New England Fall Hikes: Walden Pond for a "Thoreauly" Good Time

Article and photo by Eric H.

Walden Pond State Reservation in Concord, Mass., remains one of New England's more famous,visited scenic attractions, but that doesn't take away from the solitude and purity of famed American author Henry David Thoreau's ("Walden")
former residence.

Perhaps best walked during the fall and foliage season, you'll find a marvelous 45-minute, 1.7-mile hiking path around the beautiful 61-acre pond filled with different perspectives of the clear pond as well as a virtual forest featuring different types of trees. Many trees have currently "turned over an old leaf," yielding some bright reds and yellows. Within in a few weeks, Walden Pond should transform into a wonderland of colors. Whether now or during more intense fall foliage, the hike through the woods and around the pond is as good as it gets for scenic, light recreational New England hiking.

Walden Pond, a 103-foot deep pond, is technically a kettle hole, "formed over 12,000 years ago when the last glacier to
cover New England slowly melted away," according to a MassParks.org brochure. It is also a National Historic Landmark and long considered a pioneer in the conservation movement. With Thoreau's one-room cabin on the premises and an additional 2,680 acres of surrounding woodlands called Walden Woods, this whole area just bursts with scenic beauty and history year-round, but perhaps reaching its peak natural glory when the leaves turn color. Enjoy this authentic, pristine New England attraction during the fall, and beyond!

Editor's note: For those that have questions about Walden Pond or need help navigating the pond and woods, park staff can can help plan your visit at its Visitors Center, 915 Walden St., Concord, Mass. (Tel.: 978-369-3254).