Joe English Reservation
Managed by Amherst Conservation Commission
582 acres11.6 mi of trail
Highland TrailHammond Brook TrailBacon TrailHarding Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto PMEC Parking
Photo: Smuttynoser at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Amherst
Amherst has 53 miles of mapped trails, 1.6 for every square mile of land
16% of Amherst’s land is conserved, about 3,390 acres. 547 acres are parks and preserves, 46 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Joe English Reservation (11.6 mi), Pond Parish Reservation (5.2 mi), Betty Arnold Forest (4.6 mi).
Ahead of 86% of U.S. towns · #43 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
Conserved land
16%
3,390 acres · of 33.9 sq mi of land
Trails
53 mi
1.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
547 ac
46 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
50%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.4 mi
0.4 mi paths
Highest peak
620 ft
Walnut Hill
Lakes & rivers
15
1 beach
What kind of outdoors town is Amherst?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Amherst have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Amherst is ahead of 86% of U.S. towns, #43 of 126 in New Hampshire. Trail miles hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Amherst’s overall grade.
Conserved land16% of the land · typical NH town 19% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (53 mi) · NH 1.2 · U.S. 0.4APark land46 acres of park per 1,000 residents (547 acres) · NH 44 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home50% of residents within a half mile of a park · NH 40% · U.S. 72%C+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 86%
LessMore
New Hampshire towns of 2,500+ (126)Ahead of 66%
New Hampshire towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 19%; the U.S., 4%), so Amherst’s 16% is ahead of 42% of New Hampshire towns, while its trails per square mile lead 73% of them.
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 Joe English Reservation, with 11.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Pond Parish Reservation
Managed by Amherst Conservation Commission
210 acres5.2 mi of trail
OtterMinkFisherWeasel+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Betty Arnold Forest
Managed by Amherst Conservation Commission
244 acres4.6 mi of trail
Lorden PathBicentennial TrailB-H TrailCricket Crossing Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Haseltine Parking Area
Haseltine Community Preserve
Managed by Amherst Conservation Commission
123 acres4.6 mi of trail
Frodo's RingStriderGandalfThe Shire+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Haseltine Parking Area
Sky Meadow
Managed by Amherst Conservation Commission
86 acres2.2 mi of trail
JabberwockyBicentennial TrailHumpty Dumpty TrailHumpty Dumpty+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Pond Parish Town Forest
Managed by Town of Amherst
174 acres1.8 mi of trail
Pond Parish TrailPond Parish Loop TrailBeaver Dam Overlook TrailObservation Deck Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Patch Hill Conservation Area
Managed by Amherst Conservation Commission
136 acres1.7 mi of trail
Old Skid Road TrailPatch Hill TrailHarold Wilkins Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Patch Hill Trail Parking Lot
Converse Woods
Managed by Amherst Conservation Commission
29 acres1.3 mi of trail
Quarry TrailWhite TailSnowy Owl TrailLedges Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 37 parks & preserves
Joe English Reservation582 acres · 11.6 mi of trail · Amherst Conservation Commission
DirectionsPond Parish Reservation210 acres · 5.2 mi of trail · Amherst Conservation Commission
DirectionsBetty Arnold Forest244 acres · 4.6 mi of trail · Amherst Conservation Commission
DirectionsHaseltine Community Preserve123 acres · 4.6 mi of trail · Amherst Conservation Commission
DirectionsSky Meadow86 acres · 2.2 mi of trail · Amherst Conservation Commission
DirectionsPond Parish Town Forest174 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Town of Amherst
DirectionsPatch Hill Conservation Area136 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Amherst Conservation Commission
DirectionsConverse Woods29 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Amherst Conservation Commission
DirectionsPulpit Brook Conservation Land199 acres · 1 mi of trail · Amherst Conservation Commission
DirectionsJoppa Hill Conservation Area133 acres · 1 mi of trail · Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
DirectionsCamaID: 006-121-00123 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Dacquino Forest67 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Amherst Conservation Commission
DirectionsPonemah Bog Wildlife Sanctuary76 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Audubon Society of NH
DirectionsOxbow Conservation Area17 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Amherst Conservation Commission
Town Open Space25 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsGreat Meadow71 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Amherst
Buck Meadow Conservation & Recreation Area63 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Amherst
Lindabury Orchard45 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Amherst Conservation Commission
Bragdon Farm58 acres · Town of Amherst
DirectionsPost Road Forest48 acres · Amherst Land Trust
Scott Land43 acres · Town of Amherst
DirectionsCurtis Well42 acres
DirectionsCaesar's Brook Reservation40 acres · Amherst Conservation Commission
DirectionsCemetery Field33 acres
Birch Park22 acres · Town of Amherst
Minot Ross Bird Sanctuary22 acres · Town of Amherst
Bragdon Farm Sledding Hill18 acres · Town of Amherst
DirectionsBertha Rogers Estate18 acres · Town of Amherst
Hodgman State Forest16 acres · NH Dept of Resource & Econ Dev
Pulpit Rock Conservation Area5 acres · Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
Joshua's Park4 acres
DirectionsAmherst Town Green2 acres
DirectionsBeaver Brook Park2 acres · Town of Amherst
Spaulding Common Park1 acres
DirectionsHuntington Common1 acres
DirectionsSchool St Park1 acres
DirectionsBuchanan Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
3,390 conserved acres
16% of Amherst’s land. Who manages Amherst’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city611 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits414 ac
Other state land120 ac
Regional agency23 ac
State natural resources19 ac
Not recorded2,711 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 1,853 acLocal Conservation Area · 665 acConservation Easement · 589 acUnknown Easement · 361 acLocal Resource Management Area · 185 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 443 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 110 of 148 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe English Conservation Land Local Conservation Area | Not recorded | 372 | Unknown |
| Hager and Gelinas Lots Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 208 | Unknown |
| Pond Parish Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 170 | Unknown |
| Haseltine Land Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 130 | Unknown |
| Joppa Hill Farm Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 129 | Unknown |
| Arnold Land Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 96 | Unknown |
| Souhegan Woods Local Conservation Area | Not recorded | 82 | Closed |
| Ponemah Bog Wildlife Sanctuary Private Conservation | Not recorded | 76 | Unknown |
| Joe English-Herb Harding Memorial Forest Local Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 74 | Unknown |
| Bragdon Farm Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 72 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
9 places to go in Amherst
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Amherst
Baboosic Lake Town Beach
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Amherst
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Amherst
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Amherst
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Peaks in Amherst
Walnut Hill620 ft elevation
DirectionsChristian Hill584 ft elevation
DirectionsEagle Rock502 ft elevation
DirectionsCricket Hill453 ft elevation · In Betty Arnold Forest
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 15 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 24.7 miHorses · 3.4 miUnpaved · 42.3 mi
Bicentennial Trail4.0 mi
Highland Trail1.9 mi
Lorden Path1.8 mi
Pulpit Brook Trail1.7 mi
Frodo's Ring1.4 mi
Hammond Brook Trail1.3 mi
Weasel1.1 mi
Otter1.1 mi
Mink1.0 mi
Bacon Trail0.9 mi
15 more trails
Fisher
0.9 miPond Parish Trail
0.9 miB&M Trail
0.9 miPlumb Trail
0.8 miRocky
0.8 miHarding Loop
0.8 miHemlock Trail
0.7 miJabberwocky
0.7 miGandalf
0.7 miOld Skid Road Trail
0.7 miPond Parish Loop Trail
0.7 miBaboosic Greenway
0.7 miThe Shire
0.7 miEagle Trail
0.7 miStrider
0.7 miBiking & 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
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
15Tennis
7Baseball
1Basketball
1Softball
1Football
1Soccer
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Amherst Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1982
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Amherst: 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 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 33 | 37 | 45 | 59 | 70 | 78 | 84 | 82 | 74 | 61 | 49 | 38 |
| Rain (in) | 3.3 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 3.8 | 4.4 |
February is the driest month (3.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Amherst →
Next door
Amherst 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst | 16% | 1.6 | 46 | 50% | A |
| Milford | 17% | 1.9 | 47 | 78% | A |
| Mont Vernon | 19% | 1.2 | 2 | 14% | B− |
| Merrimack | 20% | 1.8 | 69 | 70% | A |
| Bedford | 9% | 0.9 | 25 | 55% | A− |
| Hollis | 28% | 2.9 | 370 | 60% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Amherst
Where can I hike in Amherst?
The longest trail networks: Joe English Reservation, 11.6 miles; Pond Parish Reservation, 5.2 miles; Betty Arnold Forest, 4.6 miles; Haseltine Community Preserve, 4.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Amherst is conserved land?
16% of its land, against a typical 19% for a New Hampshire town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Amherst’s trails?
Joe English Reservation and Pond Parish Reservation don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Amherst?
0.4 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.4 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Amherst?
19,529 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Amherst or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 567 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Amherst have?
Ahead of 86% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #43 of 126 in New Hampshire. 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 Amherst 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 →