Ponkapoag Pond

Ponkapoag Pond is the largest and most remote pond in the Blue Hills Reservation, in Canton. A green-dot loop trail of about 3.75 miles circles it, with a side boardwalk into an Atlantic white cedar bog. It's the only pond in the reservation open to boats (non-motorized cartop boats only), and the AMC cabins on its shore are the only place you can camp in the Blue Hills.

It's the quiet side of the park: flat walking, few hills, and a view back across the water to Great Blue Hill from Fisherman's Cove.

The Ponkapoag Pond Loop

DCR lists the loop at 3.75 miles, taking 2.5 to 3 hours, and rates it moderate. It follows green dot markers through the woods around the whole pond. DCR's trail map calls it the four-mile green dot trail, so expect about that with the side trip to the bog.

Where to park, per DCR:

• Ponkapoag Golf Course on Route 138 (Washington Street) in Canton.
• Fisherman's Beach off Randolph Street in Canton, near 1060 Randolph Street. This is also the boat launch.
• The pull-off at I-93 exit 3 on Blue Hill River Road, which DCR's hiking page gives as a starting point.

The loop is mostly level, which makes it a good choice when the summit trails are icy or crowded. Mountain bikes are allowed in the Ponkapoag and Ponkapoag East sections, so watch for riders and remember bikes must yield to hikers. Other walks are on our best hikes page.

Ponkapoag Bog and the Boardwalk

The bog is the reason to come. DCR describes it as neither solid land nor water: a floating, quaking mat of leatherleaf, sheep laurel and sphagnum moss on top of ancient peat, with Atlantic white cedar around it. A glacier scooped out the pond and the bog thousands of years ago, and poor drainage and the mosses keep the water acidic.

DCR's rangers recommend the boardwalk across the bog. It branches off the loop across from the YMCA camp, at intersection 5176 on the DCR map. Stay on the boards; the mat around it is not solid ground.

Boating and Paddling

Ponkapoag is the only pond in the Blue Hills where boats are allowed. DCR permits non-motorized cartop boats only, such as canoes and kayaks, launched from Fisherman's Cove on Randolph Street in Canton. Paddlers can reach the edge of the cedar bog from the water.

Massachusetts requires a life jacket for boaters 12 and under, and for all canoe and kayak paddlers from September 15 to May 15, as DCR's safety notes point out.

Fishing

DCR lists Ponkapoag Pond among the reservation's fishing ponds. A Massachusetts fishing license is required. Fishing from shore along the loop or from a cartop boat are both options.

Camping at AMC Ponkapoag Camp

Camping in the Blue Hills is allowed only at the Appalachian Mountain Club's cabins on Ponkapoag Pond, year-round, with an advance reservation. DCR lists (781) 961-7007 for reservations.

The camp's own site describes 20 cabins sleeping two to six people and three tent sites. It's rustic on purpose:

• Bunks with mattresses, but no linens. Bring a sleeping bag.
• Wood stoves in 14 of the 20 cabins, plus outdoor cooking space.
• No electricity except in the lodge in summer, central outhouses and no running water in the cabins.
• No RV sites.

The camp's summer season runs from mid-June to Labor Day, tent sites from May 1 to October 31, and the off-season from Labor Day to mid-June. In summer, the camp runs a lifeguarded waterfront from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and lends canoes, kayaks and life jackets to campers.

Ponkapoag Golf Course

DCR's Ponkapoag Golf Course sits beside the pond at 2167 Washington Street (Route 138) in Canton, three-quarters of a mile south of I-93. It has two 18-hole courses, a driving range, a putting green and a pro shop. Its lot is one of the two parking options DCR gives for the pond loop.

Rules to Know

Dogs must be leashed. No motorized boats, no camping outside the AMC camp, and no open fires. The YMCA's Ponkapoag Outdoor Center near the bog is a children's summer camp, so stay on the public trail as you pass it. The full list is on our rules page.