Walden Pond

Walden Pond is a wonderful place to visit if you don't follow the masses. For those of you who do not know, Walden Pond was the residence of Henry David Thoreau from 1845 to 1847. Conservationists regularly quote his book Walden which is inspiring. It is a treatise on simple living in nature. As a kid we were taught how difficult it must have been for him to live in a one room house (replica shown here). Now as an adult sometimes I wish for such an existence. This quote from Walden is particularly inspiring:

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, to discover that I had not lived.

The worst time to visit Walden, because it will be least inspiring, is on hot summer days. People from all over flock here to swim. You will have many babies in diapers, tons of noise, and full parking lots. If you want to experience the tranquility of this place like Thoreau did, come here during the off season. Fall is the best time to visit. Bring a canoe or hike along the perimeter of the pond. Winter is another good season to visit and you should make sure to bring your snowshoes.

Thoreau grew up in Concord, attended Harvard, and became friends with Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson introduced him to other famous Concord authors, Alcott, Fuller, and Hawthorne being the most prominent, and he followed their Trascendental Movement. This movement subscribed to the philosophy that personal intuition rather than religion allowed one to achieve insight. Thoreau was a principled man. He refused to pay taxes for several years over his opposition to slavery and the Mexican-American War. Try to do that now!

If you make a trip to Walden, be sure to visit downtown Concord and the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Thoreau is buried at Author's Ridge, along with many other famous authors. If you have time, visit the Concord Museum which is just outside downtown Concord.

The park has many activities scheduled for August. These include guided hikes, nature crafts, and kayaking. To view the schedule, click on the Events and Programs link on the Walden Pond homepage below.

External Link: Walden Pond Reservation