Walden Pond
A glacial kettle pond in Concord where Thoreau lived in a hut for two years, walking into town regularly the whole time.
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Thoreau built a small cabin on Emerson's land beside the pond and lived there from July 1845 to September 1847, writing the book that came out in 1854. The popular idea of it as a wilderness retreat is not what happened: the cabin was under three kilometres from Concord centre, he walked in often, took meals with family, and his mother did some of his laundry - facts he did not conceal and that the site now presents. The pond is a kettle hole left by the ice, about thirty metres deep and unusually clear. The cabin site is marked by stone posts with a replica near the car park. Swimming is popular and the reservation caps daily numbers.
What you actually see
- The cabin site - marked by posts, with a replica near the entrance.
- A kettle pond about thirty metres deep - clear glacial water.
- A short walk from town - which the site is candid about.
- A path round the shore - about 2.7 kilometres.
When to go
May to October for swimming; year round for the walk. Two to three hours.
Honest expectations
The reservation caps visitors and closes the car park when full, often by mid-morning in summer. Parking costs more for out-of-state cars. It is far less remote than the book suggests - Route 2 is audible. Swimming areas are supervised only in season.
Nearby
Concord village and the Old North Bridge are north; Boston is east.
What to pack for Walden Pond
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
