Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Photo: P199 · CC BY-SA 3.0The biggest trail networks: Amherst Mountains Community Forest (11.9 mi). 22% of Amherst’s land is conserved, about 5,538 acres. 21 miles of mapped trail cross Amherst, 0.5 per square mile of land.
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
The longest trail network is Amherst Mountains Community Forest, with 11.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
22% of Amherst’s land. Who manages Amherst’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 557 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 8 of 16 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst Mountains Local Other or Unknown | State parks | 4,951 | Unknown |
| Lower Penobscot Forest State Resource Management Area | State parks | 4,947 | Open |
| Amherst Parcels State Other or Unknown | State fish & wildlife | 24 | Closed |
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
5 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
2 campgrounds without a name on the map.
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) | 9.1 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 28 | 31 | 40 | 52 | 65 | 73 | 79 | 78 | 69 | 57 | 45 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 3.9 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 4.7 |
February is the driest month (2.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 5.2 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Amherst →
Amherst has the most mapped trails of the 4 towns around it. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Aurora | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Bradley | 45% | 0.3 | under 1 | 23% | C+ |
| Mariaville | — 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.
The longest trail networks: Amherst Mountains Community Forest, 11.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Amherst Mountains Community Forest doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
5,048 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Amherst or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,981 of them inside the town line.
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Amherst neighbors.
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 →