Nash Stream Forest
Nature preserve
2,988 acres8.6 mi of trail
Corridor 5Gadwah Notch TrailKelsey Notch
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Photo: Denimadept · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Columbia
Few parks or trails are on the map in Columbia
The biggest trail networks: Nash Stream Forest (8.6 mi), Bunnell Working Forest (6.4 mi), Vickie Bunnell Preserve (3.1 mi). 43% of Columbia’s land is conserved, about 16,675 acres. 69 acres are parks and preserves, 100 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
43%
16,675 acres · of 60.8 sq mi of land
Trails
47 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
69 ac
100 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
3%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
3,724 ft
Bunnell Mountain
Lakes & rivers
4
1 boat launch
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 Nash Stream Forest, with 8.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Bunnell Working Forest
Nature preserve
5,398 acres6.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Vickie Bunnell Preserve
Managed by The Nature Conservancy
4,287 acres3.1 mi of trail
Gadwah Notch Trail
Dogs usually not allowed
No trailhead mapped yet
Hedgehog Brook Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
775 acres1.4 mi of trail
Gadwah Notch Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 7 parks & preserves
Nash Stream Forest2,988 acres · 8.6 mi of trail
Bunnell Working Forest5,398 acres · 6.4 mi of trail
Vickie Bunnell Preserve4,287 acres · 3.1 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy
Hedgehog Brook Wildlife Management Area775 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
Blueberry Swamp Division of Silvio O. Conte National Fish & Wildlife Refuge1,181 acres · USFW
Augustus Hemenway Memorial Forest281 acres · New England Forestry Foundation
Fish Pond Boat Launch Facility1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
16,675 conserved acres
43% of Columbia’s land. Who manages Columbia’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits10,429 ac
U.S. Forest Service5,896 ac
Other state land5,334 ac
State natural resources5,334 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service2,436 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government366 ac
State fish & wildlife234 ac
Conservation Easement · 17,265 acPrivate Conservation · 5,614 acForest Stewardship Easement · 4,237 acNational Wildlife Refuge · 2,436 acUnknown Easement · 850 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 9,035 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 21 of 40 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vickie Bunnell Preserve - Champ / Cons Fund Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 4,243 | Unknown |
| Silvio O. Conte National Fish And Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 2,436 | Restricted |
| Hedgehog Brook Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 774 | Unknown |
| Stevens (Columbia Lot) / Dumoine Farms Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 437 | Unknown |
| Lime Pond Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 417 | Unknown |
| The Balsams Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 170 | Unknown |
| Augustus Hemenway Memorial Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 163 | Unknown |
| Veraar Memorial Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 117 | Unknown |
| Tellman Addition Private Conservation | Not recorded | 66 | Open |
| Fish Pond Boat Launch Facility State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 1 | Unknown |
Things to do
11 places to go in Columbia
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Columbia
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Peaks in Columbia
Bunnell Mountain3,724 ft elevation · In Vickie Bunnell Preserve
DirectionsMount Pleasant3,031 ft elevation · In Vickie Bunnell Preserve
DirectionsBaldhead Mountain2,726 ft elevation · In Nash Stream Forest
DirectionsCarlton Hill1,791 ft elevation
DirectionsMarshall Hill1,785 ft elevation
DirectionsCilley Hill1,775 ft elevation
DirectionsJordan Hill1,644 ft elevation
DirectionsPlus 3 peaks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Trails & water
4 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.6 miUnpaved · 17.0 mi
Primary 1114.8 mi
Corridor 54.2 mi
Gadwah Notch Trail4.1 mi
Kelsey Notch1.9 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
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 Columbia: May and 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) | 9.1 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.0 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 23 | 26 | 35 | 47 | 62 | 70 | 74 | 73 | 66 | 52 | 39 | 29 |
| Rain (in) | 3.2 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 3.8 |
February is the driest month (2.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 74 °F). 5.1 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Columbia →
Next door
Columbia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Colebrook | 9% | 1.6 | 65 | 47% | A− |
| Stratford | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Columbia
Where can I hike in Columbia?
The longest trail networks: Nash Stream Forest, 8.6 miles; Bunnell Working Forest, 6.4 miles; Vickie Bunnell Preserve, 3.1 miles; Hedgehog Brook Wildlife Management Area, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Columbia’s trails?
Nash Stream Forest and Bunnell Working Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Columbia?
40,803 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Columbia or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 5,514 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Columbia 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 →