Trail Information

Trail Management

Welcome to the Town of Plymouth's public open space land. As the Town acquires additional properties with designated trails they will be uploaded on this page. Public walking trails are promoted and maintained at the properties listed below.

All the properties on this page are maintained by the Division of Natural Resources (DNR). Staff will cut and remove downed trees, mow and trim back trails, install trail blazers, pick up trash, and ensure trails remain open for public use. Each property has a designated parking area, most with a trail kiosk and maps (installed as part of a 2015 trails grant), and all have signs along the road that identifies the name of the property. Properties purchased with Community Preservation Act funds feature a beautiful wooden sign like the one to the right, and are known as Preserves. Properties purchased through Town Meeting without CPA funds utilize ornately carved or white-on-brown painted wooden signs and are known as Conservation Areas.

DNR staff would also like to emphatically thank the Trails Working Group and our partnership with Wildlands Trust for their volunteer work keeping the trails cleared, clean, and welcoming for public use. The Open Space Committee has also put together an excellent trail guide with information about each area: Plymouth Trail Guide (PDF).

Regulations & Considerations

All Town Conservation Areas and Preserves are multi-use and open to passive recreational activities. These include but are not limited to, hiking, biking, nature viewing, snowshoeing, bird watching, hunting, fishing, and trapping. Horseback riding is allowed on some trails, but not all- the following DO NOT allow for horseback riding: Clear Pond Conservation Area, Eel River Preserve, and Kapell-Pinnacle Preserve.
Hunting is allowed on Town Conservation Areas and Preserves in accordance with state and federal laws. DNR recommends walkers and their dogs wear 'hunter orange' gear when utilizing these areas during hunting seasons. Similarly, hunters are encouraged to be aware of the location of publicized trails and to consider that other persons may be present in these areas during popular hunting times of day. Please refer to the Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Seasons "Quick Link" on our website, or visit our office for more information. If you have questions about whether a property is huntable or not, please contact us. To report hunting violations or safety concerns, please contact the Massachusetts Environmental Police at 800-632-8075. For more information about hunting on Town of Plymouth lands, please visit our hunting information page.
Motorized vehicles are explicitly prohibited on all town walking trails. This includes ATVs, dirt bikes, go-karts, motorized bicycles and scooters, recreational vehicles, side-by-sides, UTVs, and snow vehicles- collectively known as Off-Highway Vehicles, or OHVs. This also includes electric motors unless for mobility impaired persons. OHVs are incredibly destructive to walking trails which are not designed to handle the increased weight, speeds, and disturbances of OHVs. Please respect this regulation and stay off all publicly owned properties with OHVs. Please see the Town's Off Highway Vehicle Information page for more.
All trails on public open space are used at the individual's own risk. While DNR strives to make trails as safe and accessible as possible, no trail can ever be considered 'risk-free'. Trails are typically not maintained between December and March during the winter storm season, so downed trees across trails may be encountered during this time. DNR staff spends several weeks in early spring addressing issues that have arisen during the winter months to ensure trails are clear and accessible for the busier outdoor seasons. Please contact the Natural Resources office to report trail issues, for questions about properties available for hunting, or other general open space inquiries. You may also the Town's SeeClickFix portal to report a trail concern that will come directly to us so we can address it.
All Town Conservation Areas and Preserves are carry-in carry-out. Trash bins are not available at any of the properties and users are responsible for removing and properly disposing of their own trash off-site.
Dog waste must be removed. Please bag and dispose of dog waste at home after your visit to the property. Leaving waste on the trail is hazardous for other pets and wildlife and takes away from the aesthetic of the walking trail. Bagging waste and leaving the bag on the trail only serves to introduce unnecessary plastic into the environment.
Stay on the trails! Sometimes they can get muddy but widening trails creates unnecessary destruction to areas we may be specifically trying to protect. This is particularly important in open meadows and fields on properties like the Foothills Preserve, Eel River Preserve, and Russel Mill Pond Conservation Area where we've taken considerable steps to create pollinator habitat by planting native flowers and grasses.
No Loitering. In accordance with the new town loitering by-law, "no person shall stay in a parking lot between the hours of 8:00 PM and 6:00 AM with the intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm or recklessly create a risk of public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm." Persons actively participating in recreational activities during these hours such as hunting and nature viewing are more than welcome to access the lot at these times.

Report Problems

The Town of Plymouth uses a reporting program called SeeClickFix where individuals can report problems ranging from potholes and graffiti to downed trees and trail problems. Any relating to natural resources comes directly to us via email so we can address is quickly and effectively. Please visit SeeClickFix in a new bowser window here. Report Problems Report Problems Report Problems Report Problems