve
287 acres5.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Riverbend Trail · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in West Newbury
West Newbury has 1,512 acres of parks, 329 for every 1,000 residents
28% of West Newbury’s land is conserved, about 2,397 acres. 25 miles of mapped trail cross West Newbury, 1.9 per square mile of land. 93% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #72 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
28%
2,397 acres · of 13.4 sq mi of land
Trails
25 mi
1.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,512 ac
329 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
93%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
258 ft
Brake Hill
Lakes & rivers
11
What kind of outdoors town is West Newbury?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Room to roam329 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.Land that stays wild28% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.A trail town1.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 92% of U.S. towns.History along the way6 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does West Newbury have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, West Newbury is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #72 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 West Newbury’s overall grade.
Conserved land28% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (25 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land329 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,512 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13AParks close to home93% of 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 of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 75%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so West Newbury’s 28% is ahead of 67% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 47% of them.
Water is 9% of West Newbury’s area (1 of 15 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 26%.
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 Mill Pond & Pipestave Hill Recreation Area, with 5.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Riverbend Conservation Area
Managed by Town of West Newbury
186 acres4.1 mi of trail
Riverbend TrailIndian River TrailMyopia TrailCoffin Street Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Brake Hill
Managed by Town of West Newbury
110 acres1.8 mi of trail
North Slope TrailThe Webelos TrailBrake Hill TrailSouth Ridge Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Artichoke River Woods
Managed by Essex County Greenbelt Association
76 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Crane Pond Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Department of Fish And Game
469 acres1.4 mi of trail
Paradise Loop
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Indian Hill Conservation Area (Indian Hill Farm Reservation)
Managed by Essex County Greenbelt Association
22 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Withers Conservation Area
Managed by Town Of West Newbury
26 acres0.9 mi of trail
Artichoke TrailCedar Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Mullen Woods
Nature preserve
36 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 27 parks & preserves
Mill Pond & Pipestave Hill Recreation Area287 acres · 5.3 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverbend Conservation Area186 acres · 4.1 mi of trail · Town of West Newbury
DirectionsBrake Hill110 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Town of West Newbury
DirectionsArtichoke River Woods76 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Essex County Greenbelt Association
DirectionsCrane Pond Wildlife Management Area469 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Department of Fish And Game
DirectionsIndian Hill Conservation Area (Indian Hill Farm Reservation)22 acres · 1 mi of trail · Essex County Greenbelt Association
Withers Conservation Area26 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Town Of West Newbury
Mullen Woods36 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Indian Hill Conservation Area (Ordway Reservation)87 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Essex County Greenbelt Association
River Road Conservation Area36 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Essex County Greenbelt Association
Indian Hill Conservation Area (South Street Woodlots)33 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Essex County Greenbelt Association
Indian Hill Conservation Area (Pikes Bridge Road Conservation Area)100 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Essex County Greenbelt Association
Town Forest9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Coffin Street Land53 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Essex County Greenbelt Association
Walker17 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Essex County Greenbelt Association
Conservation Land16 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsArtichoke River Land5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Upper Artichoke Area37 acres
Sawmill Brook Conservation Area32 acres · Town of West Newbury
Martin H. Burns Wildlife Management Area27 acres
DirectionsHeath Woodland Conservation Area16 acres
Chestnut Hill Farm Reservation14 acres · Town of West Newbury
Thurlow Field13 acres · Essex County Greenbelt Association
Job Swamp10 acres · Town Of West Newbury
Poore Wetland7 acres · Essex County Greenbelt Association
Poore Pond6 acres · Essex County Greenbelt Association
Essex County Greenbelt Association4 acres
Who protects it
2,397 conserved acres
28% of West Newbury’s land. Water is left out: West Newbury has 13.4 square miles of land and 1.3 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages West Newbury’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land1,001 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits868 ac
Town or city338 ac
State fish & wildlife34 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government31 ac
Private owners12 ac
Not recorded1,151 ac
Agricultural Easement · 983 acConservation Easement · 658 acUnknown Easement · 450 acState Conservation Area · 351 acLocal Other or Unknown · 292 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,089 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 25 of 123 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crane Pond Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 385 | Open |
| Newburyport Water Supply Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 199 | Unknown |
| John C Page Elementary School Playground Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 121 | Open |
| West Newbury Reserve Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 75 | Unknown |
| Withers Parcel Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 44 | Open |
| Middle Street Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 35 | Open |
| Hilltop Circle Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 33 | Open |
| Woodcrest Drive Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 33 | Open |
| South Street Woodlots Reservation Private Conservation | Not recorded | 33 | Open |
| Colby Pasture Private Conservation | Not recorded | 31 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
14 places to go in West Newbury
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in West Newbury
Action Cove
DirectionsPlus 2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in West Newbury
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in West Newbury
Brake Hill258 ft elevation · In Brake Hill
DirectionsArchelaus Hill243 ft elevation
DirectionsCrane Neck Hill226 ft elevation
DirectionsIsleys Hill203 ft elevation
DirectionsLong Hill194 ft elevation
DirectionsPipestave Hill190 ft elevation · In Mill Pond & Pipestave Hill Recreation Area
DirectionsIndian Hill131 ft elevation · In Indian Hill Conservation Area (Indian Hill Farm Reservation)
DirectionsPlus 2 peaks without a name on the map.
Trails & water
18 named trails and 11 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 8.8 mi
Riverbend Trail1.0 mi
Indian River Trail0.8 mi
North Slope Trail0.8 mi
Artichoke Trail0.7 mi
Paradise Loop0.6 mi
The Webelos Trail0.6 mi
South Ridge Trail0.5 mi
Myopia Trail0.4 mi
Coffin Street Trail0.4 mi
Brake Hill Trail0.4 mi
8 more trails
Pentucket Trail
0.3 miPage Trail
0.3 miTupelo Trail
0.2 miCedar Ridge Trail
0.2 miCedar Trail
0.1 miRiver's Edge Trail
0.1 miHay Field Trail
0.1 miEast Woods Trail
0.1 miBiking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
7Baseball
6Tennis
2Equestrian
1Softball
1Pickleball
1Soccer
1Field hockey
1Lacrosse
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Newell FarmBuilding · listed 1978
About itRev. John Tufts HouseBuilding · listed 1990
About itSamuel Chase HouseBuilding · listed 1990
About itSamuel March HouseBuilding · listed 1990
About itTimothy Morse HouseBuilding · listed 1990
About itSoldiers and Sailors Memorial BuildingBuilding · listed 2016
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in West Newbury: 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 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 37 | 45 | 57 | 68 | 77 | 82 | 81 | 73 | 61 | 50 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 4.5 |
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 West Newbury →
Next door
West Newbury 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Newbury | 28% | 1.9 | 329 | 93% | A+ |
| Newburyport | 21% | 4.7 | 51 | 98% | A+ |
| Newbury | 51% | 2.1 | 689 | 98% | A+ |
| Merrimac | 14% | 1.7 | 20 | 77% | A |
| Haverhill | 19% | 2.1 | 10 | 85% | A |
| Amesbury | 12% | 2.7 | 51 | 96% | A+ |
| Groveland | 17% | 2.7 | 273 | 92% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in West Newbury
Where can I hike in West Newbury?
The longest trail networks: Mill Pond & Pipestave Hill Recreation Area, 5.3 miles; Riverbend Conservation Area, 4.1 miles; Brake Hill, 1.8 miles; Artichoke River Woods, 1.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of West Newbury is conserved land?
28% 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 West Newbury’s trails?
Mill Pond & Pipestave Hill Recreation Area and Riverbend Conservation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near West Newbury?
35,896 acres of parks and open public land lie inside West Newbury or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,660 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does West Newbury have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #72 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 West Newbury 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 →