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 thank the Trails Committee 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 & Notices

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, snow-shoeing, hunting, fishing, and trapping. 

Please be aware that 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 page our website, or visit our office for more information. If you have questions about whether a property is huntable or not, please contact the Department. To report hunting violations or safety concerns, please contact the Massachusetts Environmental Police at 800-632-8075.

Please note that 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. 

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. This also includes electric motors unless for mobility impaired persons. Please see the Town's Off Highway Vehicle information page for more.

Trail Maps and Information

• 8 Ponds Pass
• Beaver Dam Conservation Area
• Black Cat Preserve
• Center Hill Preserve
• Clear Pond Conservation Area
• Comassakumkanit Preserve at Roxy Cahoon Road
• Crawley Woodlands Preserve
• David E. Alper Nature Reserve
• Darby Pond Well Water Protection Land and Parting Ways
• Dixon Preserve at Hio Hill
• Eel River Preserve
• Foothills Preserve
• Hedge's Pond Recreation Area and Preserve
• Indian Brook Conservation Area
• Russel Mill Pond Conservation Area
• Russel and Sawmill Ponds Conservation Area
• Sea to Shining Sea Trail
• Town Forest
• Whispering Woods Conservation Area

Additional Trails Links

• Morton Park (PDF) - Managed by the Town of Plymouth Parks Department and Recreation Department.
• Pilgrim Trail (PDF) - Managed by the Town of Plymouth Parks Department.
• Plymouth Long Beach - Managed by Plymouth DNR but with additional unique regulations.
• Plymouth Trail Guide (PDF) - An outstanding comprehensive guide to all the town-owned public trails, with information about each area.
• Wildlands Trust Trails
• The Trustees of Reservations - Lyman Reserve
• Mass Audubon - Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary
• MA Department of Conservation and Recreation - Ellisville Harbor
• MA Department of Conservation and Recreation - Myles Standish State Forest