Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Nature preserve
2,102 acres14.7 mi of trail
Lambert Ridge TrailHolts Ledge TrailSkiway TrailRanger Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto AT Goose Pond Rd
Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Lyme
39% of Lyme’s land is conserved: 13,424 acres
101 miles of mapped trail cross Lyme, 1.9 per square mile of land. 349 acres are parks and preserves, 204 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Appalachian National Scenic Trail (14.7 mi), Bear Hill Conservancy Land (8.4 mi), Lyme Town Forest (5 mi).
Ahead of 88% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Conserved land
39%
13,424 acres · of 53.8 sq mi of land
Trails
101 mi
1.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
349 ac
204 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
17%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
3,225 ft
Smarts Mountain
Lakes & rivers
13
1 beach · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Lyme?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild39% of the land is conserved; a typical New Hampshire town, 19%.A trail town1.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 92% of U.S. towns.Room to roam204 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.History along the way3 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Lyme have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Lyme is ahead of 88% 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 Lyme’s overall grade.
Conserved land39% of the land · typical NH town 19% · U.S. 4%A+Trails1.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (101 mi) · NH 1.2 · U.S. 0.4APark land204 acres of park per 1,000 residents (349 acres) · NH 44 · U.S. 13AParks close to home17% 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 88%
LessMore
New Hampshire towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 19%; the U.S., 4%), so Lyme’s 39% is ahead of 94% of New Hampshire towns, while its trails per square mile lead 87% of them.
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 Appalachian National Scenic Trail, with 14.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Bear Hill Conservancy Land
Managed by Bear Hill Conservancy Trust
2,648 acres8.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Lyme Town Forest
Managed by Town of Lyme
424 acres5 mi of trail
Beaver Pond TrailWaterfall TrailLedge TrailWestern Forest Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Lyme Town Forest Trailhead Parking
Lyme Pinnacle Conservation Area
Managed by Upper Valley Land Trust
242 acres3.8 mi of trail
Pike's Passage trailGrumman's Grove trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto The Pinnacle Trailhead Parking
Lyme Hill Conservation Area
Managed by Upper Valley Land Trust
240 acres3.8 mi of trail
Wetland Viewing Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Trout Pond Preserve
Managed by Town of Lyme
387 acres1.1 mi of trail
Trout Pond Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Trout Pond Forest Parking
Royal C. Nemiah Forest
Managed by Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
213 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Big Rock Nature Preserve
Managed by Lyme Conservation Commission
23 acres0.6 mi of trail
Big Rock Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 14 parks & preserves
Appalachian National Scenic Trail2,102 acres · 14.7 mi of trail
DirectionsBear Hill Conservancy Land2,648 acres · 8.4 mi of trail · Bear Hill Conservancy Trust
Lyme Town Forest424 acres · 5 mi of trail · Town of Lyme
DirectionsLyme Pinnacle Conservation Area242 acres · 3.8 mi of trail · Upper Valley Land Trust
DirectionsLyme Hill Conservation Area240 acres · 3.8 mi of trail · Upper Valley Land Trust
Trout Pond Preserve387 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Town of Lyme
DirectionsRoyal C. Nemiah Forest213 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
Big Rock Nature Preserve23 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Lyme Conservation Commission
Robert G. Chaffee Wildlife Sanctuary22 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Lyme Conservation Commission
DirectionsWilder Wildlife Management Area59 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
Chase Beach Recreation Area11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Lyme
DirectionsHidden Valley Wildlife Conservation Area62 acres · Society for the Protection of NH Forests
Green Woodlands4 acres · Green Woodlands Foundation
Lyme Common2 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
13,424 conserved acres
39% of Lyme’s land. Who manages Lyme’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits7,763 ac
U.S. Forest Service5,399 ac
National Park Service4,206 ac
Town or city4,008 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government1,323 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)269 ac
State fish & wildlife206 ac
Conservation Easement · 15,035 acNational Forest · 3,631 acUnknown Easement · 2,505 acNational Scenic or Historic Trail · 1,901 acAgricultural Easement · 269 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 8,983 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 357 of 391 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Mountain National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 3,631 | Open |
| Appalachian National Scenic Trail National Scenic or Historic Trail | National Park Service | 1,901 | Open |
| Lyme Town Forest Local Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 310 | Unknown |
| Jabali Easement Private Conservation | Not recorded | 106 | Unknown |
| Hidden Valley Wildlife Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 62 | Unknown |
| Wilder Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 59 | Unknown |
| Mudge Private Agricultural | Other state land | 46 | Unknown |
| Lyme Hill Private Conservation | Not recorded | 41 | Unknown |
| Post Pond Preserve State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 35 | Unknown |
| Lyme Hill East Private Conservation | Not recorded | 26 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
29 places to go in Lyme
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Lyme
Chase Town BeachIn Chase Beach Recreation Area
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Lyme
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Lyme
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Lyme
1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Lyme
Post Pond Overlook
DirectionsSmarts Mountain Fire Lookout TowerIn Appalachian National Scenic Trail
DirectionsPlus 5 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Lyme
Smarts Mountain3,225 ft elevation · In Appalachian National Scenic Trail
DirectionsWinslow Ledge2,270 ft elevation
DirectionsSmith Mountain2,208 ft elevation
DirectionsMousley Mountain2,146 ft elevation
DirectionsHolts Ledge2,110 ft elevation · In Appalachian National Scenic Trail
DirectionsMoody Mountain1,969 ft elevation
DirectionsBear Hill1,946 ft elevation
DirectionsCole Hill1,654 ft elevation
Directions9 more peaks
Demmick Hill1,604 ft elevation
DirectionsFlint Hill1,450 ft elevation
DirectionsAcorn Hill1,335 ft elevation · In Lyme Pinnacle Conservation Area
DirectionsPlot Hill1,306 ft elevation
DirectionsKenyon Hill1,257 ft elevation
DirectionsLyme Hill1,030 ft elevation · In Lyme Hill Conservation Area
DirectionsPost Hill978 ft elevation
DirectionsBrick Hill663 ft elevation
DirectionsSugar HillIn Bear Hill Conservancy Land
DirectionsCampgrounds in Lyme
1 campground without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 13 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 3.7 miHorses · 1.0 miUnpaved · 12.3 mi
Lambert Ridge Trail3.5 mi
Holts Ledge Trail3.5 mi
Ranger Trail2.8 mi
Clay Brook Trail2.5 mi
Daniel Doan Trail1.9 mi
Skiway Trail1.8 mi
Grant Brook Trail1.4 mi
Clyde Grant Trail1.4 mi
Waterfall Trail1.3 mi
J Trail1.3 mi
15 more trails
Northwest Passage
1.2 miHoopes' Loop
1.2 miSnowmobile Trail
1.1 miBeaver Pond Trail
0.9 miPhorest
0.8 miTrout Pond Trail
0.8 miRecordridge Cow Path
0.8 miPike's Passage trail
0.8 miLedge Trail
0.7 miRocks Trail
0.7 miSwamp Trail
0.6 miGrant Brook Johnson Trail
0.6 miWestern Forest Trail
0.6 miGrumman's Grove trail
0.5 miBig Rock Trail
0.5 miBiking & 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
5Tennis
2Basketball
2Soccer
1Softball
1Baseball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →3 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 6 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Lyme: 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) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 28 | 32 | 40 | 54 | 67 | 75 | 79 | 78 | 70 | 57 | 44 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 2.8 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 3.4 |
February is the driest month (2.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.5 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Lyme →
Next door
Lyme 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyme | 39% | 1.9 | 204 | 17% | A |
| Hanover | 31% | 2.9 | 53 | 78% | A+ |
| Orford | 14% | 1.0 | 117 | 23% | A− |
| Dorchester | — 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 Lyme
Where can I hike in Lyme?
The longest trail networks: Appalachian National Scenic Trail, 14.7 miles; Bear Hill Conservancy Land, 8.4 miles; Lyme Town Forest, 5 miles; Lyme Pinnacle Conservation Area, 3.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Lyme is conserved land?
39% 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 Lyme’s trails?
Appalachian National Scenic Trail and Bear Hill Conservancy Land don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Lyme?
28,690 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lyme or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,036 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Lyme have?
Ahead of 88% 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 Lyme 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 →