Top 20 Lakes in Plymouth County

For swimming and family fun, Myles Standish State Forest offers 16 lakes and kettle ponds, with College Pond featuring a swimming beach and picnic area. Charge Pond, also within Myles Standish, has clear water, sandy beaches, BBQ areas, and a pavilion, making it great for water sports. Billington Sea also provides swimming beaches and picnic areas at Morton Park.

Myles Standish State Forest is an excellent choice, offering a vast network of trails including 15 miles of paved cycle paths, 13 miles of hiking trails, and 35 miles of horse trails. You can explore various routes for cycling in the area, such as the Myles Standish State Forest Loop. For easy hikes, consider trails like the Pond Loop Trail.

Yes, several lakes are popular for fishing. Long Pond is known for excellent trout fishing, regularly stocked with Rainbow, Brook, Brown, and sometimes Tiger Trout. Great Herring Pond supports a diverse fish population including yellow and white perch, smallmouth and largemouth bass. Billington Sea is a good spot for bass fishing, while Little Herring Pond is suitable for chain pickerel, largemouth bass, and yellow perch. White Island Pond also offers a productive warm-water fishery for various bass and perch species.

Many lakes are suitable for paddling. Myles Standish State Forest ponds like Charge Pond and College Pond are great for kayaking and canoeing. Long Pond, Great Herring Pond, Billington Sea, and Little Herring Pond also offer serene environments for these activities. White Island Pond is good for flatwater paddling, and Island Creek Pond in Duxbury is specifically noted for canoeing and kayaking.

East Head Pond is part of a unique 'pine barrens' forest community, a rare habitat formed by glaciers over 10,000 years ago. Great Herring Pond is ecologically significant for its river herring runs, attracting striped bass. Billington Sea is notable for its migrating river herring spawn in spring, a spectacle enhanced by dam removals.

Yes, the Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area is popular with people walking dogs and offers beautiful trails. Many state forests and parks in the region, including Myles Standish State Forest, generally allow dogs on trails, though specific rules may apply to certain areas or during certain seasons.

The lakes offer activities year-round. Spring is excellent for observing migrating river herring at Billington Sea and Great Herring Pond. Summer is ideal for swimming, boating, and water sports. Fall brings potential cranberry harvests around lakes like those seen from Between the Lakes, and pleasant conditions for hiking and cycling. Winter allows for ice skating and ice fishing on suitable ponds like Indian Head Pond and Island Creek Pond when conditions permit.

Billington Sea is historically significant, named after Francis Billington of the Mayflower. Island Creek Pond in Duxbury has a rich history tied to herring fisheries, with centuries of efforts to maintain fish passage through fish ladders.

Myles Standish State Forest offers five campgrounds, with four of them situated next to a pond, including sites around Charge Pond. Wompatuck State Park also provides campsites for extended stays.

The diverse aquatic environments support various wildlife. You can expect to see a range of fish species, including trout, bass, perch, and pickerel. The river herring runs at Great Herring Pond and Billington Sea attract other wildlife, such as striped bass. The extensive forest areas surrounding many lakes, like Myles Standish State Forest, are home to various bird species and other forest animals.

Absolutely. Wompatuck State Park offers an extremely varied mountain bike trail network with options for beginners and intermediate riders. You can find routes like the Wompatuck State Park loop via S18-S19 Trail. Ames Nowell State Park also features MTB trails, including the Ames Nowell State Park Loop.

Public access varies by lake. Long Pond has a paved boat ramp with ample parking. Great Herring Pond offers a gravel boat ramp for paddle crafts. For Little Herring Pond, the David E. Alper Nature Preserve provides the only public water access. Indian Head Pond has access via the Marcus L. Urann Fisherman's Landing. Many 'great ponds' like White Island Pond allow foot access for anglers, even if formal ramps are limited.