Gumpas Pond Conservation Area
Managed by Pelham Forestry Commission
124 acres3.2 mi of trail
Beaver Pond LoopLong TrailTower Hill TrailShortcut
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Gumpus Pond Parking Hind Rd Lot
Photo: User:Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Pelham
Pelham has 48 miles of mapped trails, 1.8 for every square mile of land
801 acres are parks and preserves, 55 per 1,000 residents. 12% of Pelham’s land is conserved, about 2,075 acres. The biggest trail networks: Gumpas Pond Conservation Area (3.2 mi), Arthur H. Peabody Memorial Town Forest (3.1 mi), Elmer G. Raymond Memorial Park (3 mi).
Ahead of 88% of U.S. towns · #36 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
Conserved land
12%
2,075 acres · of 26.3 sq mi of land
Trails
48 mi
1.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
801 ac
55 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
56%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
561 ft
Jeremy Hill
Lakes & rivers
4
2 beaches
What kind of outdoors town is Pelham?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Pelham have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Pelham is ahead of 88% of U.S. towns, #36 of 126 in New Hampshire. Trail miles hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Pelham’s overall grade.
Conserved land12% of the land · typical NH town 19% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (48 mi) · NH 1.2 · U.S. 0.4APark land55 acres of park per 1,000 residents (801 acres) · NH 44 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home56% 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 88%
LessMore
New Hampshire towns of 2,500+ (126)Ahead of 72%
New Hampshire towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 19%; the U.S., 4%), so Pelham’s 12% is ahead of 24% of New Hampshire towns, while its trails per square mile lead 86% 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 Gumpas Pond Conservation Area, with 3.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Arthur H. Peabody Memorial Town Forest
Managed by Pelham Forestry Commission
150 acres3.1 mi of trail
Yellow Trail LoopOrange Trail LoopPowerline TrailRed Trail Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Elmer G. Raymond Memorial Park
Managed by Town of Pelham
260 acres3 mi of trail
Nashua & Lawrence Electric RailroadPipelineTrailBaldwin Hill Road (trail)
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Cutter Woods Conservation Area
Managed by Pelham Forestry Commission
180 acres2.8 mi of trail
Phoebe Rock TrailCharles Jack PathPond View TrailBoulder Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Cutter Woods ParkingWebsite ↗
Cutler-Spaulding Conservation Area
Managed by Pelham Forestry Commission
184 acres2.4 mi of trail
Long TrailSpaulding Hill Road LoopGreen Meadow TrailSpalding Hill Road Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Skyview Trail Parking
Calitri Conservation Area
Managed by Pelham Forestry Commission
52 acres2.1 mi of trail
Main LoopLower LoopNorth LoopStonepost Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Costa Conservation Area
Managed by Pelham Forestry Commission
112 acres2 mi of trail
Costa Forest TrailLower Powerline TrailUpper Powerline TrailParking Lot Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Kirby-Ivers Town Forest
Managed by Pelham Forestry Commission
72 acres1.4 mi of trail
Papilion"s Path Yellow Loop TrailTom's Trail / blue LoopMoekel Pond Connection
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 27 parks & preserves
Gumpas Pond Conservation Area124 acres · 3.2 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
DirectionsArthur H. Peabody Memorial Town Forest150 acres · 3.1 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
DirectionsElmer G. Raymond Memorial Park260 acres · 3 mi of trail · Town of Pelham
Cutter Woods Conservation Area180 acres · 2.8 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
DirectionsCutler-Spaulding Conservation Area184 acres · 2.4 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
DirectionsCalitri Conservation Area52 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
DirectionsCosta Conservation Area112 acres · 2 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
DirectionsKirby-Ivers Town Forest72 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
Moose Pond Conservation Area50 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
DirectionsWolven Park24 acres · 1 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
DirectionsPelham Schools Natural Area83 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Pelham Schools
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Park70 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsGeorge M. Muldoon Park83 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Town of Pelham
DirectionsSpring Street Town Forest48 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
Bennie Eaton Hill Family Forest52 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · New England Forestry Foundation
DirectionsMoeckel Road Town Forest73 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
DirectionsGolden Brook Park25 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Pelham
Little Island Pond Conservation Area20 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
Merriam Farm Town Forest47 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
Bennie Eaton Hill Family Memorial Forest17 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Pelham Forestry Commission
Jeremy Hill Natural Area61 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · NH Dept of Resources & Econ Dev
Village Green3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDoreen Drive Town Forest23 acres · Pelham Forestry Commission
Blueberry Circle Woodlot17 acres · Pelham Forestry Commission
Dennis P. Lyons Memorial Park16 acres
DirectionsQuarry Lots14 acres · Pelham Forestry Commission
Cedar Pond Conservation Area1 acres
Who protects it
2,075 conserved acres
12% of Pelham’s land. Who manages Pelham’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city252 ac
State natural resources103 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits55 ac
Joint20 ac
Not recorded1,784 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 1,372 acLocal Conservation Area · 286 acConservation Easement · 210 acLocal Park · 188 acState Conservation Area · 61 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 93 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 73 of 83 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town of Pelham Land Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 419 | Unknown |
| Gumpas Pond Reservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 140 | Unknown |
| Merriam / Cutter Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 120 | Unknown |
| Lower Beaver Brook Land Local Conservation Area | Not recorded | 116 | Unknown |
| Raymond Park Addition Local Park | Not recorded | 96 | Unknown |
| Cutler 1 Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 94 | Unknown |
| Pelham Schools Natural Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 84 | Unknown |
| Spring Street - East Tract Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 64 | Unknown |
| Jeremy Hill Natural Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 61 | Restricted |
| Hill Family Memorial Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 59 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
17 places to go in Pelham
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Pelham
Pelham Town BeachIn Veterans Memorial Park
DirectionsWillow St Beach
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Pelham
Pelham Community PlaygroundIn George M. Muldoon Park
DirectionsPlus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Pelham
Jeremy Hill561 ft elevation · In Jeremy Hill Natural Area
DirectionsSeavey Hill466 ft elevation
DirectionsCambridge Hill413 ft elevation
DirectionsGumpas Hill404 ft elevation
DirectionsPoplar Hill387 ft elevation
DirectionsGage Hill371 ft elevation
DirectionsPoplar Hill262 ft elevation · In Calitri Conservation Area
DirectionsPulpit Rock154 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Pelham
1 campground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 8.9 miHorses · 1.9 miUnpaved · 20.5 mi
Gagnon Pond Trail1.6 mi
Jermy Hill Road (trail)1.3 mi
Lower Powerline Trail1.1 mi
Phoebe Rock Trail1.0 mi
Pelham Natural area trails1.0 mi
Bob's Trail1.0 mi
Yellow Trail Loop1.0 mi
Beaver Brook Trail0.9 mi
Long Trail0.9 mi
Papilion"s Path Yellow Loop Trail0.9 mi
15 more trails
Moekel Pond Connection
0.9 miPowerline Trail
0.8 miBeaver Pond Loop
0.8 miBaldwin Hill Road (trail)
0.8 miCosta Forest Trail
0.8 miMoose Pond Land Trail
0.7 miUpper Powerline Trail
0.7 miOrange Trail Loop
0.6 miNashua & Lawrence Electric Railroad
0.6 miMain Loop
0.5 miSpaulding Hill Road Loop
0.5 miTower Hill Trail
0.5 miSkyview Trail
0.5 miFPS Sandpit Trail
0.5 miHammer Back Lot Trail
0.4 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
14Tennis
11Baseball
8Soccer
3Basketball
1Football
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Pelham Library and Memorial BuildingBuilding · listed 2011
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Pelham: 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 38 | 46 | 59 | 70 | 78 | 84 | 82 | 74 | 62 | 50 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 3.2 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (3.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Pelham →
Next door
Pelham and its neighbors
Pelham has the second most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Questions about parks and trails in Pelham
Where can I hike in Pelham?
The longest trail networks: Gumpas Pond Conservation Area, 3.2 miles; Arthur H. Peabody Memorial Town Forest, 3.1 miles; Elmer G. Raymond Memorial Park, 3 miles; Cutter Woods Conservation Area, 2.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Pelham is conserved land?
12% 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 Pelham’s trails?
Gumpas Pond Conservation Area and Arthur H. Peabody Memorial Town Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Pelham?
27,624 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Pelham or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 805 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Pelham have?
Ahead of 88% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #36 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 Pelham 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 →