Water Department Land
Nature preserve
212 acres5.5 mi of trail
Larry/Bill/Ed Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: T.S. Custadio aka ToddC4176 at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Yarmouth
Yarmouth has 104 miles of mapped trails, 4.3 for every square mile of land
33% of Yarmouth’s land is conserved, about 5,062 acres. Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 1,650 acres are parks and preserves, 65 per 1,000 residents.
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns · #37 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
33%
5,062 acres · of 24.2 sq mi of land
Trails
104 mi
4.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,650 ac
65 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
11 mi
11 mi paths
Highest peak
131 ft
Prospect Hill
Lakes & rivers
31
60 beaches · 4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Yarmouth?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Yarmouth have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Yarmouth is among the top 1% of U.S. towns, #37 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 Yarmouth’s overall grade.
Conserved land33% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails4.3 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (104 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land65 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,650 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13A−Parks 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)Among the top 1%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 87%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Yarmouth’s 33% is ahead of 78% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 91% of them.
Water is 14% of Yarmouth’s area (4 of 28 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 28%.
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 Water Department Land, with 5.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Syrjala Conservation Area
Managed by Town of Yarmouth Conservation Commission
165 acres4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Callery Darling Conservation Area
Managed by Town of Yarmouth
281 acres2.4 mi of trail
Bass Hole Boardwalk
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Sandy Pond Recreation Area Park
Park
70 acres2.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Parkers River Landing
Managed by Town of Yarmouth
21 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Dennis Pond Conservation Area
Nature preserve
49 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Horse Pond Conservation Land
Nature preserve
28 acres1 mi of trail
Larry/Bill/Ed Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Cape Cod Land Acquisition Bank
Managed by Town of Yarmouth
24 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 47 parks & preserves
Water Department Land212 acres · 5.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSyrjala Conservation Area165 acres · 4 mi of trail · Town of Yarmouth Conservation Commission
DirectionsCallery Darling Conservation Area281 acres · 2.4 mi of trail · Town of Yarmouth
DirectionsSandy Pond Recreation Area Park70 acres · 2.2 mi of trail
DirectionsParkers River Landing21 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Town of Yarmouth
DirectionsDennis Pond Conservation Area49 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsHorse Pond Conservation Land28 acres · 1 mi of trail
Cape Cod Land Acquisition Bank24 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Town of Yarmouth
Cemetery Land20 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Town of Yarmouth Land Bank17 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Town of Yarmouth
DirectionsElishas Pond Recreational Area9 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Town of Yarmouth
Yarmouth Station13 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsGrays Beach9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsConservation Area4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Yarmouh
Lewis Pond Marsh135 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCreney Property12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of Yarmouh
DirectionsProspect Hill Conservation Area10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Miss Thachers Pond Conservation Area20 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Yarmouth
Weir Mill Stream6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWings Grove Beach & Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNottingham Drive Conservation Area3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Cape Cod Land Bank Acqusistion3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Yarmouth
Chase Brook Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsChase Garden Creek WMA55 acres · Department of Fish and Game
Perera Property47 acres
Blizard Land35 acres
Simpkins Bog Conservation Area20 acres · Native Land Conservancy Inc
Peter Homer Park14 acres
DirectionsColony Stock Farm CR14 acres · Town of Yarmouth
Frank Baker Road13 acres
DirectionsBass River Beach And Boat Access11 acres
Starbuck Lane Conservation Area6 acres · Town of Yarmouth
Short Warf CR6 acres
Matachee Road Park6 acres
Mill Creek6 acres
Cape Cod Land Bank Acquisition6 acres · Town of Yarmouth
Homers Dock Road Conservation Area3 acres
Cape Cod Land Acquisition3 acres · Town of Yarmouth
Cape Cod Rail Trail2 acres · MA Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsStrawberry Lane Cr2 acres
DirectionsMill Creek Park2 acres
DirectionsSmith Road2 acres
Town Land1 acres
DirectionsHazelmoor Park1 acres
Reid Park1 acres
Captain Small Road1 acres
Lewis Bay1 acres
Who protects it
5,062 conserved acres
33% of Yarmouth’s land. Water is left out: Yarmouth has 24.2 square miles of land and 4.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Yarmouth’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits1,070 ac
Town or city496 ac
Other state land57 ac
Not recorded4,156 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 2,242 acConservation Easement · 1,382 acWatershed Protection Area · 1,262 acPrivate Conservation · 376 acResearch or Educational Area · 122 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 832 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 17 of 288 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yarmouth Water Supply Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 663 | Closed |
| Water Department Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 547 | Closed |
| Bayberry Hills Golf Course Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 307 | Restricted |
| Camp Greenough Private Conservation | Not recorded | 288 | Restricted |
| Lonetree Creek Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 283 | Open |
| Center Street Marsh Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 219 | Open |
| Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 145 | Open |
| Makepeace Property Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 144 | Open |
| Town of Yarmouth Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 127 | Open |
| Bass River Golf Course Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 117 | Restricted |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
87 places to go in Yarmouth
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Yarmouth
Bass River Beach
DirectionsBay View Street Beach
DirectionsEnglewood Beach
DirectionsFlax Pond
DirectionsGrays BeachIn Grays Beach
DirectionsPlashes Pond
DirectionsSalt Box Beach
DirectionsSeagull Beach
Directions2 more beaches
Swan Lake Association Beach
DirectionsThachers Beach
Directions60 beaches are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Playgrounds in Yarmouth
Homer Park PlaygroundIn Peter Homer Park
DirectionsReid Park PlaygroundIn Reid Park
DirectionsSears Playground
DirectionsYarmouthport Playground
DirectionsPlus 11 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Yarmouth
Yarmouth Dog ParkIn Sandy Pond Recreation Area Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Yarmouth
4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Yarmouth
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Yarmouth
Prospect Hill131 ft elevation
DirectionsProspect Hill108 ft elevation
DirectionsGerman Hill98 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Yarmouth
2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 31 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 7.6 miUnpaved · 17.0 mi
Snowman Trail0.8 mi
Cape Cod Pathways0.7 mi
Black Racer0.7 mi
Thacher Trail0.7 mi
Panty Bucket0.7 mi
Sidewinder0.6 mi
Larry/Bill/Ed Trail0.5 mi
Pond Trail0.5 mi
Knee Surgery Rehab0.5 mi
Gimme 3 Steps0.5 mi
15 more trails
Badlands Hill
0.5 miOil Pan
0.4 miMissing Link
0.4 miBilly's Boles
0.3 miWedding Band
0.3 miPerera Trail
0.3 miHolly Trail
0.3 miThacher & Pond Trails
0.3 miCamelot
0.2 miLinks Trail
0.2 miKing Arthur
0.2 miDo Drop In
0.2 miBass Hole Boardwalk
0.2 miBud Carter Trail
0.2 miMcNamara Path
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Bassets Lot PondpondBig Sandy PondpondCat Swamp PondreservoirCrowell PondpondDennis PondpondDinahs PondpondElishas PondpondFlax PondpondFollins PondpondGreenough PondpondHalfway PondHorse PondpondJabinettes PondpondJames PondpondLewis PondpondLily PondpondLittle Greenough PondreservoirLittle Sandy PondpondLong PondpondMathews PondpondMill PondreservoirMiller PondpondMiss Thatchers PondreservoirMuddy PondreservoirPerch PondpondPlashes PondpondSeine PondpondBass RiverChase Garden CreekParkers RiverWeir Creek
Biking & sports
11 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
11 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
24Tennis
11Pickleball
10Baseball
6Basketball
3Soccer
3Beach volleyball
3Volleyball
2Football
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 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Baxter MillBuilding · listed 1981
About itNorthside Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1987
About itThomas Bray FarmBuilding · listed 1988
About itSouth Yarmouth/Bass River Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1990
About itYarmouth Camp Ground Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1990
About itTaylor-Bray FarmBuilding · listed 1993
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Yarmouth: 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) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 39 | 40 | 45 | 54 | 64 | 72 | 79 | 78 | 72 | 62 | 53 | 44 |
| Rain (in) | 3.9 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.7 |
July is the driest month (2.6 in) and the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.7 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in Yarmouth →
Next door
Yarmouth and its neighbors
Yarmouth has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Barnstable Town202 miYarmouth104 miDennis53 miWest Yarmouth27 miSouth Dennis19 miSouth Yarmouth17 miYarmouth Port16 miWest Dennis5.6 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yarmouth | 33% | 4.3 | 65 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Dennis | 26% | 2.6 | 85 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Yarmouth Port | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| South Yarmouth | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| West Dennis | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Barnstable Town | 34% | 3.4 | 116 | 96% | A+ |
| West Yarmouth | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| South Dennis | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Yarmouth
Where can I hike in Yarmouth?
The longest trail networks: Water Department Land, 5.5 miles; Syrjala Conservation Area, 4 miles; Callery Darling Conservation Area, 2.4 miles; Sandy Pond Recreation Area Park, 2.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Yarmouth is conserved land?
33% 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 Yarmouth’s trails?
Water Department Land and Syrjala Conservation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Yarmouth?
11 miles of bike routes are on the map: 11 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Yarmouth?
21,239 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Yarmouth or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,856 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Yarmouth have?
Among the top 1% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #37 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 Yarmouth 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 →