Pulpit Rock Conservation Area
Managed by Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
330 acres4.8 mi of trail
Campbell TrailTufts TrailKennard TrailMartin Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Pulpit Rd Trailhead Parking
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Bedford
Bedford has 28 miles of mapped trails, 0.9 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: Pulpit Rock Conservation Area (4.8 mi), Florence M. Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary (3.2 mi), Marston-Dunlap Conservation Area (2 mi). 9% of Bedford’s land is conserved, about 1,928 acres. 596 acres are parks and preserves, 25 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 75% of U.S. towns · #84 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
Conserved land
9%
1,928 acres · of 32.8 sq mi of land
Trails
28 mi
0.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
596 ac
25 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
55%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.5 mi
0.5 mi paths
Highest peak
830 ft
Holbrook Hill
Lakes & rivers
6
1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Bedford?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Bedford have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Bedford is ahead of 75% of U.S. towns, #84 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 Bedford’s overall grade.
Conserved land9% of the land · typical NH town 19% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (28 mi) · NH 1.2 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land25 acres of park per 1,000 residents (596 acres) · NH 44 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home55% 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 75%
LessMore
New Hampshire towns of 2,500+ (126)Ahead of 34%
New Hampshire towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 19%; the U.S., 4%), so Bedford’s 9% is ahead of 13% of New Hampshire towns, while its trails per square mile lead 17% of them.
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 Pulpit Rock Conservation Area, with 4.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Florence M. Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary
Managed by Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
250 acres3.2 mi of trail
Holbrook Hill Trail (PLC)Lo Flo Trail (PLC)Thomas & Robert Shirley Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Marston-Dunlap Conservation Area
Managed by Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
71 acres2 mi of trail
Hurricane LoopDunMar LoopBiker's Delight
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Van Loan Preserve
Managed by Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
65 acres1.4 mi of trail
Van Loan TrailRita's LoopAnna & Pic LoopHemlock Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Joppa Hill Conservation Area
Managed by Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
188 acres0.9 mi of trail
Joppa Hill Farms Loop Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Riverfront Recreation Area
Managed by NH Dept of Transportation
40 acres0.7 mi of trail
Heritage Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Muller Park
Managed by Town of Bedford
25 acres0.7 mi of trail
Driscoll TrailBullfrog BendBedford Hollow
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Bedford Village Common
Managed by Town of Bedford
9 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 31 parks & preserves
Pulpit Rock Conservation Area330 acres · 4.8 mi of trail · Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
DirectionsFlorence M. Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary250 acres · 3.2 mi of trail · Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
Marston-Dunlap Conservation Area71 acres · 2 mi of trail · Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
Van Loan Preserve65 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
DirectionsJoppa Hill Conservation Area188 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
DirectionsRiverfront Recreation Area40 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · NH Dept of Transportation
DirectionsMuller Park25 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Town of Bedford
DirectionsBedford Village Common9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Bedford
Eagle Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Bedford
DirectionsMcQuade Brook Conservation Area46 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Bedford
Linda Moore Hockman Conservation Area15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
DirectionsAsh Bog Conservation Property158 acres · Town of Bedford
Earl G. Legacy Park131 acres · Town of Bedford
DirectionsReeds Ferry State Forest94 acres · NH Dept of Resources & Econ Dev
Spring Hill Open Space39 acres · Town of Bedford
Bedford Athletic Complex31 acres · Town of Bedford
DirectionsSebbins Pond Conservation Area25 acres · Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
Benedictine Park25 acres · Town of Bedford
DirectionsBack River Sports Complex21 acres
DirectionsSwenson Fields20 acres
Juniper Hill Conservation Area12 acres · Town of Bedford
Dumpling Brook Wildlife Management Area9 acres · NH Fish & Game
Waterfowl Sanctuary7 acres · Town of Bedford
Little League Complex6 acres · Town of Bedford
DirectionsDeNicola Open Space6 acres · Town of Bedford
Meetinghouse Common Conservation Area5 acres · Town of Bedford
Woodland Hills Open Space4 acres · Town of Bedford
Bracken Woods Open Space4 acres · Town of Bedford
Middleton Lot (Historic Town Pond)3 acres · Piscuataquog Land Conservancy
Gateland Acres Open Space2 acres · Town of Bedford
Pulpit Brook Conservation Land1 acres · Amherst Conservation Commission
Who protects it
1,928 conserved acres
9% of Bedford’s land. Who manages Bedford’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits1,114 ac
Town or city556 ac
State fish & wildlife9 ac
Other state land7 ac
Not recorded775 ac
Conservation Easement · 932 acPrivate Conservation · 751 acLocal Other or Unknown · 461 acUnknown Easement · 247 acLocal Conservation Area · 22 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 646 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 66 of 78 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary Private Conservation | Not recorded | 256 | Unknown |
| Transfer Station 2 Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 127 | Unknown |
| Ash Bog Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 127 | Unknown |
| Pulpit Road Open Space Private Conservation | Town or city | 96 | Unknown |
| Greenfield Farms Open Space Private Conservation | Town or city | 86 | Unknown |
| Earl Legacy Park Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 61 | Unknown |
| Randolph Commons Open Space Private Conservation | Town or city | 56 | Unknown |
| Cabot Preserves Common Land Private Conservation | Town or city | 47 | Unknown |
| Spring Hill Road Open Space Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 38 | Unknown |
| Bedford Hills Common Land Private Conservation | Town or city | 37 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
25 places to go in Bedford
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Bedford
10 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Bedford
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Bedford
Gage's Mill SiteIn Pulpit Rock Conservation Area
DirectionsPulpit RockIn Pulpit Rock Conservation Area
DirectionsPeaks in Bedford
Holbrook Hill830 ft elevation · In Florence M. Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsTelford Hill722 ft elevation
DirectionsPowder Hill614 ft elevation
DirectionsLedge Hill600 ft elevation
DirectionsJoppa Hill564 ft elevation
DirectionsStrawberry Hill476 ft elevation
DirectionsBeards Hill469 ft elevation
DirectionsLaurel Hill469 ft elevation
Directions1 more peak
Bells Hill423 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Bedford
Trails & water
25 named trails and 6 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.8 miHorses · 1.7 miUnpaved · 16.4 mi
Heritage Trail1.7 mi
Holbrook Hill Trail (PLC)1.7 mi
Lo Flo Trail (PLC)1.2 mi
Campbell Trail0.8 mi
Tufts Trail0.7 mi
Van Loan Trail0.7 mi
Hurricane Loop0.6 mi
Kennard Trail0.6 mi
Joppa Hill Farms Loop Trail0.6 mi
Martin Trail0.5 mi
15 more trails
Ravine Trail
0.5 miPulpit Brook Trail
0.5 miRita's Loop
0.3 miAnna & Pic Loop
0.3 miCounty Road West
0.3 miGage's Mill Trail
0.3 miDunMar Loop
0.3 miDriscoll Trail
0.2 miThomas & Robert Shirley Trail
0.2 miBullfrog Bend
0.2 miBiker's Delight
0.1 miLandry Trail
0.1 miBedford Hollow
0.1 miGott Trail
0.1 miHemlock Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.5 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.5 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
29Tennis
14Baseball
8Soccer
6Basketball
4Pickleball
3Football
2Softball
2Lacrosse
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
When to get out
The best walking months in Bedford: 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 | 10.9 | 9.7 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 33 | 36 | 45 | 58 | 69 | 78 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 61 | 49 | 38 |
| Rain (in) | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 3.6 | 4.0 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.6 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Bedford →
Next door
Bedford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford | 9% | 0.9 | 25 | 55% | A− |
| Manchester | 14% | 1.1 | 7 | 89% | A− |
| Goffstown | 16% | 2.6 | 24 | 67% | A |
| Amherst | 16% | 1.6 | 46 | 50% | A |
| Merrimack | 20% | 1.8 | 69 | 70% | A |
| New Boston | 19% | 1.1 | 72 | 22% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Bedford
Where can I hike in Bedford?
The longest trail networks: Pulpit Rock Conservation Area, 4.8 miles; Florence M. Tarr Wildlife Sanctuary, 3.2 miles; Marston-Dunlap Conservation Area, 2 miles; Van Loan Preserve, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Bedford is conserved land?
9% 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 Bedford’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Joppa Hill Conservation Area (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Bedford?
0.5 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.5 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Bedford?
13,207 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Bedford or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 596 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Bedford have?
Ahead of 75% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #84 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 Bedford 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 →