Windmill Ridge Nature Reserve
Nature preserve
408 acres5.8 mi of trail
Hemlock TrailAthens Access PathTownline TrailBemis Hill Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: The original uploader was Redjar at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 2.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Athens
Few parks or trails are on the map in Athens
The biggest trail networks: Windmill Ridge Nature Reserve (5.8 mi). 17% of Athens’ land is conserved, about 1,535 acres. 980 acres are parks and preserves, 2,273 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
17%
1,535 acres · of 14.0 sq mi of land
Trails
8.5 mi
0.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
980 ac
2,273 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
6%
of residents within ½ mile
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 Windmill Ridge Nature Reserve, with 5.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
1,535 conserved acres
17% of Athens’ land. Who manages Athens’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits780 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)169 ac
State fish & wildlife8 ac
Not recorded974 ac
State Conservation Area · 974 acConservation Easement · 560 acAgricultural Easement · 340 acUnknown Easement · 56 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 561 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 14 of 49 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turner Hill Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 974 | Open |
Trails & water
7 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Hemlock Trail2.1 mi
Bemis Hill Trail0.8 mi
Athens Access Path0.8 mi
Townline Trail0.6 mi
Jamie Latham Trail0.4 mi
Undercliff Trail0.3 mi
Flame Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Old Brick ChurchBuilding · listed 1979
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Athens: 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) | 9.3 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 33 | 41 | 54 | 67 | 75 | 80 | 78 | 71 | 58 | 46 | 34 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 4.6 |
February is the driest month (3.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 80 °F). 5.0 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Athens →
Next door
Athens and its neighbors
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Grafton | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Westminster | 13% | 0.6 | 99 | 11% | B+ |
| Townshend | 15% | 0.6 | 819 | 8% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Athens
Where can I hike in Athens?
The longest trail networks: Windmill Ridge Nature Reserve, 5.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Athens’ trails?
Windmill Ridge Nature Reserve doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Athens?
14,686 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Athens or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 980 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Athens 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 →