Parks in Salem, NH: where to swim, play and walk

The main parks in Salem NH are Hedgehog Park for summer swimming, Field of Dreams for its big playground and free concerts, Salem Common for history, the 347-acre Salem Town Forest for woodland trails and the rail trail for an easy paved walk. Most are free. Hedgehog Park charges for parking in season. Here is what each one offers and how to use it.

Hedgehog Park and Hedgehog Pond

Hedgehog Park, at 53 Lowell Road (Route 38), is the town’s swimming spot. It wraps around Hedgehog Pond, with a small playground, picnic tables, a bathroom building, a basketball court, walking trails and fishing.

• Season: swimming runs Memorial Day to Labor Day, and the park is staffed 9 a.m.–7 p.m. in that season. In 2026 the opening was pushed back to June 20, so check the town page each spring.
• Lifeguards: none. The town’s page says to swim at your own risk.
• Parking passes (in season): day passes are $10 for residents and $20 for non-residents, sold at the park. Season permits are $30 for residents and $60 for non-residents, sold through the town’s Community Services office. Passes are good only for the Hedgehog Park lot.

The park has been rebuilt in stages. The town fenced the Route 38 side in 2024 to deal with overcrowding. A $204,000 federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant paid for an accessible path around the pond. The old skateboard obstacles gave way to a new basketball court, and the parking lot was expanded.

Field of Dreams Park

Field of Dreams, at 48 Geremonty Drive near Town Hall and Salem High School, is the town’s biggest playground park. Volunteers run it, and a nonprofit, Field of Dreams, Inc., supports it with sponsors. There is a big playground with a separate toddler area, an outdoor fitness trail, hiking trails, a performance stage and picnic areas.

In summer the stage hosts a free Friday concert series. In 2026 it ran from June 26 into mid-August, with openers at 5:45 p.m. and headliners at 6:40 p.m. The park also puts on free summer movie nights and a Family Fun Day. Schedules are posted at fieldofdreamsnh.org.

Getting there: take I-93 Exit 1 past the Mall at Rockingham Park, cross Route 28 onto Veterans Memorial Parkway and turn left onto Geremonty Drive at the blinking light. The park is on the left.

Salem Common and Veterans Park

Salem Common, Salem’s historic green, was laid out about 1741 at what is now 304–312 Main St. The 3.5-acre Salem Common Historic District takes in the common, its war memorials, the 1738 Old Town Hall, the old burying ground, an 1861 schoolhouse and a 1906 fire station. The Salem Historical Society runs its museum in the Old Town Hall. Call (603) 890-2280 for hours.

Veterans Park on Salem Common, at 308 Main St., is where the Salem Lions Club holds its Christmas tree lighting each December, with choirs, a carol sing and Santa. The history behind it is in our history of Salem, NH.

Conservation land and walking trails

Salem Town Forest

The Salem Town Forest covers 347 acres and is managed by the Salem Conservation Commission. The trailhead is at 54 Shadow Lake Road, with parking north of the state highway salt shed. A February 2026 town map shows lettered trails, A through L, looping through the woods along Hittytity Brook, past wetlands, vernal pools and stone walls, with two marked scenic views. Some low sections flood after rain, and the map warns they may close.

• Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, every day
• Allowed: walking, running, skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, strollers, leashed dogs, non-motorized bikes, wheelchairs and horses
• Not allowed: off-leash pets, motor vehicles, alcohol, camping, fires and cooking stoves
• Hunting and fishing: allowed under state and federal rules, so wear bright colors in fall

The rail trail

The Salem Bike-Ped Corridor runs about five miles on the old Boston & Maine line, paved from the Windham line to Main Street. Our Salem rail trail guide covers parking, the cow tunnel and the depot.

America’s Stonehenge

The stone site in North Salem also has nature trails across more than 100 acres, a bluebird sanctuary and winter snowshoeing. It charges admission, and pets aren’t allowed. See our America’s Stonehenge guide.

More parks in Salem NH: fields, playgrounds and dog parks

• Michele Memorial Park, 175–190 Lawrence Road: a soccer field, tennis courts and three diamond fields. Recreation programs reserve some court times, so check the bulletin board on site.
• Linwood Avenue playground and the fields at Palmer School, Palmer Field and Morse Field are also on the town’s list of parks and fields.
• Hedgehog Park and Field of Dreams have the town’s best-known playgrounds (above).
• Tuscan Village lists a playground and a dog park among its outdoor amenities, along with outdoor chess and fire pits. See our Tuscan Village visitor guide.

Dog owners: we found no town-run, off-leash dog park on the town’s parks pages. Leashed dogs are welcome in the Town Forest, and the dog park at Tuscan Village is the closest public option we found. Kelley Library on Main Street has a “stick library” for dog walkers: take a stick or leave one.

Using a park for a party? The town requires a facility request form for cookouts and group picnics in its parks. Ask the Recreation Division, at 1 Sally Sweet’s Way, (603) 890-2190. For more ideas, see free things to do in Salem, NH , summer in Salem, NH and spring in Salem, NH. New in town? Start with our guide to moving to Salem, NH.