Photo: Jakec · CC BY-SA 4.07% of Sunbury’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Merle Phillips Park (1 mi). 1.4 miles of mapped trail cross Sunbury, 0.7 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 81% of U.S. towns · #292 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
What kind of outdoors town is Sunbury?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
How much outdoors does Sunbury have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Sunbury is ahead of 81% of U.S. towns, #292 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
Pennsylvania towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 8%; the U.S., 4%), so Sunbury’s 7% is ahead of 46% of Pennsylvania towns, while its trails per square mile lead 67% of them.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Merle Phillips Park, with 1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Oppenheimer Pleasure Grounds
94 conserved acres
7% of Sunbury’s land. Who manages Sunbury’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susquehanna Riverfront Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 44 | Open |
| North 4th Street Memorial Park and Community Swimming Pool Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 31 | Open |
| Northumberland County Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area Local Recreation Area | Other or Unknown Local Government | 9 | Restricted |
| Fort Discovery Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 2 | Open |
| Oppenheimer Field Local Recreation Area | Other or Unknown Local Government | 2 | Open |
| Hamilton Field Local Recreation Area | Other or Unknown Local Government | 2 | Open |
| Oppenheimer Pleasure Grounds Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 1 | Open |
| Cameron Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 1 | Open |
| Rice Playground Local Park | Not recorded | 1 | Open |
| Keller Street Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 1 | Open |
8 places to go in Sunbury
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Plus 7 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
1.2 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
4 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
The best walking months in Sunbury: April to August
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 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 39 | 48 | 61 | 72 | 80 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 63 | 51 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 3.0 | 2.4 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 3.2 |
February is the driest month (2.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.5 inches fall in September, the wettest month. The climate in Sunbury →
Questions about parks and trails in Sunbury
Where can I hike in Sunbury?
The longest trail networks: Merle Phillips Park, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Sunbury is conserved land?
7% of its land, against a typical 8% for a Pennsylvania town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Sunbury’s trails?
Merle Phillips Park and Memorial Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Sunbury?
1.2 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.2 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Sunbury?
11,054 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Sunbury or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 87 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Sunbury have?
Ahead of 81% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #292 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. 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 Sunbury neighbors.
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 →