Saco Heath Preserve
Managed by The Nature Conservancy
1,334 acres2.4 mi of trail
Saco Heath BoardwalkSaco Heath TrailLoop Trail
Dogs usually not allowed
Directionsto Saco Heath Parking
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Saco
13% of Saco’s land is conserved: 3,235 acres
The biggest trail networks: Saco Heath Preserve (2.4 mi), Horton Woods (1.9 mi), Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge (1.8 mi). 27 miles of mapped trail cross Saco, 0.7 per square mile of land. 147 acres are parks and preserves, 7.1 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 66% of U.S. towns · #46 of 143 in Maine. What drives it
Conserved land
13%
3,235 acres · of 38.6 sq mi of land
Trails
27 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
147 ac
7.1 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
63%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
5.1 mi
5.1 mi paths
Highest peak
220 ft
Berry Hill
Lakes & rivers
9
6 beaches · 6 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Saco?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Saco have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Saco is ahead of 66% of U.S. towns, #46 of 143 in Maine. Conserved land holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Saco’s overall grade.
Conserved land13% of the land · typical ME town 6% · U.S. 4%A−Trails0.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (27 mi) · ME 0.7 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land7.1 acres of park per 1,000 residents (147 acres) · ME 15 · U.S. 13C+Parks close to home63% of residents within a half mile of a park · ME 30% · U.S. 72%B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 66%
LessMore
Maine towns of 2,500+ (143)Ahead of 68%
Water is 27% of Saco’s area (14 of 53 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 10%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B− 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 Saco Heath Preserve, with 2.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Horton Woods
Managed by Saco Bay Trails
96 acres1.9 mi of trail
Blue Heron TrailBeaver Path TrailRed Maple TrailBig Pine Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service;U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
473 acres1.8 mi of trail
Branch Brook LoopPlymouth TrailVines TrailVines-Plymouth Link Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Ferry Beach State Park
Nature preserve
120 acres1.8 mi of trail
Tupelo TrailWhite Oak TrailRed Oak TrailGreenbriar Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Cascade Falls Park
Managed by Saco Bay Trails
18 acres0.7 mi of trail
Trout Pond LoopBrookside TrailFalls View TrailLedge Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
All 24 parks & preserves
Saco Heath Preserve1,334 acres · 2.4 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy
DirectionsHorton Woods96 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Saco Bay Trails
DirectionsRachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge473 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · United States Fish and Wildlife Service;U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
DirectionsFerry Beach State Park120 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsCascade Falls Park18 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Saco Bay Trails
DirectionsBrandt Donation10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Saco Valley Land Trust
Diamond Riverside Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Saco
DirectionsHaley Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMobil Donation6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Saco Valley Land Trust
Libby Parcel82 acres · Saco Valley Land Trust
Wedgewood Parcel71 acres · Saco Valley Land Trust
Heath Parcel44 acres · Saco Valley Land Trust
Thurston Donation30 acres · Saco Valley Land Trust
Stratton Island23 acres · Audubon
Apple Ridge Parcel12 acres · Saco Valley Land Trust
Bluff Island9 acres · Audubon
Hidden Fields Parcel7 acres · Saco Valley Land Trust
Plymouth Drive Field7 acres
Gannon Parcel6 acres · Saco Valley Land Trust
Nonesuch River Parcel5 acres · Saco Valley Land Trust
Thurston Mill Monument4 acres · Saco Valley Land Trust
Pepperell Park4 acres
DirectionsFront Street Park1 acres · City of Saco
DirectionsJubilee Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
3,235 conserved acres
13% of Saco’s land. Water is left out: Saco has 38.6 square miles of land and 14.2 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Saco’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits3,573 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service938 ac
Regional agency531 ac
State parks121 ac
Town or city106 ac
State fish & wildlife6 ac
Not recorded624 ac
Private Conservation · 2,593 acLocal Other or Unknown · 1,092 acNational Wildlife Refuge · 935 acAgricultural Easement · 472 acUnknown Easement · 272 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 391 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 27 of 72 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saco Heath Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 2,543 | Closed |
| Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 935 | Restricted |
| Miscellaneous Municipal Lands Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 523 | Unknown |
| Unknown Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 523 | Unknown |
| Ferry Beach State Park State Park | State parks | 121 | Closed |
| Libby Private Other or Unknown | Land trusts & nonprofits | 82 | Closed |
| Wedgewood Private Other or Unknown | Land trusts & nonprofits | 74 | Closed |
| Stratton Island Private Conservation | Not recorded | 68 | Unknown |
| Saco Heath Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 38 | Unknown |
| Diamond Riverside Park Local Park | Town or city | 36 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
46 places to go in Saco
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Saco
Plus 2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Saco
15 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in Saco
Saco Dog Park
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Saco
Front Street Boat Ramp
DirectionsIrving Street Boat Ramp
DirectionsPlus 4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Saco
Cascade Falls WaterfallIn Cascade Falls Park
DirectionsPlus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Saco
8 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Saco
Berry Hill220 ft elevation
DirectionsSkilly Hills154 ft elevation
DirectionsBig Ledge148 ft elevation
DirectionsGoosefare Hill121 ft elevation
DirectionsSlater Hill121 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Saco
Ferry Beach Resort and Conference Center - Camping Site
DirectionsDisc golf in Saco
Grant's Nonesuch Valley Farm Disc Golf
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 9 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 0.7 miUnpaved · 4.9 mi
Blue Heron Trail1.1 mi
Stone Bridge Trail0.7 mi
Branch Brook Loop0.5 mi
Big Pine Trail0.5 mi
Ferry Landing Trail0.5 mi
Red Maple Trail0.5 mi
Plymouth Trail0.4 mi
Saco Heath Boardwalk0.4 mi
Saco Heath Trail0.4 mi
Tupelo Trail0.4 mi
15 more trails
White Oak Trail
0.4 miVines Trail
0.4 miLoop Trail
0.4 miBeaver Path Trail
0.3 miRed Oak Trail
0.3 miMary Merrill Trail
0.3 miMiddle Goosefare Trail
0.3 miTrout Pond Loop
0.3 miSaco Island Loop Trail
0.2 miGreenbriar Trail
0.2 miBrookside Trail
0.2 miFalls View Trail
0.1 miBeach Trail
0.1 miWoodcock Trail
0.1 miLedge Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
5.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
5.1 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
15Tennis
9Baseball
7Multi-sport
6Basketball
5Tracks
3Equestrian
2Beach volleyball
2Pickleball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →11 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Thacher-Goodale HouseBuilding · listed 1976
About itA. B. Seavey HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itSaco City HallBuilding · listed 1979
About itJ. G. Deering HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itJacobs Houses and StoreBuilding · listed 1982
About itSaco High School (old)Building · listed 1983
About itGrant Family HouseBuilding · listed 1990
About itWay Way General StoreBuilding · listed 1995
About itSaco Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1998
About itSaco Central Fire StationBuilding · listed 2013
About itRendezvous Point Burying GroundSite · listed 2021
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Saco: 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) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 33 | 35 | 43 | 55 | 65 | 75 | 80 | 79 | 71 | 59 | 48 | 38 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 5.1 | 4.4 | 4.7 |
February is the driest month (3.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 5.1 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Saco →
Next door
Saco 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saco | 13% | 0.7 | 7 | 63% | B+ |
| Old Orchard Beach | 14% | 2.1 | 7 | 51% | B+ |
| Biddeford | 12% | 1.6 | 19 | 73% | A |
| Dayton | under 1% | 0.3 | under 1 | under 1% | D |
| Scarborough | 20% | 1.0 | 28 | 32% | A− |
| Buxton | 4% | 0.5 | 31 | 23% | B− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Saco
Where can I hike in Saco?
The longest trail networks: Saco Heath Preserve, 2.4 miles; Horton Woods, 1.9 miles; Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, 1.8 miles; Ferry Beach State Park, 1.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Saco is conserved land?
13% of its land, against a typical 6% for a Maine town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Saco’s trails?
Saco Heath Preserve and Horton Woods don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Saco?
5.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 5.1 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Saco?
3,730 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Saco or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 147 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Saco have?
Ahead of 66% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #46 of 143 in Maine. 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 Saco 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 →