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A Fall Visit to Walden Pond

Tour the Cabin Site of Henry David Thoreau in Concord, Massachusetts

Oct 13, 2009 Pamela Wright

Late fall is a beautiful time to visit Walden Pond. The crowds are gone and the north woods fiery autumn color is in full bloom.

New England is chock full of beautiful fall sights and scenic landscapes, including picturesque Walden Pond. Arrive early in the morning, when the sun’s rays are just breaking the horizon and peeking over the gentle Lincoln hills.

See a Replica of Thoreau’s Cabin

Walden Pond is where Thoreau lived for two years, gathering material for the book Walden. "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived…” Thoreau wrote. And so when longtime friend Ralph Waldo Emerson offered Thoreau the use of his newly purchased woodlot at Walden Pond, Thoreau accepted.

Thoreau constructed a simple, one room house, a 10- by 15-foot cabin built from pines he felled on the property (building costs for the original, Thoreau recorded, were $28.12!) He lived in the cabin from July, 1845 to September, 1847.

Before going to the pond visit the replica of Henry David Thoreau’s cabin that sits across the street from the pond, near the parking lot. The replica house has a bed, woodstove, desk and chair, pots and pans, and a copy of Thoreau's Walden.

Walk the paths Around Walden Pond

After touring the small cabin, go across the street to the banks of the pond. There’s a small beach and a network of crisscrossing paths that skirt the pond. The easy-going paths, carpeted in pine needles and fallen leaves, offer a pleasant walk through the autumn-tinged woods, and pretty views across the lake. The most popular walk is the one leading to the stone foundation of the original cabin, a 15-minute walk overlooking the entrance to the pond.

Walden Pond Reservation

Walden Pond reservation, now a designated National Historic Landmark, encompasses 400 acres, including the 102-foot deep glacial kettle-hole pond. Mostly undeveloped woods totaling 2,680 acres, called "Walden Woods" surround the reservation. It’s open year-round, and is also a popular place to kayak and canoe, or to snowshoe or cross country ski in the winter.

There's a visitor center, canoe/rowboat launch, swimming beach, picnic area, visitor center, walking trails, and guided walks and programs. Open daily, 7 a.m. to about a half hour after sunset. Parking is $2 a day. Interpretive programs and guided walks are offered year-round. Dogs, bicycles, and grills are not allowed.

The copyright of the article A Fall Visit to Walden Pond in NE U.S. Travel is owned by Pamela Wright. Permission to republish A Fall Visit to Walden Pond in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Fall at Walden Pond