Westmoreland Sanctuary
Nature preserve
380 acres6.5 mi of trail
Raptor Ridge TrailSentry Ridge TrailWood Thrush TrailLost Pond Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Bill and Lois Stepping Stones (Wilson House) · Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Bedford
Bedford has 1,528 acres of parks, 91 for every 1,000 residents
14% of Bedford’s land is conserved, about 3,350 acres. 31 miles of mapped trail cross Bedford, 0.8 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Westmoreland Sanctuary (6.5 mi), Arthur W Butler Memorial Sanctuary (6.2 mi), Merestead County Park (2.9 mi).
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns · #116 of 758 in New York. What drives it
Conserved land
14%
3,350 acres · of 37.5 sq mi of land
Trails
31 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,528 ac
91 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
82%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
27 mi
0.8 mi paths
Highest peak
751 ft
Mount Aspetong
Lakes & rivers
11
What kind of outdoors town is Bedford?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Room to roam91 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.Land that stays wild14% of the land is conserved; a typical New York town, 5%.A trail town0.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 76% of U.S. towns.History along the way11 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Bedford have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Bedford is ahead of 91% of U.S. towns, #116 of 758 in New York. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; park acres per resident rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Bedford’s overall grade.
Conserved land14% of the land · typical NY town 5% · U.S. 4%A−Trails0.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (31 mi) · NY 0.4 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land91 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,528 acres) · NY 31 · U.S. 13AParks close to home82% of residents within a half mile of a park · NY 70% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 91%
LessMore
New York towns of 2,500+ (758)Ahead of 85%
Water is 6% of Bedford’s area (2 of 40 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 still be 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 Westmoreland Sanctuary, with 6.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Arthur W Butler Memorial Sanctuary
Managed by The Nature Conservancty
361 acres6.2 mi of trail
Red TrailYellow TrailBlue TrailNorthern Orange Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Arthur W Butler Memorial Sanctuary Parking
Merestead County Park
Park
123 acres2.9 mi of trail
Long TrailHill to Meadow TrailWestern TrailMain Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Ramsay Hunt Preserve
Managed by Bedford Audubon
175 acres2.5 mi of trail
Blue TrailWhite TrailYellow TrailOrange Trail
Dogs usually not allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
Mount Holly Sanctuary
Nature preserve
173 acres1.7 mi of trail
Red TrailBlue TrailYellow Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Arthur Ketchum Sanctuary
Nature preserve
49 acres1.7 mi of trail
Upper Loop Trail (blue)Glebe Trail (blue)Lower Loop Trail (red)Summit Trail (red)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Buxton Gorge
Managed by Town of Bedford
82 acres1.6 mi of trail
White TrailBRLA Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
John Jay Homestead
Managed by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
63 acres1.4 mi of trail
House Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Staff ParkingWebsite ↗
All 19 parks & preserves
Westmoreland Sanctuary380 acres · 6.5 mi of trail
DirectionsArthur W Butler Memorial Sanctuary361 acres · 6.2 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancty
DirectionsMerestead County Park123 acres · 2.9 mi of trail
Ramsay Hunt Preserve175 acres · 2.5 mi of trail · Bedford Audubon
DirectionsMount Holly Sanctuary173 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
DirectionsArthur Ketchum Sanctuary49 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
DirectionsBuxton Gorge82 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Town of Bedford
DirectionsJohn Jay Homestead63 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
DirectionsGuard Hill Preserve76 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsGuard Hill Park19 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Town of Bedford
DirectionsKatonah Memorial Park38 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsPiney Woods Preserve59 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Bedford
Bedford Hills Memorial Park27 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMarsh Sanctuary;Marsh Memorial Sanctuary15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Cross River Outlet Unit57 acres · New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Supply
DirectionsMianus River Gorge Preserve20 acres · The Nature Conservancy
DirectionsBedford Village Memorial Park16 acres
DirectionsBeaver Dam Park3 acres
DirectionsBedford Park2 acres
Who protects it
3,350 conserved acres
14% of Bedford’s land. Water is left out: Bedford has 37.5 square miles of land and 2.2 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Bedford’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits4,180 ac
Town or city1,228 ac
Other state land156 ac
State parks63 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government27 ac
State conservation13 ac
Unknown Easement · 1,338 acConservation Easement · 1,338 acPrivate Conservation · 1,280 acLocal Other or Unknown · 644 acLocal Park · 416 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,371 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 63 of 166 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur W. Butler Memorial Sanctuary Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 716 | Open |
| Cross River Fishing Access Area Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 352 | Unknown |
| Town Of Bedford Land Local Park | Town or city | 227 | Unknown |
| Mount Holly Sanctuary Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 174 | Open |
| Mount Holly Sanctuary (Indian Brook Assemblage) Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 174 | Open |
| New Croton Fishing Access Area Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 171 | Unknown |
| New York City Lands Local Resource Management Area | Town or city | 158 | Open |
| Taconic Correctional Facility State Resource Management Area | Other state land | 156 | Open |
| Piney Woods Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 123 | Open |
| Muscoot Fishing Access Area Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 120 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
17 places to go in Bedford
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Bedford
Children's PoolIn Bedford Hills Memorial Park
DirectionsPlus 1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Bedford
6 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Bedford
Hawk WatchIn Arthur W Butler Memorial Sanctuary
DirectionsPlus 3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Bedford
Mount Aspetong751 ft elevation
DirectionsGuard Hill741 ft elevation · In Guard Hill Park
DirectionsIndian Hill659 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Bedford
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Bedford
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 11 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Horses · 4.3 miUnpaved · 26.1 mi
White Trail2.8 mi
Blue Trail2.7 mi
Yellow Trail2.3 mi
Red Trail2.1 mi
BRLA Trail1.3 mi
Raptor Ridge Trail0.9 mi
Upper Loop Trail (blue)0.8 mi
Sentry Ridge Trail0.8 mi
Northern Orange Trail0.8 mi
Long Trail0.7 mi
15 more trails
Wood Thrush Trail
0.7 miHill to Meadow Trail
0.6 miGlebe Trail (blue)
0.6 miLost Pond Trail
0.6 miEasy Loop Trail
0.6 miLeonard Park to Marsh Sanctuary Trail
0.6 miVeery Trail
0.6 miWestern Trail
0.5 miLower Loop Trail (red)
0.5 miLaurel Trail
0.4 miLower Blue Trail
0.4 miMain Trail
0.4 miButler to Merestead Connector Trail
0.4 miFox Run Trail
0.4 miOrange Trail West
0.4 miBiking & sports
27 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.8 mi
off-road bike paths
26 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
45Tennis
11Baseball
9Soccer
6Pickleball
3Basketball
2Football
2Equestrian
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →11 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
Bill and Lois Stepping Stones (Wilson House)National Historic Landmark · Building · listed 2004
About itBedford Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1973
About itKatonah Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1983
About itMeresteadBuilding · listed 1984
About itThe WoodpileDistrict · listed 1992
About itRichard H. Mandel HouseBuilding · listed 1996
About itPalmer-Lewis EstateDistrict · listed 1998
About itSt. Luke's Episcopal ChurchBuilding · listed 2001
About itCaramoorDistrict · listed 2001
About itStonecrestBuilding · listed 2004
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Bedford: April 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) | 9.5 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.1 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 37 | 40 | 48 | 61 | 71 | 79 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 64 | 52 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 4.1 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.5 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Bedford →
Next door
Bedford and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Pound Ridge51 miSomers46 miLewisboro44 miBedford31 miNorth Castle29 miNew Castle28 miGolden's Bridge3.5 miMount Kisco2.1 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford | 14% | 0.8 | 91 | 82% | A |
| Mount Kisco | 9% | 0.7 | 15 | 99%+ | A |
| Somers | 18% | 1.5 | 92 | 65% | A |
| Lewisboro | 15% | 1.6 | 200 | 80% | A+ |
| Pound Ridge | 26% | 2.3 | 640 | 85% | A+ |
| North Castle | 19% | 1.2 | 150 | 96% | A+ |
| New Castle | 12% | 1.2 | 97 | 94% | A+ |
| Golden's Bridge | — 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 Bedford
Where can I hike in Bedford?
The longest trail networks: Westmoreland Sanctuary, 6.5 miles; Arthur W Butler Memorial Sanctuary, 6.2 miles; Merestead County Park, 2.9 miles; Ramsay Hunt Preserve, 2.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Bedford is conserved land?
14% of its land, against a typical 5% for a New York town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Bedford’s trails?
Westmoreland Sanctuary and Arthur W Butler Memorial Sanctuary don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Bedford?
27 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.8 of off-road paths and 26 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Bedford?
37,630 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Bedford or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,686 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Bedford have?
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #116 of 758 in New York. 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 Bedford 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 →