5 Fun Things to do at Walden Pond

Walden pond is located in Concord, MA and offers a lot of different things to do there. The best time to visit this beautiful place is definitely in the summer, but some of these activities can be done year round! Everything listed here is free, the only thing you have to pay for is parking, 8$ for MA cars and $10 for all other states. If you have any questions about anything I write here you can ask in the "contact" section of my blog.

1. Swimming

I think this one is pretty obvious, but there are a few things you might want to know before you pick a spot to take a dip! When you first walk down the hill to the pond, you will see that there are 2 different beach areas that have lifeguards , but you aren't limited to just those areas, however as a lifeguard my self, i would highly suggest you swim in these areas if 1. you aren't a strong swimmer or 2. you are with children. It is important to take measures to prevent accidents from occurring! If you are a strong swimmer and you aren't with children, you can actually find some private areas to swim that are unguarded (always swim with caution), you just have to walk around the pond and search for them. I find that the water quality is a lot better in these private areas probably because there aren't a whole bunch of people in one area. Also watch out for wild life in and out of the pond, remember that you are invading their home so if you see something, let it be!

2. Hiking

So when i say hiking, i use that term loosely. There is a trail that is about a mile long that loops around the entire pond. It is a very easy hike, I've even done it numerous times in a bathing suit and flip flops, just be careful of tree roots sticking out of the ground! While walking around walden i have seen a whole bunch of different animals including chipmunks, snakes, toads and tons of different types of birds.

3. Learn Some History

Not only is Walden pond known for its scenic views and water activities, but is also a historic site. Being from Massachusetts, almost everyone knows who Henry David Thoreau is. Going threw public schools most kids are required to read the book he wrote, Walden (1854). If you're reading this and have no idea who i'm talking about, ill give you a little history lesson. Thoreau was a poet, philosopher, naturalist and a bunch of other things. He was 27 years old when he went to go live at Walden pond in the summer of 1845. He wanted to live as simple as he possibly could. He built a one room house right next to the pond. At Walden there is a exact replica of what his house looked like near the parking lot, but when you are on the trail loop you can see the site of where it actually was, but its just a pile of rocks now. Thoreau lived out on Walden for 2 years 2 months and 2 days. If you want to read more about his endeavors at Walden pond, you can look at the official site or you can even read his book!

credit: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-north/thoreau-at-walden-pond-reservation.html

4. Fishing

I am not much of a fisher but whenever i go to walden pond i always see people fishing. My advice on this would to be to pick an area where there is no one around so you don't catch a person instead of a fish! Below i link the official website to all fishing rules and regulations in the state of Massachusetts, if you have any further questions about this, contact someone through DCR (contact info can be found in link)

http://www.mass.gov/eea/state-parks-beaches/fishing-and-hunting/http://www.mass.gov/eea/state-parks-beaches/fishing-and-hunting/

5. Kayaking, Canoeing and Paddle Boarding

Kayaking/ paddle boarding are probably two of my favorite things. I love being out on the open water, its just so peaceful to me. Personally i have never been kayaking or canoeing on walden pond, but I've been to other places. The only thing is that there are no rentals provided here, you have to bring your own. If you do decide to do any of these floating activities, be cautious of swimmers, some people like to swim across the pond and you can run into them on their journey, so just stay alert at all times.