fresh pond reservation

Kakiman

Fresh Pond is the biggest green space in Cambridge. It's a great place for a walk. Residents' well-behaved dogs are allowed off leash, so it's more or less dog heaven. I like dogs but don't want the trouble of ownership, so this is a great place to enjoy OPD: other people's dogs. Wave hello to Ranger Jean. Late in the day, listen for the horned owl in the pine woods.

czeckmate

This is for Cambridge residents only. There is NO... NO parking place not even the one you would put a quarter to the meter around... Terrible..

Danuza

Beautiful. Peaceful. Good to connect with nature. The paths are nice to walk but not too long.It is nice to walk around and take pictures particularly in the winter with snow in the ground.

katie528

A really well designed nature preserve amongst office and residential buildings where one can walk, run and cycle. There are some great birds and some lovely places from which to view them.It is a haven from the busy city life that is all around.

snappytoes

I visited Fresh Pond Reservation with a baby in a stroller and a dog on a leash - it was a hot summer day and we needed cool air! It was lovely, the paths are well maintained, easy for a stroller. Everyone on the path was friendly, all the dogs well behaved. There is a spot where dogs can go swimming in a small pool adjacent to Fresh Pond itself - which was such a happy spot. I will be back - great way to enjoy time away from the hubbub.

EE52013

This is one of those parks that feels like it's supposed to be pretty, but isn't because much of the pond and the fields are right next to a busy parkway. Nature this isn't.

lynvick56

We took our 3 year old dog to Fresh Pond in Cambridge for a walk for the first time recently. What a beautiful spot! The paths are well kept and there is a section where your dog is allowed to walk off-leash (technically it is for dogs licensed in Cambridge but no one checked). What a great atmosphere! The dogs were all very well behaved. There is a spot near the golf course where dogs can go into the water (Lily Pond--separate from the reservoir) and our dog had a blast! Everyone was so friendly and all the dogs were having a blast. The paths are shared between walkers and runners, bicyclists and of course dogs, but everyone seemed happy to share. There are several poop bag dispensers and plenty of barrels to dispose of trash. We were able to find a parking spot on the street, as the parking lots are reserved for Cambridge residents. I am looking forward to our next visit to Fresh Pond.

Africanjade

Come spring and Fresh Pond is filled with cyclists, joggers, walker, dogs, strollers, wheelchairs. Happy dogs splashing in a side pond, or lolling about on lawns with their content owners. Cyclists and runners make their way around the beautiful 2 mile perimeter of the pond. It is brilliantly cared for by Reservation staff and volunteers, they are always improving it and have great guided walks (occasionally), and informative info as well as water bowls for dog and fountains for humans.

BetsyG591

I have lived in Cambridge in the past and run around Fresh Pond many times. On my trip there this year, I walked it with a friend. We enjoyed seeing many birds and flowering bushes and trees. Please spend some time there, it really is pretty.

vishty

There are well kept trails all around the lake. I enjoyed walking there always in sight of the lake. All around the lake was a bit too far for me so I returned on the trail that I went on and liked it as well on my return.

remember_bannockburn

Freshwater Pond is a quiet oasis in the heart of Cambridge that caters to off-leash dog walking, joggers and strollers. It's kilometres long trail around the pond will keep you occupied for hours. The only setback is that Cambridge doesn't cater to non-resident parking, so either walk there, or risk being able to find one of the few parking spots along the surrounding ring roads.

craig_and_donna

The trail around the Pond is approximately 2.5 miles, two laps means 5 miles, 4 laps means 10 miles, so it is a good place to time yourself because the math is easy. The parking area has drinking fountains and a nice bathroom, and there is a drinking fountain on the far side of the pond Usually I connect from the nearby Minuteman Trail by crossing the busy Alewife district. This is the Cambridge water supply, so you are not allowed near the pond itself, a big chain link fence surrounds the pond, and additionally there is lots of poison ivy inside the fence. So that might be a bit disenchanting to some. The circuit is mainly flat except for a stretch of slightly raised elevation clockwise from twelve to two o'clock from the parking area. There is not a lot of bicycling traffic, and the trail is mostly wide enough to pass any clump of walkers.

JudyKLB

Walking around the Reservoir is meditative and great exercise. It is such a well-designed space that no matter how many times one walks it there is something new to discover. Terrific place to exercise the dog too.

AMH51

The lake is lovely, although it's completely fenced off, as it provides Cambridge's water. The trees and lawns are lovely, and it's a great place to watch people and dogs go by. Very peaceful.

cindynor41

This is an oasis ! The walk around is long enough to get a good workout and almost completely in the shade. Too bad we can't get to the water's edge but it is a water reserve.