Kittery Water District Lands
Nature preserve
2,862 acres25.3 mi of trail
YKWD - White TrailYWD/KWD - Silver TrailYKWD - Green TrailKWD/YWD - Yellow Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Old York Gaol · Public domainA−Outdoors
Outdoors in York
York has 112 miles of mapped trails, 2.0 for every square mile of land
28% of York’s land is conserved, about 9,758 acres. The biggest trail networks: Kittery Water District Lands (25.3 mi), Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region (19.7 mi), York Water District Lands (10.8 mi). 19% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 79% of U.S. towns · #21 of 143 in Maine. What drives it
Conserved land
28%
9,758 acres · of 54.7 sq mi of land
Trails
112 mi
2.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
296 ac
21 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
19%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.4 mi
0.4 mi lanes
Highest peak
548 ft
Second Hill
Lakes & rivers
26
7 beaches · 4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is York?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does York have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, York is ahead of 79% of U.S. towns, #21 of 143 in Maine. Trail miles hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of York’s overall grade.
Conserved land28% of the land · typical ME town 6% · U.S. 4%ATrails2.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (112 mi) · ME 0.7 · U.S. 0.4APark land21 acres of park per 1,000 residents (296 acres) · ME 15 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home19% 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 79%
LessMore
Maine towns of 2,500+ (143)Ahead of 86%
Water is more than half of York’s area (77 of 132 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 12%.
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 Kittery Water District Lands, with 25.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region
Nature preserve
2,334 acres19.7 mi of trail
NotchThird Hill TrailPorcupine TrailRidge+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
York Water District Lands
Nature preserve
1,853 acres10.8 mi of trail
YKWD - Blue TrailYWD - Red TrailKWD/YWD - Yellow TrailRing Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
McIntire Highlands Preserve
Nature preserve
498 acres4.2 mi of trail
YWD/KWD - Silver TrailYKWD - White TrailKWD/YWD - Yellow Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Fuller Forest Preserve
Managed by York Land Trust, Inc.
216 acres2.6 mi of trail
Red Oak TrailFriendship TrailSalamander TrailOverlook Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Highland Farm Preserve
Managed by York Land Trust
94 acres2.2 mi of trail
NEC TrailJunkins LoopKingsbury TrailField Trail+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailhead
Lafcadio's Woods Preserve
Managed by York Land Trust
35 acres1.2 mi of trail
Starflower LoopBoulder Hill Loop
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailhead
Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service;U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
342 acres1.1 mi of trail
YKWD - White Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
All 22 parks & preserves
Kittery Water District Lands2,862 acres · 25.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMount Agamenticus Conservation Region2,334 acres · 19.7 mi of trail
DirectionsYork Water District Lands1,853 acres · 10.8 mi of trail
DirectionsMcIntire Highlands Preserve498 acres · 4.2 mi of trail
Fuller Forest Preserve216 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · York Land Trust, Inc.
DirectionsHighland Farm Preserve94 acres · 2.2 mi of trail · York Land Trust
DirectionsLafcadio's Woods Preserve35 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · York Land Trust
DirectionsRachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge342 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · United States Fish and Wildlife Service;U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
DirectionsSmelt Brook Preserve281 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · York Land Trust
DirectionsNear Point Preserve34 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · York Land Trust
DirectionsHilton-Winn Preserve47 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · York Land Trust
DirectionsGoodrich Park28 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of York
DirectionsSohier Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Hartley Mason Reservation3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBog Road Fields and Benjamin Park Playground61 acres
DirectionsMcFeely Preserve38 acres
Ellis Park13 acres
DirectionsMount Agamenticus Wildlife Management Area12 acres · Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Agamenticus Fields4 acres
DirectionsYork Beach Ballfield and Park2 acres
DirectionsGilman Moulton Park2 acres
DirectionsNorton Preserve1 acres · Kittery Land Trust
Who protects it
9,758 conserved acres
28% of York’s land. Water is left out: York has 54.7 square miles of land and 77.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages York’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits4,938 ac
Regional Water Districts4,207 ac
State fish & wildlife2,587 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service682 ac
Regional agency268 ac
Town or city8 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land7 ac
Watershed Protection Area · 8,340 acState Conservation Area · 3,173 acPrivate Conservation · 2,546 acConservation Easement · 2,006 acNational Wildlife Refuge · 677 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 984 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 77 of 243 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Agamenticus - Kittery Water District Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 2,588 | Unknown |
| Kittery Water District Lands Watershed Protection Area | Regional Water Districts | 2,349 | Closed |
| Water District Lands Watershed Protection Area | Regional Water Districts | 1,679 | Closed |
| Mt Agamenticus - York Water District Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 1,607 | Unknown |
| Mount Agamenticus Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 1,439 | Closed |
| Mt. Agamenticus Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 789 | Restricted |
| Josiah Norton Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 712 | Restricted |
| Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 677 | Restricted |
| Mt. Agamenticus - York Land Trust Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 549 | Closed |
| Mt Agamenticus Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 469 | Closed |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
54 places to go in York
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in York
Cape Neddick Beach
DirectionsCape Neddick Beach
DirectionsHarbor Beach
DirectionsLong Sands
DirectionsShort Sands Beach
DirectionsPlus 2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in York
8 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in York
York Dog Park
DirectionsBoat launches in York
Plus 1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in York
LedgeIn Highland Farm Preserve
DirectionsMount AgamenticusIn Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region
DirectionsPlus 8 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in York
Second Hill548 ft elevation · In Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region
DirectionsThird Hill522 ft elevation · In Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region
DirectionsHorse Hills387 ft elevation · In Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region
DirectionsHorse Hills322 ft elevation · In Kittery Water District Lands
DirectionsGroundnut Hill305 ft elevation
DirectionsLong Hill223 ft elevation
DirectionsCat Mountain220 ft elevation
DirectionsYoung Hill220 ft elevation
Directions10 more peaks
Gulf Hill200 ft elevation
DirectionsWander Hill200 ft elevation
DirectionsPaint Hill180 ft elevation
DirectionsCockle Hill161 ft elevation
DirectionsClay Hill144 ft elevation
DirectionsBig Bridge Hill135 ft elevation
DirectionsPine Hill128 ft elevation
DirectionsBirch Knoll121 ft elevation
DirectionsSewall Hill85 ft elevation
DirectionsSimpson Hill69 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in York
Cape Neddick Oceanside CampgroundCape Neddick Campground
DirectionsDixon's CampgroundsDixon's Coastal Maine Campground
DirectionsPlus 4 campgrounds without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 26 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 54.2 miHorses · 6.7 miUnpaved · 28.8 mi
YKWD - White Trail3.6 mi
YWD - Red Trail3.0 mi
YWD/KWD - Silver Trail2.6 mi
KWD/YWD - Yellow Trail2.6 mi
YKWD - Blue Trail2.5 mi
Great Marsh Trail1.9 mi
Notch1.8 mi
Ring Trail1.6 mi
Red Oak Trail1.6 mi
Third Hill Trail1.5 mi
15 more trails
YKWD - Green Trail
1.5 miYKWD - Purple Trail
1.4 miPorcupine Trail
1.3 miRidge
1.3 miKittery Water District trails
1.2 miParish Path
1.2 miStarflower Loop
1.0 miCedar Trail
1.0 miNEC Trail
1.0 miBig A
0.9 miJunkins Loop
0.8 miYKWD - Orange Trail
0.7 miRiverview Trail
0.7 miGoose Foot
0.7 miNear Point Trail
0.6 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Barrells MillpondpondBell MarshreservoirBell Marsh ReservoirreservoirBlaisdell PondpondBoulter PondreservoirBriley PondpondChases PondreservoirFolly PondreservoirGodfreys PondpondIndian PondpondLake CarolynpondMiddle PondreservoirScituate PondlakeWaddell PondpondWelchs PondreservoirBarrell Farm BrookCape Neddick RiverCider Hill CreekDolly Gordon BrookJosias RiverLibby BrookMoulton BrookOgunquit RiverSmelt BrookSouthside BrookYork River
Biking & sports
0.4 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.4 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
Courts & fields
18Tennis
7Multi-sport
7Baseball
2Basketball
1Lacrosse
1Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →18 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 5 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Hancock, John, WarehouseBuilding · listed 1969
About itOld SchoolhouseBuilding · listed 1973
About itYork Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1973
About itMoody HomesteadBuilding · listed 1975
About itRobert Rose TavernBuilding · listed 1975
About itJohn Sedgley HomesteadBuilding · listed 1976
About itBarrell HomesteadBuilding · listed 1976
About itIsabella Breckinridge HouseBuilding · listed 1983
About itYork Cliffs Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1984
About itCape Neddick Light StationBuilding · listed 1985
About it6 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in York: 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 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 34 | 36 | 43 | 55 | 65 | 74 | 80 | 79 | 71 | 60 | 49 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 4.6 |
August is the driest month (3.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 4.9 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in York →
Next door
York and its neighbors
York has the most mapped trails of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| York | 28% | 2.0 | 21 | 19% | A− |
| Kittery | 19% | 1.4 | 17 | 58% | A− |
| Ogunquit | 19% | 0.9 | under 1 | 12% | C+ |
| Eliot | 7% | 0.7 | 21 | 32% | B |
| South Berwick | 22% | 1.1 | 65 | 54% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in York
Where can I hike in York?
The longest trail networks: Kittery Water District Lands, 25.3 miles; Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region, 19.7 miles; York Water District Lands, 10.8 miles; McIntire Highlands Preserve, 4.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of York is conserved land?
28% 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 York’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Kittery Water District Lands (on leash), Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region (on leash), York Water District Lands (on leash) and Fuller Forest Preserve (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in York?
0.4 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.4 of painted or protected lanes.
Is there public land near York?
4,902 acres of parks and open public land lie inside York or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 296 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does York have?
Ahead of 79% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #21 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 York 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 →