Gunstock Mountain Resort
Park
1,673 acres23.2 mi of trail
Cobble Mountain LoopBrook TrailOverlook Trail (orange)Maple+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
District No. 9 Schoolhouse · Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Gilford
34% of Gilford’s land is conserved: 8,367 acres
85 miles of mapped trail cross Gilford, 2.2 per square mile of land. 1,913 acres are parks and preserves, 244 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Gunstock Mountain Resort (23.2 mi), Belknap Mountain State Forest (8.8 mi), Wilson Weeks Town Forest (6.5 mi).
Ahead of 93% of U.S. towns · #16 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
Conserved land
34%
8,367 acres · of 38.8 sq mi of land
Trails
85 mi
2.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,913 ac
244 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
41%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
2,382 ft
Belknap Mountain
Lakes & rivers
5
6 beaches · 2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Gilford?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild34% of the land is conserved; a typical New Hampshire town, 19%.A trail town2.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 94% of U.S. towns.Room to roam244 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.History along the way4 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Gilford have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Gilford is ahead of 93% of U.S. towns, #16 of 126 in New Hampshire. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Gilford’s overall grade.
Conserved land34% of the land · typical NH town 19% · U.S. 4%A+Trails2.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (85 mi) · NH 1.2 · U.S. 0.4APark land244 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,913 acres) · NH 44 · U.S. 13AParks close to home41% 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 93%
LessMore
New Hampshire towns of 2,500+ (126)Ahead of 88%
New Hampshire towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 19%; the U.S., 4%), so Gilford’s 34% is ahead of 92% of New Hampshire towns, while its trails per square mile lead 90% of them.
Water is 28% of Gilford’s area (15 of 54 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 25%.
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 Gunstock Mountain Resort, with 23.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Belknap Mountain State Forest
Managed by New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands
1,495 acres8.8 mi of trail
East Gilford TrailRound Pond TrailRound Pond / Piper LinkBlue Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Wilson Weeks Town Forest
Managed by Gilford Conservation Commission
381 acres6.5 mi of trail
Yellow TrailCut-Off TrailRidge TrailGES Nature Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Griswold Scout Reservation
Managed by Daniel Webster Council, Inc.
486 acres4.9 mi of trail
Red TrailKlem-Mack LoopMack Ridge Trail (Orange)Round Pond-Piper Link+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Piper Mountain Conservation Area
Managed by Lakes Region Conservation Trust
681 acres3.1 mi of trail
Piper-Whiteface LinkRound Pond / Piper LinkWhiteface Trail (Blue)Old Piper Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Kimball Wildlife Forest
Managed by Town of Gilford
260 acres2.1 mi of trail
Quarry TrailLakeview Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Weeks Woods
Managed by Society for the Prot. of NH Forests
106 acres1.9 mi of trail
Yellow Lower LoopBlue Upper Loop
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Avis P. Smart Woods
Managed by Lakes Region Conservation Trust
32 acres0.9 mi of trail
Loop TrailSpur TrailConnector Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 18 parks & preserves
Gunstock Mountain Resort1,673 acres · 23.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBelknap Mountain State Forest1,495 acres · 8.8 mi of trail · New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands
DirectionsWilson Weeks Town Forest381 acres · 6.5 mi of trail · Gilford Conservation Commission
DirectionsGriswold Scout Reservation486 acres · 4.9 mi of trail · Daniel Webster Council, Inc.
Piper Mountain Conservation Area681 acres · 3.1 mi of trail · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
DirectionsKimball Wildlife Forest260 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Town of Gilford
DirectionsWeeks Woods106 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Society for the Prot. of NH Forests
Avis P. Smart Woods32 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
Powell Town Forest404 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Gilford Conservation Commission
John M. & Eileen R. Weeks Conservation Area67 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsPeverly Town Forest143 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Gilford Conservation Commission
Ellacoya State Park103 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Carye Family Woods381 acres · New England Forestry Foundation
Winsheblo Forest210 acres · Society for the Protection of NH Forests
Robert Tilton Town Forest133 acres · Town of Gilford
Gilford Village Fields27 acres · Town of Gilford
DirectionsGilford Beach16 acres
Stonewall Park8 acres · Town of Gilford
Who protects it
8,367 conserved acres
34% of Gilford’s land. Water is left out: Gilford has 38.8 square miles of land and 14.8 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Gilford’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources3,673 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits2,318 ac
Town or city1,267 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government1,081 ac
State fish & wildlife482 ac
Private owners175 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)110 ac
Conservation Easement · 4,088 acLocal Park · 1,702 acState Resource Management Area · 1,268 acLocal Other or Unknown · 1,237 acUnknown Easement · 1,108 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 3,075 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 108 of 118 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belknap County Recreation Area Local Park | State natural resources | 1,693 | Unknown |
| Belknap Mountain State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 1,198 | Unknown |
| Powell Associates Lot Local Other or Unknown | State natural resources | 400 | Unknown |
| Carye Family Woods Private Conservation | Not recorded | 369 | Unknown |
| Kimball Castle Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 291 | Unknown |
| Winsheblo Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 210 | Unknown |
| Weeks Local Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 145 | Unknown |
| Piper / Whiteface Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 143 | Unknown |
| Peverly Lot Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 135 | Unknown |
| Ellacoya State Park State Park | Not recorded | 105 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
42 places to go in Gilford
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Gilford
Gilford Beach
DirectionsPlus 5 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Gilford
2 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Gilford
2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Gilford
18 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Gilford
Belknap Mountain2,382 ft elevation · In Belknap Mountain State Forest
DirectionsGunstock Mountain2,211 ft elevation · In Gunstock Mountain Resort
DirectionsPiper Mountain2,024 ft elevation · In Piper Mountain Conservation Area
DirectionsMount Klem2,001 ft elevation · In Griswold Scout Reservation
DirectionsMount Mack1,936 ft elevation · In Griswold Scout Reservation
DirectionsMount Rand1,870 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Suncook1,850 ft elevation · In Belknap Mountain State Forest
DirectionsHeator Mountain1,808 ft elevation · In Belknap Mountain State Forest
Directions4 more peaks
Mount Rowe1,670 ft elevation · In Gunstock Mountain Resort
DirectionsWhiteface Mountain1,565 ft elevation · In Powell Town Forest
DirectionsCobble Mountain1,394 ft elevation · In Gunstock Mountain Resort
DirectionsLockes Hill1,043 ft elevation · In Kimball Wildlife Forest
DirectionsPicnic areas in Gilford
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in Gilford
1 campground without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 5 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 24.7 miHorses · 4.4 miUnpaved · 30.1 mi
Red Trail2.7 mi
Cobble Mountain Loop2.2 mi
Ridge Trail2.1 mi
Farm Vewe Hilltop Trail1.9 mi
East Gilford Trail1.8 mi
Round Pond / Piper Link1.7 mi
Brook Trail1.6 mi
Whiteface Trail (Blue)1.4 mi
Overlook Trail (orange)1.4 mi
Klem-Mack Loop1.4 mi
15 more trails
Round Pond Trail
1.4 miPiper Mountain Trail
1.1 miRowe's Revenge
1.1 miSheepish
1.1 miQuarry Trail
1.0 miMaple
1.0 miLedges-Iron Mine Trail
1.0 miYellow Lower Loop
1.0 miDave Roberts Quarry Trail (White)
1.0 miGunstock Mountain Trail
1.0 miBlue Trail
1.0 miMoose Quarry
1.0 miValley of Doom / Hill of Doom
1.0 miVista Trail (yellow)
0.9 miWhite Trail
0.9 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
18Tennis
9Soccer
5Baseball
5Pickleball
3Basketball
2Football
1Softball
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →4 places 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.
When to get out
The best walking months in Gilford: 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 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 32 | 41 | 54 | 66 | 75 | 79 | 78 | 70 | 57 | 45 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 4.2 | 4.5 |
February is the driest month (3.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 5.2 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Gilford →
Next door
Gilford and its neighbors
Gilford has the most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Questions about parks and trails in Gilford
Where can I hike in Gilford?
The longest trail networks: Gunstock Mountain Resort, 23.2 miles; Belknap Mountain State Forest, 8.8 miles; Wilson Weeks Town Forest, 6.5 miles; Griswold Scout Reservation, 4.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Gilford is conserved land?
34% 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 Gilford’s trails?
Gunstock Mountain Resort and Belknap Mountain State Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Gilford?
12,588 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Gilford or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,327 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Gilford have?
Ahead of 93% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #16 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 Gilford 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 →