The winter season brings cold, windy weather. It doesn’t mean you have to hide indoors. Grab your helmet, snow pants and ice skates and head to your local pond to skate with friends. Check out the list below of popular ponds and lakes in your area.
Click here to check out best ice skates for kids learning to skate
The Boston Globe said it best in 1887, “There is certainly no outdoor winter exercise so invigorating or so enjoyable as ice–skating, and none so inexpensive,” wrote the Globe.
SAFETY TIPS THAT WILL KEEP YOU GLIDING ALL WINTER
NEVER SKATE ALONE
In any emergency, you’ll need someone else’s help.
CHECK THE ICE SURFACE FOR CRACKS, HOLES OR DEBRIS
At lakes and ponds, walk around the perimeter of the area you want to skate and look carefully at the ice. It should be smooth, thick, blue or clear-colored, with ice that looks at least 6 inches thick. Light grey, dark black or slushy ice is not safe. The ground around the edge of the ice should be frozen, with no flowing water near the edges of the ice. If the surface looks safe, slowly skate the outside area, looking and listening for cracks. Go slow and back away if you encounter thin ice.
CONTACT LOCAL POLICE OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR CONDITIONS AT A SKATING POND
Only skate on ice that is monitored for safety.
If while skating, the ice starts to crack beneath you, get down on all fours (distributing your body weight evenly), stay low and crawl to safety.
Also, check out Best Ice Skates For Kids and Beginners
Make sure to bookmark the Boston, Massachusetts Ice Skating Guide or the Guide to Accessible Ice Rinks
Ice Skating Ponds in Amesbury
Clarks Pond
Cedar Street
Bailey Pond
Pond View Avenue
Access this pond through the parking area on Summit Ave.
Patten’s Pond
Main Street
Lake Attitash
Lake Attitash Road
P.O Box 503
Lake Gardner
80 High Street
Ice Skating Ponds in Boston
Frog Pond on Boston Common
Bounded by Charles Street, Beacon Street, Park Street and Tremont Street
617-635-2120
Ice Skating Ponds in Easton
Yardley-Wood Rink
Depot Street
Ice Skating Ponds in Essex
Chebacco Lake
Chebacco Road
Ice Skating Ponds in Hingham
Hidden Pond, Derby Street Shoppes
92 – 98 Derby Street
781-749-7800
www.thederbystreetshoppes.com/info/hiddenpond
Ice Skating Ponds in Ipswich
Clark Pond
Parking lot at the end of Bowdoin Road, Great Neck
Ice Skating Ponds in Lenox
Laurel Lake
Routes 7 & 20
413-243-5505
Ice Skating Ponds in Leominster
Leominster State Forest – Paradise Pond
90 Fitchburg Road / Route 31
508-874-2303
Ice Skating Ponds in Methuen
Hills Pond (Also known as Baremeadow Pond or Hillsies Pond)
Along Milk Street
Ice Skating Ponds in Needham
Horsford Pond
Central Avenue, entrance to Town Forrest
Lights are turned on Friday through Sunday and holidays
Farley Pond
South Street near Chestnut Street intersection on right
Reservoir
Off of Dedham Avenue, behind Department of Public Works.
The lights are turned on Friday through Sunday and holidays.
Sportman’s Pond
Great Plain Avenue, between Central Avenue and MarkedTree Road
Ice Skating Ponds in Newbury
Pine Island Pond
Pine Island Road
From 1A turn onto Pine Island Road and the pond is on the right 400 feet from the corner.
Quills Pond
Hay Street
Ice Skating Ponds in Quincy
Butler’s Pond
32-40 Merrymount Road
Sailor’s Home Pond
Rice Road
Gates are opened when the ice is 4 inches thick.
Ice Skating Ponds in Rockport
Mill Brook Meadow Park
15 Beach Street
508-874-2303
Camborne Pond
Penzance Road
South Hamilton
Patton Park
5 Willow Street
978-468-2178
http://www.hwrecreation.com/info/facilities/details.aspx?FacilityID=14704
Ice Skating Ponds in Walpole
Turner Pond
Elm Street
www.walpoleponds.com/Walpoleponds/turner-pond
Walpole residents can sign up for a November through March winter pass for $20 per family; non residents $30. A day pass is $5.
Ice Skating Ponds in West Newton
Dolan Pond
24 Henshaw Terrace
617-969-6222
http://www.newtonconservators.org/5dolan.htm
Ice Skating Ponds in Weymouth
Whitman’s Pond
Off of Middle Street
Ice Skating Ponds in Winchester
Winter Pond
12 Woodside Road
Do you have a favorite ice skating pond in Massachusetts we didn’t mention? Tell us in our “Review this Article” section!
For a list of ice skating rinks in Massachusetts
Also, check out Best Ice Skates For Kids and Beginners
Read our article How to Teach a Child to Ice Skate
