Deer River State Forest
Nature preserve
7,815 acres12 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Brandon
Few parks or trails are on the map in Brandon
The biggest trail networks: Deer River State Forest (12 mi), Franklin Forest Preserve Detached Parcel (0.6 mi). 30% of Brandon’s land is conserved, about 7,985 acres. 8,056 acres are parks and preserves, 15,765 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
30%
7,985 acres · of 41.3 sq mi of land
Trails
32 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
8,056 ac
15,765 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
44%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
1,621 ft
Cherry Hill
Lakes & rivers
3
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 Deer River State Forest, with 12 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Franklin Forest Preserve Detached Parcel
Nature preserve
135 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it
7,985 conserved acres
30% of Brandon’s land. Who manages Brandon’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation7,973 ac
Town or city12 ac
State Conservation Area · 7,973 acLocal Park · 12 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 3 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer River State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 7,837 | Open |
| Franklin Fp Detached Parcel State Conservation Area | State conservation | 136 | Open |
| Town Of Brandon Land Local Park | Town or city | 12 | Unknown |
Things to do
1 places to go in Brandon
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Peaks in Brandon
Cherry Hill1,621 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
3 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
May is the best month for walking in Brandon
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 | 15.6 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 25 | 28 | 37 | 51 | 65 | 73 | 77 | 75 | 68 | 55 | 42 | 31 |
| Rain (in) | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 3.3 |
February is the driest month (2.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 77 °F). 4.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Brandon →
Next door
Brandon and its neighbors
Brandon has the second most mapped trails of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Dickinson | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Malone | 10% | 0.3 | 555 | 44% | B+ |
| Santa Clara | — 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 Brandon
Where can I hike in Brandon?
The longest trail networks: Deer River State Forest, 12 miles; Franklin Forest Preserve Detached Parcel, 0.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Brandon’s trails?
Deer River State Forest and Franklin Forest Preserve Detached Parcel don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Brandon?
68,212 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Brandon or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 8,056 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Brandon 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 →