Bear Swamp State Forest
Nature preserve
729 acres3.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Decatur
Few parks or trails are on the map in Decatur
The biggest trail networks: Bear Swamp State Forest (3.2 mi). 15% of Decatur’s land is conserved, about 1,947 acres. 1,849 acres are parks and preserves, 5,637 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
15%
1,947 acres · of 20.6 sq mi of land
Trails
4.9 mi
0.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,849 ac
5,637 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
34%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
2,244 ft
Algerine Hill
Lakes & rivers
1
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 Bear Swamp State Forest, with 3.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
1,947 conserved acres
15% of Decatur’s land. Who manages Decatur’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation1,839 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits84 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)24 ac
State Conservation Area · 1,839 acOther Easement · 84 acConservation Easement · 24 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 108 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Swamp State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 733 | Open |
| Maple Valley State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 577 | Open |
| Decatur State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 528 | Open |
Things to do
3 places to go in Decatur
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Peaks in Decatur
Algerine Hill2,244 ft elevation
DirectionsElliot Hill2,165 ft elevation · In Bear Swamp State Forest
DirectionsTreet Hill1,762 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The best walking months in Decatur: May 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 32 | 40 | 53 | 65 | 73 | 77 | 76 | 69 | 57 | 44 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 3.0 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
February is the driest month (2.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 77 °F). 4.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Decatur →
Next door
Decatur and its neighbors
Decatur has the second most mapped trails of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Roseboom | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Worcester | 1% | under 0.1 | 139 | 53% | C+ |
| Westford | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Seward | under 1% | 0.2 | under 1 | 3% | D |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Decatur
Where can I hike in Decatur?
The longest trail networks: Bear Swamp State Forest, 3.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Decatur’s trails?
Bear Swamp State Forest and Maple Valley State Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Decatur?
17,962 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Decatur or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,849 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Decatur 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 →