Burleigh Land LP Conservation Easement
Managed by Lakes Region Conservation Trust
2,147 acres8.8 mi of trail
Crawford-Ridgepole TrailBrooks Fisher TrailMount Morgan TrailPrescott Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Mt Morgan trailhead
Chapel of the Holy Cross · Photo: Toby Hudson · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Holderness
27% of Holderness’ land is conserved: 5,207 acres
212 acres are parks and preserves, 111 per 1,000 residents. 41 miles of mapped trail cross Holderness, 1.4 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Burleigh Land LP Conservation Easement (8.8 mi), Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (2.7 mi), Webster Ridge Conservation Easement (1.6 mi).
Ahead of 83% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Conserved land
27%
5,207 acres · of 30.4 sq mi of land
Trails
41 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
212 ac
111 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
13%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.4 mi
0.4 mi paths
Highest peak
2,051 ft
Mount Webster
Lakes & rivers
7
3 beaches · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Holderness?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Holderness have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Holderness is ahead of 83% of U.S. towns. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Holderness’ overall grade.
Conserved land27% of the land · typical NH town 19% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (41 mi) · NH 1.2 · U.S. 0.4APark land111 acres of park per 1,000 residents (212 acres) · NH 44 · U.S. 13AParks close to home13% 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 83%
LessMore
New Hampshire towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 19%; the U.S., 4%), so Holderness’ 27% is ahead of 79% of New Hampshire towns, while its trails per square mile lead 60% of them.
Water is 15% of Holderness’ area (5 of 36 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 23%.
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 Burleigh Land LP Conservation Easement, with 8.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
Nature preserve
209 acres2.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Webster Ridge Conservation Easement
Managed by Squam Lakes Conservation Society
475 acres1.6 mi of trail
Crawford-Ridgepole Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Armstrong Natural Area
Managed by University of New Hampshire
134 acres1.4 mi of trail
Old Bridle PathRamsey TrailRidge TrailPasture Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Owl Brook Training Facility
Managed by NH Fish & Game
504 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Pinehurst
Managed by Pinehurst Association
113 acres0.8 mi of trail
Pasture TrailCol TrailRidge TrailEast Rattlesnake Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Livermore Falls State Forest
Managed by NH Dept of Resources & Econ Dev
28 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 18 parks & preserves
Burleigh Land LP Conservation Easement2,147 acres · 8.8 mi of trail · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
DirectionsSquam Lakes Natural Science Center209 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
DirectionsWebster Ridge Conservation Easement475 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Squam Lakes Conservation Society
Armstrong Natural Area134 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · University of New Hampshire
Owl Brook Training Facility504 acres · 1 mi of trail · NH Fish & Game
Pinehurst113 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Pinehurst Association
Livermore Falls State Forest28 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · NH Dept of Resources & Econ Dev
DirectionsWest Squam Rangeway147 acres · Squam Lakes Conservation Society
Pilote Forest104 acres · Holderness Conservation Commission
Pemi Oxbow Preserve95 acres · Squam Lakes Conservation Society
Holderness Town Forest50 acres · Town of Holderness
Newsom Memorial Forest22 acres · New England Forestry Foundation
Mick Stanley Preserve20 acres · Squam Lakes Conservation Society
DirectionsStevens Memorial Forest10 acres · New England Forestry Foundation
Holderness Town Beach8 acres
Wallace Marsh7 acres · Squam Lakes Conservation Society
Mill Brook Preserve3 acres · Squam Lakes Conservation Society
Squam Lakes Boat Launch Facility1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
5,207 conserved acres
27% of Holderness’ land. Water is left out: Holderness has 30.4 square miles of land and 5.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Holderness’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits8,069 ac
Other state land107 ac
Town or city39 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government37 ac
State fish & wildlife8 ac
Not recorded969 ac
Unknown Easement · 3,320 acConservation Easement · 3,056 acPrivate Conservation · 2,159 acState Other or Unknown · 505 acLocal Other or Unknown · 107 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 2,355 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 104 of 134 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burleigh Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 1,616 | Unknown |
| Owl Brook Training Facility State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 508 | Unknown |
| Science Center of New Hampshire Private Conservation | Not recorded | 191 | Unknown |
| West Squam Rangeway Private Conservation | Not recorded | 145 | Open |
| Pinehurst Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 114 | Unknown |
| Pilote Local Other or Unknown | Other state land | 104 | Unknown |
| Holderness Town Forest Local Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 50 | Unknown |
| Cotton Mountain Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 38 | Unknown |
| Livermore Falls State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 30 | Unknown |
| Newsom Memorial Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 21 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
29 places to go in Holderness
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Holderness
Playgrounds in Holderness
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Holderness
Holderness Landing
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Holderness
3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Holderness
Mount Webster2,051 ft elevation · In Burleigh Land LP Conservation Easement
DirectionsMount Prospect1,952 ft elevation
DirectionsThe Button1,549 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Livermore1,476 ft elevation · In Burleigh Land LP Conservation Easement
DirectionsWest Rattlesnake1,204 ft elevation · In Armstrong Natural Area
DirectionsCotton Mountain1,191 ft elevation · In Burleigh Land LP Conservation Easement
DirectionsMount Fayal1,067 ft elevation · In Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
DirectionsPine Hill915 ft elevation
Directions1 more peak
Shepard Hill837 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Holderness
Bowman #1Squam Lakes Association
DirectionsBowman #2Squam Lakes Association
DirectionsBowman #3Squam Lakes Association
DirectionsBowman #4Squam Lakes Association
DirectionsBowman cabinSquam Lakes Association
DirectionsCamp Deerwood
DirectionsMoon #1Squam Lakes Association
DirectionsMoon #2Squam Lakes Association
Directions2 more campgrounds
Moon #3Squam Lakes Association
DirectionsOwl's Landing Campground
DirectionsTrails & water
21 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 8.8 mi
Crawford-Ridgepole Trail4.5 mi
Mount Prospect Trail1.9 mi
Trail1.4 mi
Brooks Fisher Trail1.2 mi
Old Highway South1.1 mi
Mount Morgan Trail1.0 mi
Prescott Trail0.9 mi
Undercut Trail0.9 mi
Old Bridle Path0.9 mi
Cotton Mountain Trail0.7 mi
11 more trails
Loop
0.6 miMount Percival Trail
0.4 miRidge Trail
0.4 miPasture Trail
0.4 miMorse Trail
0.3 miEast Rattlesnake Trail
0.3 miRamsey Trail
0.3 miOld Highway North
0.2 miCol Trail
0.2 miThe Midway
0.1 miFive Finger Point Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & 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
12Tennis
8Soccer
2Softball
2Baseball
1Basketball
1Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →11 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.
Trinity ChurchBuilding · listed 1984
About itHolderness InnBuilding · listed 1984
About itHolderness Free LibraryBuilding · listed 1985
About itNorth Holderness Freewill Baptist Church-Holderness Historical Society BuildingBuilding · listed 1986
About itWebster EstateDistrict · listed 1989
About itChapel of the Holy CrossBuilding · listed 2005
About itTrue FarmDistrict · listed 2012
About itCamp OssipeeDistrict · listed 2013
About itRockywold-Deephaven CampsDistrict · listed 2013
About itShepard Hill Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2014
About itChocorua Island ChapelDistrict · listed 2016
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Holderness: May, June, August 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) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 33 | 41 | 55 | 67 | 76 | 80 | 79 | 71 | 58 | 45 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 4.4 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 5.0 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Holderness →
Next door
Holderness and its neighbors
Holderness has the most mapped trails of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holderness | 27% | 1.4 | 111 | 13% | A− |
| Plymouth | 13% | 0.7 | 52 | 70% | A− |
| Ashland | 28% | 1.5 | 3 | 42% | B+ |
| Center Harbor | 14% | 1.2 | 224 | 33% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Holderness
Where can I hike in Holderness?
The longest trail networks: Burleigh Land LP Conservation Easement, 8.8 miles; Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, 2.7 miles; Webster Ridge Conservation Easement, 1.6 miles; Armstrong Natural Area, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Holderness is conserved land?
27% 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 Holderness’ trails?
Burleigh Land LP Conservation Easement and Squam Lakes Natural Science Center don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Holderness?
0.4 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.4 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Holderness?
45,408 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Holderness or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 212 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Holderness have?
Ahead of 83% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade. 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 Holderness 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 →