Hamlin Recreation and Conservation Area
Managed by Meredith Conservation Commission
310 acres5.8 mi of trail
Red TrailYellow TrailBlue TrailPink Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Meredith Public Library · Photo: Ken Gallager · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Meredith
Meredith has 1,825 acres of parks, 270 for every 1,000 residents
17% of Meredith’s land is conserved, about 4,469 acres. 41 miles of mapped trail cross Meredith, 1.0 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Hamlin Recreation and Conservation Area (5.8 mi), Page Pond Community Forest (4.1 mi), Meredith Community Forest (2.9 mi).
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns · #29 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
Conserved land
17%
4,469 acres · of 40.1 sq mi of land
Trails
41 mi
1.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,825 ac
270 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
52%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
1,394 ft
Leavitt Mountain
Lakes & rivers
14
7 beaches · 4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Meredith?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Meredith have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Meredith is ahead of 89% of U.S. towns, #29 of 126 in New Hampshire. Park acres per resident hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Meredith’s overall grade.
Conserved land17% of the land · typical NH town 19% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (41 mi) · NH 1.2 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land270 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,825 acres) · NH 44 · U.S. 13AParks close to home52% 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 89%
LessMore
New Hampshire towns of 2,500+ (126)Ahead of 78%
New Hampshire towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 19%; the U.S., 4%), so Meredith’s 17% is ahead of 46% of New Hampshire towns, while its trails per square mile lead 32% of them.
Water is 27% of Meredith’s area (14 of 55 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 13%.
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 Hamlin Recreation and Conservation Area, with 5.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Page Pond Community Forest
Managed by Meredith Conservation Commission
793 acres4.1 mi of trail
Yellow TrailBlue Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Meredith Community Forest
Managed by Meredith Conservation Commission
186 acres2.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Bear Island Forest
Managed by Society for the Prot. of NH Forests
153 acres2.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Stonedam Island Conservation Area
Managed by Lakes Region Conservation Trust
111 acres2.1 mi of trail
Long Loop Trail (red)Main Loop Trail (yellow)Swamp Loop Trail (blue)Picnic Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Barbara R. Smyth Conservation Easement
Managed by Meredith Conservation Commission
152 acres1.7 mi of trail
Pink TrailPink Path
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Frances Austin Eames Recreation & Conservation Area
Managed by Meredith Conservation Commission
189 acres1.4 mi of trail
Pink TrailBlue Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Swasey Park
Managed by Town of Meredith
7 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 25 parks & preserves
Hamlin Recreation and Conservation Area310 acres · 5.8 mi of trail · Meredith Conservation Commission
DirectionsPage Pond Community Forest793 acres · 4.1 mi of trail · Meredith Conservation Commission
DirectionsMeredith Community Forest186 acres · 2.9 mi of trail · Meredith Conservation Commission
DirectionsBear Island Forest153 acres · 2.3 mi of trail · Society for the Prot. of NH Forests
Stonedam Island Conservation Area111 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
Barbara R. Smyth Conservation Easement152 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Meredith Conservation Commission
Frances Austin Eames Recreation & Conservation Area189 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Meredith Conservation Commission
Swasey Park7 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Town of Meredith
DirectionsFive Mile Island Conservation Area8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
DirectionsWaukewan Highlands Community Park186 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Meredith
DirectionsHesky Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsChemung State Forest370 acres · NH Dept of Resources & Econ Dev
Leighton Town Forest160 acres · Meredith Conservation Commission
Hermit Woods Town Forest47 acres · Meredith Conservation Commission
Prescott Park39 acres
DirectionsCarleton Town Forest37 acres · Meredith Conservation Commission
Edgerly Town Forest29 acres · Meredith Conservation Commission
Leavitt Park & Beach22 acres · Town of Meredith
DirectionsTucker Mountain Town Forest22 acres · Meredith Conservation Commission
Piscopo Town Forest13 acres · Meredith Conservation Commission
Childs Park2 acres · Town of Meredith
DirectionsLoon Sanctuary2 acres
Glines Memorial Forest1 acres · New Hampton Conservation Commission
DirectionsCircle Drive Park1 acres · Town of Meredith
DirectionsScenic Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
4,469 conserved acres
17% of Meredith’s land. Water is left out: Meredith has 40.1 square miles of land and 14.5 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Meredith’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits1,874 ac
Town or city1,856 ac
Other state land563 ac
State natural resources304 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government234 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)120 ac
Not recorded1,756 ac
Conservation Easement · 3,371 acLocal Resource Management Area · 1,352 acState Resource Management Area · 435 acPrivate Conservation · 403 acUnknown Easement · 387 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,757 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 86 of 100 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page Brook Forest Local Resource Management Area | Town or city | 563 | Open |
| Chemung State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 435 | Unknown |
| Town Forest - Hamlin Recreation Area Local Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 311 | Unknown |
| Frances A. Eames Recreation and Wildlife Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 189 | Unknown |
| Waukewan Highlands Park Local Park | Not recorded | 187 | Unknown |
| Meredith Town Forest Local Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 185 | Unknown |
| Leighton Town Forest Local Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 143 | Unknown |
| Stonedam Island Natural Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 108 | Unknown |
| Storer Lot Private Conservation | Not recorded | 90 | Unknown |
| Bear Island Conservation Association Private Conservation | Not recorded | 81 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
38 places to go in Meredith
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Meredith
Plus 4 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Swimming spots in Meredith
1 swimming spot without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Meredith
Meredith Center Playground
DirectionsPlus 4 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Meredith
Pickering Park Boat Ramp
DirectionsPlus 3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Meredith
1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Meredith
6 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Meredith
Leavitt Mountain1,394 ft elevation
DirectionsLeighton Mountain1,375 ft elevation · In Leighton Town Forest
DirectionsLadd Mountain1,325 ft elevation
DirectionsSaddle Hill1,286 ft elevation
DirectionsSnow Dragon Mountain1,204 ft elevation
DirectionsBachelder Hill1,175 ft elevation
DirectionsGilman Hill1,043 ft elevation
DirectionsOak Hill955 ft elevation
Directions3 more peaks
Pinnacle Hill906 ft elevation
DirectionsMillstone Hill787 ft elevation
DirectionsStonedam Island HP732 ft elevation · In Stonedam Island Conservation Area
DirectionsCampgrounds in Meredith
Trails & water
12 named trails and 14 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 2.7 mi
Yellow Trail3.0 mi
Pink Trail2.6 mi
Red Trail2.4 mi
Blue Trail2.3 mi
Long Loop Trail (red)1.0 mi
Main Loop Trail (yellow)0.6 mi
Island Loop Trail0.4 mi
Swamp Loop Trail (blue)0.4 mi
Laverack Nature Trail0.3 mi
Pink Path0.3 mi
2 more trails
Picnic Trail
0.1 miLong Loop Trail
0.1 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
13Tennis
3Basketball
3Soccer
2Softball
1Skate park
1Baseball
1Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →2 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 Meredith: 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) | 30 | 34 | 42 | 56 | 68 | 76 | 81 | 80 | 72 | 59 | 46 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 3.1 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 3.8 | 4.1 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.9 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Meredith →
Next door
Meredith 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meredith | 17% | 1.0 | 270 | 52% | A |
| Gilford | 34% | 2.2 | 244 | 41% | A |
| Laconia | 10% | 1.1 | 15 | 75% | A− |
| Center Harbor | 14% | 1.2 | 224 | 33% | A− |
| Sanbornton | 15% | 1.0 | 90 | 12% | A− |
| New Hampton | 15% | 0.7 | 65 | 15% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Meredith
Where can I hike in Meredith?
The longest trail networks: Hamlin Recreation and Conservation Area, 5.8 miles; Page Pond Community Forest, 4.1 miles; Meredith Community Forest, 2.9 miles; Bear Island Forest, 2.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Meredith is conserved land?
17% 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 Meredith’s trails?
Hamlin Recreation and Conservation Area and Page Pond Community Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Meredith?
12,787 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Meredith or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,840 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Meredith have?
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #29 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 Meredith 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 →