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Family-Friendly Hikes near New Bedford

The directory currently contains 15 quality-checked routes matching this guide near New Bedford. Their average mapped distance is 2.9 km and average recorded ascent is 18 m (59 ft); the longest route in the set is 6.2 km.

This subset represents 56% of the 27 quality-checked routes near New Bedford. Its average distance is 2.9 km, compared with 12.5 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 18 m (59 ft), versus 71 m (233 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set has the kid-friendly field set to true. Age, experience and current terrain still need an individual assessment. Within this set, 15 routes (100%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 6 (40%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

2.2 km

Kingston Coast to Hills Pathway

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

6 m

East Head Reservoir Loop

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

3 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Easy

Bentley Loop

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
4.8 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
1 hr 5 min
Easy

Blue Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
41 min
Easy

Green Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
8 min
Easy

Orange Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
19 min
Easy

Red Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
3.4 km
/ 2.1 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
43 min
Easy

White Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
12 m
Typical duration
11 min
Easy

Yellow Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
17 min
Easy

Beach Loop Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Coastal
Easy

Fresh Pond Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
9 min
Easy

Pond Loop

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
4.3 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
19 m
Typical duration
55 min
Easy

Quansett Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
4.6 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
59 min

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Town of Barnstable North LoopMassachusetts6.2 km104 m1 hr 27 minEasyApril to October
Cape Cod Community College Circuit (Unofficial Cape Cod Pathways)Massachusetts3.2 km26 m42 minEasyApril to October
Kingston Coast to Hills PathwayMassachusetts2.2 km12 m29 minEasyApril to October
East Head Reservoir LoopMassachusetts3.9 km6 m50 minEasyApril to October
Bentley LoopMassachusetts4.8 km45 m1 hr 5 minEasyApril to October
Blue TrailMassachusetts3.2 km13 m41 minEasyApril to October
Green TrailMassachusetts0.6 km0 m8 minEasyApril to October
Orange TrailMassachusetts1.5 km6 m19 minEasyApril to October
Red TrailMassachusetts3.4 km6 m43 minEasyApril to October
White TrailMassachusetts0.8 km12 m11 minEasyApril to October

Town of Barnstable North Loop, Cape Cod Community College Circuit (Unofficial Cape Cod Pathways), Kingston Coast to Hills Pathway currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

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