Shelburne Valley Forest
Managed by Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
2,584 acres5.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Meadow Bridge · Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Shelburne
More than half of Shelburne’s land is conserved: 60%
60% of Shelburne’s land is conserved, about 18,547 acres. The biggest trail networks: Shelburne Valley Forest (5.9 mi), Appalachian National Scenic Trail (5.9 mi), Shelburne Riverlands (2.7 mi). 55 acres are parks and preserves, 103 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
60%
18,547 acres · of 47.9 sq mi of land
Trails
51 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
55 ac
103 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
24%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
3,750 ft
Middle Moriah Mountain
Lakes & rivers
3
1 boat launch
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 Shelburne Valley Forest, with 5.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Nature preserve
983 acres5.9 mi of trail
Mahoosuc TrailCentennial TrailPeabody Brook TrailBald Ledge Spur
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Shelburne Riverlands
Managed by Mahoosuc Land Trust
631 acres2.7 mi of trail
Forest TrailRiver TrailKnoll TrailHemlock Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Bald Cap Forest
Managed by Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
1,003 acres2 mi of trail
Middle Mountain TrailPeabody Brook TrailBald Ledge Spur
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Lead Mine State Forest
Managed by NH Dept of Resources & Econ Dev
194 acres1.4 mi of trail
Centennial Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Peabody Forest
Managed by Society for the Prot. of NH Forests
81 acres0.8 mi of trail
Peabody Brook TrailMiddle Mountain Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 10 parks & preserves
Shelburne Valley Forest2,584 acres · 5.9 mi of trail · Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
Appalachian National Scenic Trail983 acres · 5.9 mi of trail
Shelburne Riverlands631 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Mahoosuc Land Trust
Bald Cap Forest1,003 acres · 2 mi of trail · Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests
Lead Mine State Forest194 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · NH Dept of Resources & Econ Dev
DirectionsPeabody Forest81 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Society for the Prot. of NH Forests
First Mountain Forest129 acres · Mahoosuc Land Trust
Chester Hayes Memorial Park19 acres · Town of Shelburne
Androscoggin Wildlife Management Area6 acres · NH Fish & Game
DirectionsRobinson Peak Conservation Easement1 acres · Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
Who protects it
18,547 conserved acres
60% of Shelburne’s land. Who manages Shelburne’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Forest Service14,825 ac
National Park Service1,859 ac
State fish & wildlife1,828 ac
Private owners854 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits766 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government274 ac
Other state land40 ac
National Forest · 14,817 acNational Scenic or Historic Trail · 1,859 acConservation Easement · 1,758 acPrivate Conservation · 935 acOther Easement · 797 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,481 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 28 of 41 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 | 14,320 | Open |
| Appalachian National Scenic Trail National Scenic or Historic Trail | National Park Service | 1,859 | Open |
| Riverlands Private Conservation | Private owners | 854 | Unknown |
| White Mountain Purchase Unit National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 496 | Open |
| Peabody Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 81 | Unknown |
| Town of Shelburne Land Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 72 | Unknown |
| Shelburne Town Forest Local Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 35 | Unknown |
| Chester Hayes Memorial Park Local Park | Not recorded | 19 | Unknown |
| Native American Reburial Ground State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 10 | Unknown |
| Lead Mine State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 7 | Unknown |
1 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
25 places to go in Shelburne
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Shelburne
Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Shelburne
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Shelburne
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Peaks in Shelburne
Middle Moriah Mountain3,750 ft elevation
DirectionsShelburne Moriah Mountain3,724 ft elevation
DirectionsHowe Peak2,923 ft elevation
DirectionsBald Cap Peak2,785 ft elevation · In Appalachian National Scenic Trail
DirectionsCascade Mountain2,605 ft elevation · In Appalachian National Scenic Trail
DirectionsMount Hayes2,546 ft elevation · In Appalachian National Scenic Trail
DirectionsMount Ingalls2,238 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Surprise2,159 ft elevation
Directions11 more peaks
Middle Mountain2,005 ft elevation
DirectionsStock Farm Mountain1,726 ft elevation
DirectionsFirst Mountain1,677 ft elevation · In First Mountain Forest
DirectionsMount Winthrop1,562 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Cabot1,512 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Evans1,447 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Crag1,394 ft elevation
DirectionsStevens Point1,368 ft elevation · In Shelburne Valley Forest
DirectionsCrows Nest1,283 ft elevation
DirectionsArtist Rock1,250 ft elevation
DirectionsHark Hill1,112 ft elevation
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Trails & water
24 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 2.1 miHorses · 2.1 miUnpaved · 19.2 mi
Shelburne Trail4.8 mi
Rattle River Trail4.0 mi
Kenduskeag Trail3.3 mi
Carter-Moriah Trail2.9 mi
Centennial Trail2.8 mi
Mahoosuc Trail2.6 mi
Peabody Brook Trail2.3 mi
White Trail1.4 mi
Blue Trail1.2 mi
Yellow Trail1.2 mi
14 more trails
Middle Mountain Trail
1.2 miForest Trail
1.2 miRed Trail
1.1 miRiver Trail
1.0 miHighwater Trail
0.5 miBill Hastings Memorial Trail
0.5 miBald Ledge Spur
0.4 miKnoll Trail
0.3 miOrange (Wiggin Rock) Trail
0.3 miHemlock Trail
0.1 miHastings Trail
0.1 miAustin Brook Trail
0.1 miView Loop
0.1 miView Spur
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
History along the way
History →2 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
When to get out
The best walking months in Shelburne: 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) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.5 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 24 | 27 | 34 | 47 | 60 | 68 | 73 | 71 | 64 | 51 | 39 | 29 |
| Rain (in) | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 6.7 | 5.2 | 5.4 |
February is the driest month (3.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 73 °F). 6.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Shelburne →
Next door
Shelburne and its neighbors
Shelburne has the second most mapped trails of the 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelburne | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Gorham | 47% | 2.1 | 421 | 58% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Shelburne
Where can I hike in Shelburne?
The longest trail networks: Shelburne Valley Forest, 5.9 miles; Appalachian National Scenic Trail, 5.9 miles; Shelburne Riverlands, 2.7 miles; Bald Cap Forest, 2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Shelburne’s trails?
Shelburne Valley Forest and Appalachian National Scenic Trail don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Shelburne?
135,660 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Shelburne or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 10,036 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Shelburne 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 →