College Woods
Nature preserve
294 acres5.6 mi of trail
Oyster River Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: AcrossTheAtlantic · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Durham
Durham has 76 miles of mapped trails, 3.4 for every square mile of land
44% of Durham’s land is conserved, about 6,280 acres. The biggest trail networks: College Woods (5.6 mi), Crommet Creek Wildlife Management Area (2.8 mi), Oyster River Forest (2.7 mi). 83% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns · #12 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
Conserved land
44%
6,280 acres · of 22.4 sq mi of land
Trails
76 mi
3.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
304 ac
20 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
83%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
5.5 mi
2.8 mi lanes · 1.0 mi paths
Highest peak
282 ft
Beech Hill
Lakes & rivers
12
1 beach · 2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Durham?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Durham have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Durham is ahead of 94% of U.S. towns, #12 of 126 in New Hampshire. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Durham’s overall grade.
Conserved land44% of the land · typical NH town 19% · U.S. 4%A+Trails3.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (76 mi) · NH 1.2 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land20 acres of park per 1,000 residents (304 acres) · NH 44 · U.S. 13BParks close to home83% of residents within a half mile of a park · NH 40% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 94%
LessMore
New Hampshire towns of 2,500+ (126)Ahead of 91%
New Hampshire towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 19%; the U.S., 4%), so Durham’s 44% is ahead of 94% of New Hampshire towns, while its trails per square mile lead 100% of them.
Water is 10% of Durham’s area (2 of 25 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 40%.
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 College Woods, with 5.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Crommet Creek Wildlife Management Area
Managed by NH Fish & Game
647 acres2.8 mi of trail
Sweet Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Oyster River Forest
Managed by Town of Durham
167 acres2.7 mi of trail
Oyster River TrailSpruce Hole BogHillside Loop
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Wagon Hill Farm
Managed by Town of Durham
133 acres2.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Doe Farm
Nature preserve
89 acres2.5 mi of trail
White TrailMain Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
College Woods Natural Area
Managed by University of New Hampshire
66 acres2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lamprey River Wildlife Management Area
Managed by NH Fish & Game
407 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail sign
Adams Point Wildlife Management Area
Managed by NH Fish & Game
69 acres1.6 mi of trail
Adams Point
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 39 parks & preserves
College Woods294 acres · 5.6 mi of trail
DirectionsCrommet Creek Wildlife Management Area647 acres · 2.8 mi of trail · NH Fish & Game
DirectionsOyster River Forest167 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Town of Durham
Wagon Hill Farm133 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Town of Durham
DirectionsDoe Farm89 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
College Woods Natural Area66 acres · 2 mi of trail · University of New Hampshire
DirectionsLamprey River Wildlife Management Area407 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · NH Fish & Game
DirectionsAdams Point Wildlife Management Area69 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · NH Fish & Game
DirectionsThompson Forest52 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Town of Durham
Longmarsh Preserve68 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Town of Durham
Spruce Hole Conservation Area41 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Town of Durham
Powder Major's Forest20 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
Dame Forest94 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
Stevens Woods25 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Town of Durham
DirectionsHills Family Forest93 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
DirectionsLubberland Creek Preserve89 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy
DirectionsBunker Creek Wildlife Management Area20 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · NH Fish & Game
DirectionsRyan Forest59 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
Durham Town Forest40 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Durham
Weeks Lot18 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Durham
John Hatch Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Durham
Packers Falls Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Durham
DirectionsStolworthy Wildlife Sanctuary4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Durham
DirectionsTown Landing2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Durham
DirectionsMilne Nature Sanctuary1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Durham
Follett's Brook Wildlife Sanctuary103 acres · Audubon Society
Durham Point Sedge Meadow95 acres · The Nature Conservancy
Langley Forest41 acres · Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
Willey Land40 acres · Town of Durham
DirectionsJackson's Landing17 acres · Town of Durham
DirectionsWoodridge Park14 acres · Town of Durham
Ray MacDonald Natural Area12 acres
DirectionsOyster River Park7 acres
DirectionsEllingwood Lot4 acres · Town of Durham
Follet's Brook Wildlife Sanctuary3 acres · NH Audubon Society
General Sullivan Park2 acres · Town of Durham
DirectionsSliding Rock Conservation & Recreation Area1 acres · Newmarket Conservation Commission
DirectionsMill Pond Park1 acres · Town of Durham
DirectionsTot Lot1 acres
Who protects it
6,280 conserved acres
44% of Durham’s land. Water is left out: Durham has 22.4 square miles of land and 2.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Durham’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits3,063 ac
State fish & wildlife1,158 ac
Town or city811 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)784 ac
Other state land554 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land376 ac
Regional agency89 ac
Conservation Easement · 3,853 acResearch or Educational Area · 1,570 acPrivate Conservation · 1,328 acState Conservation Area · 567 acUnknown Easement · 475 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 2,116 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 136 of 201 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNH Property Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 479 | Unknown |
| UNH - Horticulture Farm Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 467 | Unknown |
| Crommet & Lubberland Creek Private Other or Unknown | Land trusts & nonprofits | 381 | Open |
| UNew Hampshire - College Woods Research or Educational Area | Other state land | 374 | Restricted |
| Lamprey River Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 246 | Unknown |
| UNew Hampshire - Foss Farm East Research or Educational Area | Other state land | 173 | Restricted |
| Cheney South / Englund State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 135 | Unknown |
| LaRoche and Woodman Brook State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 133 | Unknown |
| Lubberland Creek Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 123 | Unknown |
| Durham Point Sedge Meadow Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 102 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
18 places to go in Durham
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Durham
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Durham
3 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Durham
Jackson's Landing High Tide Boat Access Facility
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Durham
Packer's FallsIn Packers Falls Park
DirectionsSecond Falls
DirectionsScenic views in Durham
Paul Bunyan TreeIn College Woods Natural Area
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Durham
Beech Hill282 ft elevation
DirectionsReservoir Hill
DirectionsPicnic areas in Durham
SERCs A & B Greenspace
DirectionsPlus 2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Durham
UNH Butterfly GardenUNH Butterfly Garden Club
DirectionsWagon Hill Farm Community GardensIn Wagon Hill Farm
DirectionsTrails & water
19 named trails and 12 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 8.6 miHorses · 2.8 miUnpaved · 19.8 mi
Sweet Trail2.2 mi
Oyster River Trail1.6 mi
Adams Point1.6 mi
Goss In and Out1.3 mi
Thompson Forest Trail1.3 mi
Merrick Trails1.0 mi
White Trail0.7 mi
Hidden Gem0.6 mi
Beech Hill Singletrack0.6 mi
Lower Goss Loop0.6 mi
9 more trails
Twisty Down
0.6 miSpruce Hole Trail
0.5 miMain Trail
0.4 miSpruce Hole Bog
0.4 miGoss Connector
0.3 miOld B&M Railroad
0.2 miHillside Loop
0.2 miStory Path
0.1 miHidden Stone
0.1 miBiking & sports
5.5 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.8 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
1.0 mi
off-road bike paths
1.7 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
16Tennis
10Beach volleyball
9Equestrian
7Basketball
5Pickleball
3Soccer
2Baseball
2Multi-sport
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →4 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 8 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Durham: 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 | 15.4 | 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 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 3.2 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (3.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Durham →
Next door
Durham and its neighbors
Durham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | 44% | 3.4 | 20 | 83% | A |
| Newington | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Madbury | 28% | 2.6 | 324 | 56% | A |
| Newmarket | 29% | 1.0 | 7 | 68% | A− |
| Lee | 27% | 1.9 | 22 | 27% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Durham
Where can I hike in Durham?
The longest trail networks: College Woods, 5.6 miles; Crommet Creek Wildlife Management Area, 2.8 miles; Oyster River Forest, 2.7 miles; Wagon Hill Farm, 2.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Durham is conserved land?
44% 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 Durham’s trails?
College Woods and Crommet Creek Wildlife Management Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Durham?
5.5 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.8 of painted or protected lanes, 1.0 of off-road paths and 1.7 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Durham?
15,979 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Durham or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 945 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Durham have?
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #12 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 Durham 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 →