Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region
Nature preserve
1,505 acres3.7 mi of trail
Norman Mill TrailNotchCedar Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailhead
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in South Berwick
22% of South Berwick’s land is conserved: 4,635 acres
496 acres are parks and preserves, 65 per 1,000 residents. 34 miles of mapped trail cross South Berwick, 1.1 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region (3.7 mi), Vaughan Woods State Park (3.3 mi), Orris Falls Conservation Area (2.9 mi).
Ahead of 88% of U.S. towns · #9 of 143 in Maine. What drives it
Conserved land
22%
4,635 acres · of 32.1 sq mi of land
Trails
34 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
496 ac
65 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
54%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
2.3 mi
2.3 mi lanes
Highest peak
354 ft
Welch Hill
Lakes & rivers
10
1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is South Berwick?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does South Berwick have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, South Berwick is ahead of 88% of U.S. towns, #9 of 143 in Maine. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of South Berwick’s overall grade.
Conserved land22% of the land · typical ME town 6% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (34 mi) · ME 0.7 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land65 acres of park per 1,000 residents (496 acres) · ME 15 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home54% of residents within a half mile of a park · ME 30% · U.S. 72%C+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 88%
LessMore
Maine towns of 2,500+ (143)Ahead of 94%
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 Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region, with 3.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Vaughan Woods State Park
Managed by Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
152 acres3.3 mi of trail
Bridle PathRiver RunBridle Path LoopWindy Walk+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Orris Falls Conservation Area
Managed by Great Works Regional Land Trust
181 acres2.9 mi of trail
Orris Falls TrailLachance Point TrailRiver Gorge TrailBig Bump Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail sign
Rocky Hills Preserve
Managed by Great Works Regional Land Trust
195 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Desrochers Memorial Forest
Managed by Great Works Regional Land Trust
132 acres1.3 mi of trail
Tara's TrailPatti's Path
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Kenyon Hill Preserve
Managed by Great Works Regional Land Trust
111 acres1.2 mi of trail
Blue Square TrailLedge TrailCut Off Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Kimball Farm North Preserve
Managed by Great Works Regional Land Trust
38 acres1.1 mi of trail
Split Rock TrailRiver TrailConnector Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Raymond & Simone Savage Wildlife Preserve
Managed by Great Works Regional Land Trust
31 acres0.9 mi of trail
Savage
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 15 parks & preserves
Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region1,505 acres · 3.7 mi of trail
DirectionsVaughan Woods State Park152 acres · 3.3 mi of trail · Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
DirectionsOrris Falls Conservation Area181 acres · 2.9 mi of trail · Great Works Regional Land Trust
DirectionsRocky Hills Preserve195 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Great Works Regional Land Trust
DirectionsDesrochers Memorial Forest132 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Great Works Regional Land Trust
Kenyon Hill Preserve111 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Great Works Regional Land Trust
DirectionsKimball Farm North Preserve38 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Great Works Regional Land Trust
DirectionsRaymond & Simone Savage Wildlife Preserve31 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Great Works Regional Land Trust
DirectionsHilton-Winn Preserve29 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · York Land Trust
DirectionsMount Agamenticus Wildlife Management Area371 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Tatnic Woods Preserve22 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Great Works Regional Land Trust
Eliot Town Forest20 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of Eliot
South Berwick Recreation Area51 acres
William A. Bray Memorial Park4 acres
DirectionsCounting House Park2 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
4,635 conserved acres
22% of South Berwick’s land. Who manages South Berwick’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State fish & wildlife3,280 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits2,724 ac
Regional agency457 ac
Town or city253 ac
State parks156 ac
Regional Water Districts81 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)46 ac
State Conservation Area · 3,296 acLocal Other or Unknown · 1,200 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 883 acPrivate Conservation · 867 acConservation Easement · 684 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 639 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 51 of 176 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Agamenticus Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 1,783 | Restricted |
| Mt. Agamenticus Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 1,320 | Restricted |
| Mt Agamenticus - Town of South Berwick Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 378 | Unknown |
| Mount Agamenticus Macrosite Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 253 | Open |
| Unknown Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 213 | Unknown |
| Vaughan Woods State Park State Park | State parks | 156 | Restricted |
| Gerard Derocher Memorial Forest Private Other or Unknown | Land trusts & nonprofits | 132 | Closed |
| Mount Agamenticus State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 130 | Restricted |
| Miscellaneous Municipal Lands Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 112 | Unknown |
| Orris Falls I Private Other or Unknown | Land trusts & nonprofits | 107 | Closed |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
25 places to go in South Berwick
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in South Berwick
Shoetown Playground
DirectionsPlus 3 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in South Berwick
William A. Bray Memorial Park Boat Ramp
DirectionsWaterfalls in South Berwick
Orris FallsIn Orris Falls Conservation Area
DirectionsScenic views in South Berwick
Big BumpIn Orris Falls Conservation Area
DirectionsLa Chance PointIn Orris Falls Conservation Area
DirectionsTatnic Ledges LookoutIn Orris Falls Conservation Area
DirectionsPeaks in South Berwick
Welch Hill354 ft elevation
DirectionsNorman Hill338 ft elevation
DirectionsBrown Hill335 ft elevation
DirectionsPowderhouse Hill285 ft elevation
DirectionsBickel Mountain282 ft elevation
DirectionsSpring Hill282 ft elevation · In Orris Falls Conservation Area
DirectionsGreat Hill272 ft elevation
DirectionsCummings Hill230 ft elevation
Directions6 more peaks
Kenyon Hill230 ft elevation · In Kenyon Hill Preserve
DirectionsRocky Hills226 ft elevation · In Rocky Hills Preserve
DirectionsHanscom Hill220 ft elevation
DirectionsWitchtrot Hill180 ft elevation
DirectionsWarren Hill141 ft elevation
DirectionsBig BumpIn Orris Falls Conservation Area
DirectionsPicnic areas in South Berwick
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Community gardens in South Berwick
South Berwick Community GardenIn South Berwick Recreation Area
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 10 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 6.4 miHorses · 5.3 miUnpaved · 17.0 mi
Norman Mill Trail2.7 mi
Orris Falls Trail1.7 mi
Bridle Path1.2 mi
River Trail1.1 mi
Blue Square Trail1.0 mi
River Run0.8 mi
Town Forest Trek0.7 mi
Savage0.7 mi
Checkerberry Trail0.7 mi
Herb's Hike0.6 mi
15 more trails
Lachance Point Trail
0.6 miBreen-Norris Farm Trail
0.6 miSplit Rock Trail
0.5 miTara's Trail
0.5 miBridle Path Loop
0.4 miNotch
0.4 miRiver Gorge Trail
0.4 miCedar Trail
0.3 miWalt's Walk
0.3 miBig Bump Trail
0.3 miPatti's Path
0.3 miLady Slipper Loop
0.2 miConnector Trail
0.2 miGreat Marsh Trail
0.2 miWindy Walk
0.1 miBiking & sports
2.3 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.3 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
Courts & fields
12Tennis
5Multi-sport
4Lacrosse
3Baseball
2Softball
1Basketball
1Soccer
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →7 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 4 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Portsmouth Company Cotton Mills: Counting HouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itBerwick AcademyDistrict · listed 1978
About itJewett-Eastman HouseBuilding · listed 1983
About itConway Junction Railroad Turntable SiteSite · listed 1989
About itBerwick Academy Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1996
About itCummings Shoe FactoryBuilding · listed 2001
About itSouth Berwick Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2010
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in South Berwick: 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 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 33 | 36 | 44 | 56 | 67 | 76 | 82 | 80 | 72 | 60 | 49 | 38 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.4 |
February is the driest month (3.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in South Berwick →
Next door
South Berwick and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
York112 miBerwick48 miWells35 miSouth Berwick34 miDover33 miNorth Berwick14 miEliot13 miRollinsford9.6 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Berwick | 22% | 1.1 | 65 | 54% | A |
| Eliot | 7% | 0.7 | 21 | 32% | B |
| Berwick | 7% | 1.3 | 4 | 30% | B− |
| York | 28% | 2.0 | 21 | 19% | A− |
| Wells | 18% | 0.6 | 7 | 4% | B− |
| North Berwick | 5% | 0.4 | under 1 | under 1% | C− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in South Berwick
Where can I hike in South Berwick?
The longest trail networks: Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region, 3.7 miles; Vaughan Woods State Park, 3.3 miles; Orris Falls Conservation Area, 2.9 miles; Rocky Hills Preserve, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of South Berwick is conserved land?
22% 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 South Berwick’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in South Berwick?
2.3 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.3 of painted or protected lanes.
Is there public land near South Berwick?
5,523 acres of parks and open public land lie inside South Berwick or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 496 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does South Berwick have?
Ahead of 88% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #9 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 South Berwick 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 →