Surrounded by Carlisle, Concord, Billerica, Burlington, Lexington, and Lincoln, Bedford is situated conveniently for business while offering rural-suburban qualities desirable for residents. Its 13.9 square miles contains rivers, streams, wetlands, fields, forests, ponds and even a wildlife refuge. The Concord River and Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge border the town to the west, bringing wildlife and beauty to the town’s residents. Relatively flat, many of the town’s neighborhoods are traversed by streams or brooks of one sort or another, feeding a valuable wetland system.
Conservation land abounds in Bedford. Many open space and passive recreation areas are accessible through a vast trail network, with scattered parking nearby. Bedford’s preserved lands contain a variety of flora, fauna and wildlife. Fawn Lake is a local treasure and is maintained by the Town Bedford, boasting a circumferential trail network and parking area that also serves the northerly branch of the rail trail, which runs from the center of town north to Billerica. Residents can be seen fishing its waters, walking and skating in the winter.