Escaping to Walden Pond

Photo by C. Danko For more photos, see the Walden Pond section of the Pictures.

"Walden is blue at one time and green at another, even from the same point of view. Lying between the earth and the heavens, it partakes of the color of both."

Henry David Thoreau wrote those words about Walden Pond in the 1800s, but today the water still seems as clear, and still seems to be a mix of colors - blue, green, and yellow, depending on the angle you are seeing it from. Thanks to efforts of the state and the Walden Woods Project - an environmental movement started by singer Don Henley in 1990 - the pond, the state park, and the surrounding wooded area are protected as best as they can be from the thousands of guests who visit each year and by nearby development and environmental threats.

In the summer, the pond acts as refreshing swimming hole. There is a main beach and several smaller, semi-private entrances to the water spread out around the pond. In the fall, the foliage is the big attraction. But any time of the year, visitors from around the world who grew up reading Thoreau's Walden come to get a look at the area the writer/philosopher carefully documented. They come to learn more about his lifestyle and to see a replica of the one-room shack in which he lived. Near the park, a gift shop sells books by Thoreau and other local authors, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Louisa May Alcott, as well as postcards, pictures of the area, and other related New England merchandise.

Getting There

From Route 128 (I-95), take the Route 2 exit heading west toward Concord. Take a left at Rt. 126. Walden Pond State Reservation is on the left. There is a five-dollar parking charge, but no other fees.

Web Links

Walden Woods Project, Thoreau Society
Walden Woods State Reservation

Author: C. Danko
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