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Walden Pond State Reservation
Rating Details »
Categories: Local Flavor, Swimming Pools, Parks, Beaches [Edit]
915 Walden StConcord, MA 01742
(978) 369-3254
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
52 reviews for Walden Pond State Reservation
This was one of my favorite go-to places of the summer. I came here quite a few times, especially when I didn't feel like trudging to a beach where I knew the water would be too cold to enjoy.
The water at Walden Pond is always super-clean and more than inviting. At one point during the summer I almost wished it would be cooler!
One of the only cons to Walden Pond (which is probably more like a pro) is their crowd control efforts. They have small a small parking lot, and once it's full, it's full. So be prepared to arrive early. Also, there are no bike racks, so you should probably plan on driving.
Oh, and there tends to be a lot of kids. It's okay though. They usually all group together in the same spot, so if you're looking for something a little more quiet you can just go further down the beach.
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My first time visiting Walden Pond was during the summer. I went with my then broad to swim. The place was PACKED. Completely PACKED. We barely found a place to set down our things. Swimming in the pond felt like you were sharing a giant pool with a bunch of strangers. The weirdest thing I saw - was the large number of people who had KFC buckets with them. "Let's go to Walden Pond for a nice summer day - DON'T FORGET TO BRING THE BUCKET OF GREASY CHICKEN!!" I don't even know of a KFC nearby. That was bizarre.
I was able to smuggle in beer and sip away, which helped me deal with the throngs of people walking by every 2 seconds.
This place has lost it's charm. Maybe it's cooler to visit in the fall? I'll give that shot. Assuming I don't trip over the empty KFC buckets....
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Kim was our guide on an unexpected tour of Walden Pond. We arrived just before 3pm on a weekday, paid $5, and parked in one of the many lots that are here.
We took a look at the beach area, and it looked pretty crowded - good thing we weren't there to swim. We met up with Kim, the "park interpreter," by the Thoreau (pronounced "thorough!" Surprising!) cabin replica and decided that a tour sounded good!
I confess that I had a pretty great secondary education, but I learned way more about Thoreau than I ever could have in English class! And it was way more interesting!
We listened to a description of Thoreau's early life and what led him to live near the pond, then walked almost halfway around the pond to the site of the real cabin where he lived. She talked more about what his life was like there and then let us wander around a bit. Then she led us back through a shortcut back to the parking lots and that was it!
Kim knew tons about Thoreau's life and about the park itself. She seemed like she really loved what she did and spread the love around!
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Let me just Thoreau this out there, but I really love everything about Walden Pond. This is the perfect place to chill, read a book, and listen to some Al Green.
There is even a little beach area where you can always find a couple kids splashing in the water and enjoying being kids. Frankly I miss being a kid and swimming in lakes...though an amoeba could end all that. Also the little trails around the lake provide a nice little walk.
I think the ride up here is half the fun. I hop on my motorcycle and take country roads whenever I need a little time to unwind. The route is full of twists and turns, trees and fields; everything that Boston isn't this little route manages to capture. The park has a $5 parking fee, but monthly passes are available.
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The thing that has always bothered me about Walden Pond is that it's SO crowded all the time. They'll even close the parking lots and not let anyone in from time to time. It has a nice trail to walk around the pond which is not the cleanest I've been in but definitely not the grossest either. I just can't help but wonder how Thoreau would feel about people paying $5 to park in one of several parking lots and then go to the beach and ice cream truck.
Don't get me wrong, it's a fun and beautiful place but it's nothing like it was when Thoreau was there.
How can you NOT like the place where Thoreau did his thinking and writing?
There's a gorgeous, easy hike around the water. A fair amount of people share the path, but you don't feel crowded. Young lovebirds sitting on stone steps. Remains of Thoreau's place a little off the beaten path. Beautiful fall colors that reflect off the still water.
One of those places that you go to, to be able to hear yourself think.
What's not to like?
Can imagine that this place would be amazing at all times of year...
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Well, it's all been said--great beach, great mile and a half walk, great little side path to Thoreau's old digs. So I'll just say this:
Combine a trip here with a stop at DeCordova Sculpture park and you've got one heckuva day out. Just remember to either get here very early or very late, because the parking lot gets full (even at $5 a pop) and there is *nowhere* else to park.
One of the best swimming spots on all of the East Coast. The pond is extremely deep and clear as it's spring fed. Beautiful towards dusk. Enter the pond from the far end not the beach. I wish I lived next to the pond, but I still drive 40 minutes three times a week to swim here.
Well, our Yelp policemen might take this review down because I haven't actually been to Walden Pond -- but it's not because I didn't try - I was turned away TWICE today! and once the following week. All 3 times (10:30am and 4:00pm) it was totally shut down to visitors due to OVERCROWDING, with no parking anywhere and a patrol. I saw hundreds of people in bathing suits with beach chairs spoiling the beauty that is Walden Pond to the point that it has become a waterpark rather than a celebration of natural solitude. They wouldn't let us in because there were too many people there. I went back later in the day and also was turned away. Tried a separate day and turned away a third time - THE SAME THING - too crowded even for a local! Can you imagine that I actually live within 4 miles of the pond but they wouldn't either let me drive OR WALK there since there were too many beachgoers already!
They've turned a spiritual refuge into a beach. DISGUSTING!
Thoreau is without a doubt rolling in his grave.
Getting outside and smelling some real trees is a good thing. This park is well maintained, but also well-frequented. If your idea is to become a transcendentalist and sit on the shores and write prose, prepare for people to lumber by with screaming kids and strollers.
There is a well-used beach area and the water looks relatively clean. The trails are well marked and discourage (by way of a fence around the trail) you from leaving the trail. Overall, worth seeing - but you're going to give them $5 to park, no military discount.
No military discount! I told the kid taking money that when the time came, I'd protect everyone but him.
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How can you not pee in Walden Pond? Oh and this year they have a flasher, and that means that they also have state troopers.....so watch out you pot smoking teens and 55 plus swingers!
-2 kayaks....check
-cooler filled with beer and snacks....check
-while paddling around the lake, raised a bottle of beer to Thoreau ...check
-discussed civil disobedience, environmentalism, and the douchebag GOP/media...check
-Combine 5 hours without sunscreen, check for new aberrant skin cancers/moles...check
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much like Henry David Thoreau, I too enjoy enjoy my time in nature...
I went for a quick swim at Walden pond last night, and i wondered why I haven't done it more often this summer. It was about 7:30, the water was about as warm as the air. There were maybe 4 other people in the entire pond, and the sun was setting.
If I do one thing differently next summer, I will choose a weekly Walden pond swim over joining my lousy softball team. In my opinion this was a PERFECT way to spend a late summer evening!
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Walden Pond is the perfect place for skinny dipping. But don't jump into your naked swimming adventure blindly, or you'll end up on the receiving end of a cold blast of white light and your car's license blasted over the pond by loudspeaker.
I've been swimming in Walden since the late 70s, when my sister and I unaffectionately called it "Walden Swamp", a place where we were bussed to on summer mornings for swimming lessons. In highschool, we'd drive or bike over after dark, make our way through the woods from Route 2 and head over to the far end of the park for nightly naked swimming. When I go to Walden during the day, I head away from the beach and try to find the most remote, people-free patch of beachy real estate. Sometimes that means flagrantly ignoring the 'shoreline repair, do not enter' signs. The summer makes me that desperate.
Now, the part you actually wanted to hear about: how to skinny dip and escape the hawkeye glare of the park service. Please note: the following is for amusement only, as I do not advocate the flagrant flouting of the law.
Choose a bright, moonlit night for your adventure. It will make your trek in the woods less harrowing.
If you are driving, do not park anywhere near Walden Pond. After dark, all parking is closed and the rangers do keep an eye open for stray cars parked along the road. Do park on the other side of Route 2. There is a lot not far from the entrance to CCHS that the rangers don't check often, and you'll have to walk across Route 2 if you park there. Better is to take your bike to the pond and avoid the parking conundrum altogether.
When you cross Rt 2, head immediately into the woods. You'll see a path there, as during the day - and the night - bathers use this path as a short cut to the pond. If you don't feel confident walking in the dark, bring a flashlight, but don't use it until you are well into the woods, about 150 steps.
Eventually you'll start hearing the sounds of other skinny dippers. They may not be close by, as sound carries at night across the pond. Don't make the same mistake - be very quiet. Although there are no neighbors to disturb, you don't want to draw attention to yourself.
Once you emerge from the woods, walk to the right. There are more private coves to the right and it is easier to find a spot isolated from other swimmers, if that is your goal.
When you are done with your swim, take everything you brought with you back out of the park. Do not assume you have not been detected. Walk quickly out of the woods and back to your car. Do not dally or spend time in the open. Once you are across Route 2, walk calmly to your car. Once you are in, give high fives all around. You've just skinny dipped in a piece of history.
Or you can go during the day, pay $5, and save yourself the stress.
I've actually skinny dipped during the day during the slow season, in early June before the kids are out of school for the year. No one bothered me.
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If you're heading out to Walden on a hot summer weekend, call 978-369-3254 to check if it has reached capacity. If it has, do not fret! I went and the parking lot had been closed down, but I followed some people back to route 2, crossed route 2 and found a high school parking lot on my left. Everyone else seemed to be parking there so I joined in, then walked the 1/2 mile back to the pond. If you go up to the parking area, I believe they might not let you in, but you can easily find one of the trail heads that you'll see before you get to the parking area and just follow the trail toward ths water. The main beach can be annoyingly overcrowded with screaming kids, so walk a bit and you'll see some hidden places big enough for 2-3 people to put a towel and hang out.
Beware of the pond scum and bugs. It's cold. And if you are a swimmer looking for distance, check it out: http://www.breakwaters...
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Over twenty? Want a place to relax and read? Then don't expect to hit up Walden on a Saturday or Sunday and find solitude near the lake. You can, however, hike about twenty minutes away from the main "beaches" and into the woods, find a quiet spot, and park your butt for hours. You'll definitely see people walking by but it is more or less quiet away from the lake. Parking is affordable at $5 - but I wasn't wowed. I'm pretty sure Thoreau would not be happy with the current state of the place where he came to live deliberately - the woods. Because of his eternal unhappiness and the long hike to find some peace and quiet, I'm giving Walden Pond two stars. Better to head up to the North Shore beaches for sure.
Bonus tip: Bring your running shoes and go for a trail run around the lake. You can find peaceful views away from the crowds and get some great up/down exercise.
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It's so beautiful here, if only there weren't so many damn people everywhere ruining the beauty!
It'd be nice without the people...
Heck, I'm not dogging on Walden, it's a lovely park.
I don't swim here. Despite what Tom says, I won't swim......
Why? no outlet. It's a Kettle pond, so bacteria levels do get very high. The Globe did an article a while back about tests run there in August, and it was scary. Maybe not this year, with all the rain we've had, but still.
Final reason? Well, I had an ear infection one August, and went to the doctor. First question I got asked? "Have you been swimming in Walden?" Turns out about 80% of the patients they had been seeing, who came in with strep or ear infections that summer, had been swimming in Walden.
Well, I'm not betting against those odds. I Googlewhacked Walden+Urine and discovered it has the highest concentration of urine in any body of water in New England.
I don't care so much about urine, I care about the bacteria that breeds in urine soaked water, which is another something-something. I won't go there. I used to design Septic Systems. I know what evil lurks there.
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In one word, peacefull! I had never been to this place although I had wanted to go ever since seeing Don Henley on TV preaching about saving it! It is not as big as I thought it would be, however it has many systems of winding trails into the woods that are all very well marked and maintained. I walked around the entire pond and despite the very large water mocassin snake sitting on the side of trail scaring the heck out of all who tried to walk by (WARNING: I saw people swimming in this place and although it looked nice, I would not do it seeing there are these types of species in the water!!!), the walk was beautiful. It is not deep woods either and was not at all buggy. There is a small beach, and next time I go I must walk up to the cabin as I heard its pretty cool. There is even a small store across the street with books by Thoreau and photographs etc. To park here it is a minimal cost of $5 dollars. There is also a state police riding stable here and they patrol the area. Just an awesome place to visit and not too far away from anywhere!
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I've been frequenting Walden Pond of late with the two girls I nanny for, and I have to be honest...I find the whole place quite nice. As a native Down East Mainer, I have (in the past) scoffed at ponds and lakes: I'm an ocean girl. BUT, this place is perfect for a few hours with the kids on a weekday. It's also very close to where I live, but far enough away that I feel like I'm "getting out" of town.
The only downsides are: there is not a bathroom anywhere remotely close to where you might sit near the pond, which is a super pain when you are traveling with two kids who are not old enough to be left on their own. AND the "beach" portion of Walden Pond is excessively small. Very close quarters. So, if you're trying to read (like I would be) one is easily distracted by the many conversations about hiking and national parks, cooking and so on and so forth, that are taking place right next to you, behind you, or in front of you.
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okay - so here's the maths...
Walden Pond = 250,000 square meters and average depth 18m
Volume = 4.5 billion liters
Now let's say 100 kids pee there one week...
kiddie pee estimate = 200 ml
total pee in the pond = 20 liters
To encounter 1ml of pee you need to swim through 4.5 million liters
Pee = 4.5 parts per billion of water
Allowable level of ARSENIC in drinking water = 10 parts per billion
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So lighten up and get swimming. There's enough pond out there for 1000s of swimmers if you're not frightened of heading out to the middle or swimming the entire length and back like I did (give me a MEDAL!). It's also insanely pretty in winter and fall.
Oh, and those bacteria blooms... nothing to do with pee, just nature.
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I used to go to Walden all the time I ventured back a few more times as an adult and I just can't hack it. It is a POND. Sometimes it is closed due to high bacteria and it is scummy The sand isn't even nice. It is extremely buggy and way too many people. I would rather venture to Revere Beach.
Yup, that's right.
P.S. Tom, it's more like 100 kids a day. EWW!
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NASTIEST SKINNY DIPPERS, EVER!!
We had to pay $5 to park in what smelled like a LANDFILL. Seriously, we were all hung over from a hotel party in Sudbury, and wanted to relax and have a "lazy sunday". When we got out of the cars, it smelled like a Denny's dumpster exploded, or perhaps a whale died next to the car. I have never seen so many people gag without being able to find the source.
That's my review of the parking lot.
When we get to the pond, people were swimming in it! (ick!) It's October, the water was yellow and it was about 60 degrees out. STOP SWIMMING.
As we followed trails and the people we passed got spookier, we reached the pinnacle of grotesque. LARGE UGLY HAIRY SKINNY DIPPERS. I thought it was cult activity, or something... people were walking around with kids, and had strollers that were the size of Volkswagens. You can't bring your kids here, unless you want them to see fat old men with ugly no-nos talk about foliage. It was awful.
Re: baby strollers the size of Volkswagens - Can you people leave those in the parking lot? I nearly fell in the water 5 times trying to give you room to pass on the trails.
I'd rather take the chance and walk around the Jamaica Pond and have someone expose themself to me, than EVER go here, again.
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Night swimming - that's part of why I love this place. I'm upset that this year I didn't get there at night, and I'm promising myself right now that I will next year.
There's nothing like it being late it night at Walden with a clear sky. You get a great view of the stars while floating in the lake. Initially (if you're me) you get slightly creeped out by the noises around you, as it's really too dark to see anything. That is, until the train goes by and lights up the far end of the pond, which is my favorite part of the night. Something about the way it looks and sounds, I love it.
If you go at night you'll have to park down the street and walk. During the day you can park across the street for $5. Besides during summer for night swimming, the best time of the year to go is almost here, when the leaves start to turn. Bring a picnic lunch and a camera and definitely spend an afternoon here.
UPDATE: My boyfriend proposed to me here! If I could give it ten stars I would. This is easily one of my favorite places.
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Walden Pond is near my house. I've been there many times in both the summer and winter. To me, there is no best time of the year for Walden Pond. The action there is constantly unfolding. Sometimes it's bold, sometimes subtle. Episodes evolve with the seasons. If you go there enough, you may have ventured across a white-haired octogenarian named "Bill". He frequents that strip of beach along the north shore of the pond, and sits-out routinely near a small birch tree about of the way down the beach. He's a retired Air Force veteran who whiles away his time at the pond. Still energetic for a man his age, he gets his exercise with a daily swim. Often, his energy spills out in the form of a loquacious banter. If you're a listener, you'll enjoy his wise musings, but if you value your time, you'll want to avoid him. His gravitational pull is hard to break.
One Christmas Eve afternoon, I stopped by Walden to smoke a cigar on my way home from work. As I sat on the wall drawing on my smoke, I noticed the outline of a white haired guy to my right down near the birch. It was Bill. To my left was an Asian family with a new digital camera taking pictures of themselves and yuking-it-up. Being late December, there was a thin glaze of ice along the shaded edge of the pond that the sunlight hadn't melted yet. Suddenly, I heard a distorted sound of breaking ice reverberating under the ice along the beach. No shit - it was Bill diving into the pond. Thoreau would have applauded as I choked on my cigar.
A Walden haiku:
Robert Frost would say
A pond in different seasons
Has a conscious deep.
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We needed a place for our mock sprint triathlon and we heard that Walden Pond was great for all three sports.
The pond seemed very clean to me. Now, let's be honest here, my standards of clean equate to ok'ing the ingestion of food off NYC's Chinatown's sidewalk...waaaait for it...GAG [that was for you whinnos below me]. The pond really IS clean. I mean, a little bit of pee never hurt anyone, especially when there are TONS of gallons of water there to dissolve it!
Getting there early is key! We got there at around 8am and it was pretty much empty. I was worried the water was going to be cold, but it was at 75F and fantastic. Surely, I was not there in family mode (I'm not into the little pricks), but if you can handle getting up early, I highly recommend it for open water laps and bike rides.
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Too crowded, too many children, not enough place to get away and enjoy the scenery.
I'd rather go to the ocean over Walden Pond any time.
I did go there for my first open water swim to prep for my triathlon, and I gotta say it's good for that esp. since the water isn't too cloudy.
Too bad it was jam packed when I left at 10am!
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Friends of mine who lived in town used to rave about the quiet beauty of the Pond in decidedly off hours - especially in college when one of the kids routinely used to get drunk at school then get someone else to drive out there to watch the sun come up over the water.
The one and only time I was there was at 8 am on a Sunday in April, before attending the reenactment of the "Shot Heard Round the World."
I must say, it was quite striking. It was just about the time the trees began to bud. The wind was calm, the sunlight diffuse, and the ripples on the pond flowed serenely as a lone fisherman cast his line into the waters. I could almost imagine how it was for Thoreau to live there 150 years before.
Then, I was jolted back to life with the blast of a siren from the monstrous MBTA train barreling its way through the park. I tripped and fell onto a cluster of months-old beer cans crunched up just off the main path, cutting my jeans and slicing my kneecap.
It wasn't a total loss. I dropped a couple bills into the old collector for donations along with a wish to come back in better spirits and in the mood to be moved by silent beauty.
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Alright, so it's been over 10 years since my first visit to Walden Pond, and granted that first visit was not during the summer, so it was peaceful, beautiful and calm.
So I just went this weekend and had no idea that it was a beach or swimming hole!
So, me and YES, my two small kids and my husband were woefully unprepared!
But being quick on our feet, we decided to make the best of the situation, we were here, let's enjoy it! So we ditched the stroller and made our little ones walk. We had a wonderful time, we ended up doing the entire loop (I think it was about a mile and a half, roughly) and my little kids (1 and 2 years old), walked most of it themselves! I was pretty proud of them!
We encountered a snake on the path, I think it scared the bejesus out of me but no one else! Saw the train tracks, saw the original location of Thoreau's house and the pile of rocks, saw lots of people enjoying the beaches, swimming, fishing, canoeing, etc...everyone seemed to have a nice time.
We had ice cream on the grass before heading home.
We did the unthinkable, bring 2 kids, a stroller on a beautiful summer weekend to Walden Pond and you know what? We still had a great time!!!!
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as a teenager I used to come up here at night and skinny dip. That was my favorite thing about it.
As an adult I still think it's really pretty to walk around, but it does get REALLY busy during peak season. There are a crap load of kids yelling and screaming, and the pond water is kinda yucky now.
I'm way more of a beach/ocean person as well.
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This is the mecca for mediocire swims. If you look at this on google maps you can almost see the concetrated kiddy pee.
BUT If you google maps Walden and zoom out a bit you can find White pond. It's much smaller and has way less people there. It's tricky to find your way in, but well worth it. If you need help just msg me.
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I have a soft spot for Walden Pond because I grew up on lakes/ponds and have a hard time finding such places to swim in MA. (If you know good spots please fill me in!)
Also, although the beach now sucks, it used to be much better. I guess erosion has made it more mud then sand... I wish they would just bring in some dump trucks of sand.
Anyway, the water is BEAUTIFUL! Honestly, I think it's an elixer. Not sure if it's the Thoreau tie or what but no matter what mood I am in when I arrive, after swimming at Walden I feel great.
So Walden is best suited for swimmers. If you wanna lie in the sand and get tan see my review on Good Harbor beach : ) If you do like to swim though it is fabulous. I swim back and forth across the pond and it is just so peaceful and awesome!
You *do* have to get to Walden early on a weekend because the parking lot is small and fills up quickly. Personally I buy a summer pass for $30 (or it's $5 per time) and head there after work in the summer for quick swims, which is great way to end the day!
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I have nothing but wonderful memories from Walden Pond. I spent quite a chunk of time with a college boyfriend swimming and walking around the pond and the grounds around the pond. It is VERY crowded on the weekends but if you go during the week or even late in the day on the weekends you will have the time of your life.
The trail directly around the pond is close to two miles and it is a nice leisurely walk surrounded by beautiful trees, rocks, flowers, and of course views of the pond. I love how the site where Thoreau's actual cabin was is now a giant pile of rocks and twigs where folks have left poems, written stories/memories of loved ones, and other interesting literary tidbits. It is a really fantastic site to see, some of the poems and stories are quite heartfelt. Near the parking lot there is an actual replica of the cabin which is interesting to see for a perspective of how small the cabin where Thoreau lived really was.
I think if you remember that is a State owned pond where it only costs $5 to spend a day there you may not want to go during the day on a weekend in the summer. Or if you do go during that time get there early and hike around part of the lake and settle in there. There is no need to have to stay on the actual beach part of the pond. I never spent one bit of time at the actual beach portion of the pond and as I mentioned always had a fantastic time. It is fun to be up on the rocks halfway around the pond and jumping into it with not a lot of other folks around....and then drying off and continuing to walk around the lake. Really awesome place! Just be smart about it!!!!!!!!! Expect the crowds, deal with it, plan around it, and you will have an awesome time. Trust me!
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Get there early, stake out your spot, and bring headphones. And spend most of your time on the trails or in the water outside of the swimming areas. Otherwise, (screaming) KIDS EVERYWHERE. And ain't nothing more annoying than other peoples' children, except maybe the bored-looking women talking cutesy to them.
But aside from all that, and the fact that the beaches are *verysmall* due to high water levels or rain or something, it was a gorgeous area. The water was clear and cool, but not cold. Refreshing.
All in all, it was a beautiful place and I had a wonderful time there. I'd definitely go back. But if you go, make sure you're in the parking lot by ten or so. It fills up fast!
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I'm a Florida girl. I was raised near beaches and crystal clear fresh water springs. Even our rivers, which were murkier than the springs, teem with aquatic life - manatees, large bass, alligators, turtles, snakes, to name a few. Since moving to New England, I've found a different sort of aquatic experience. My favorite thus far has been Walden Pond.
The water in Walden Pond isn't as clear as the water in the springs back home, but then again, water rarely is that clear. It's still beautiful and temperate, and while back home you were 85% sure you wouldn't have a run in with a rogue alligator or cotton mouth while swimming in a spring during the summer (reptiles prefer the warmer rivers in the summer), at Walden Pond, I was 100% sure I wouldn't run into a nasty reptile.
The parking at Walden Pond costs $5, and the lot fills up really quickly, especially on nice days. So it's best to get there early in the morning or later in the afternoon. The beach was crowded before 10am, mainly with young families. I walked around the pond trail and found a few secluded areas where I could access the water away from the main beach.
The water was nice and refreshing. I practiced my breast stroke and tried to adjust to the idea that I could swim without worrying about a dangerous animal eating me.
Before the season disappears completely, I'd loved to take a trip back to Walden. And I also want to see it during the winter time, where I hear the park is open for some winter sports.
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My experience wasn't as negative as the other reviewers, however I went in the spring. It's a great area to walk around as long as you aren't looking for a serious hike. It was too cold to go swimming so I can't comment on that.
While you are in the area check out the old cemetry in downtown Corcord, very cool old gravestones.
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I visited this pond on Memorial Day weekend for the Thoreau connection. I found it to be a little crowded, but I was able to still enjoy myself.
I would recommend going in the off season and not for the swimming.
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Walden Pond is gorgeous, especially on a warm, summer Sunday when you have nothing else to do but just hang out with your loved one and walk, swim, and take in nature. It's a great place to be after working so hard all week in the city. The first time we went was last month, in August.
It was my first time in years since I had walked or hiked in woods. Being at Walden brought back memories of how my younger sister and I used to build forts in our mother's back yard in Central Massachusetts. We'd also build "houses" and cleared dirt paths that would lead to them. We'd then fight over which house was better. My sister always preferred mine, but I would encourage her to enjoy hers by saying, "Look! You've got all that moss on the hill ... that looks like carpeting! My house doesn't have carpeting!" We were 15 and 6 at the time. Yeah, I was building forts as a teenager. But hey, it was fun and peaceful. It was a simple time in life, and being at Walden Pond and its reservation brought back those great memories.
While my boyfriend and I walked around the pond, more than 2 miles, I think, every now and then we'd take a break and perch ourselves on rocks at the edge of the water. I breathed in deep, closed my eyes, and took in the silence. Yes, with all the people walking around there that afternoon, I was able to enjoy some silence.
We vowed to come back the following Sunday and go swimming. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't that great. Now that autumn is upon us, however, I believe we'll return for the foliage. I'll be sure to take some photos to capture these new wonderful memories.
I like Walden Pond. The water is nice and cool, and it's a nice place to walk around if you're not going swimming. The main downside is that it gets so crowded on the weekends in the summer and parking becomes a nightmare.
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when's the perfect time to go to walden pond? when there are isolated t-storms with a 2% chance of sunny skies.
for a solid hour i was maxing and relaxing in the water under sunny skies (2% is solid!). parking lot was empty. a sprinkling of families eating buckets of KFC, but i was far enough away to enjoy the solitude (though i was mighty sad that i didn't have my own bucket of chicken).
what a way to spend a sunday.
note: there were swarms of people leaving as i drove in under torrential downpours. they had closed the beach down. waited 1/2 hour and all was well.
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