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Ponkapoag Pond

Canton · Randolph Town, Massachusetts — Norfolk County.

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214Surface acres
2.1 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 135696467).

Location & fast facts

Where Ponkapoag Pond is in Massachusetts

The red circle marks Ponkapoag Pond.

Fast facts

About Ponkapoag Pond

  • County: Norfolk
  • Shore towns: Canton, Randolph Town
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 12 mi from Boston and 36 mi from Worcester, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in Massachusetts

Official MassWildlife pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Lake map

Ponkapoag Pond shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Missionary Point (campground)Spang Camp Site (campground)Fishermans Beach (Beach)1¼ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

BeachShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Fishermans Beach
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 135696467), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: MassWildlife Office of Fishing & Boating Access sites (MassGIS). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

2.1 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 60%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East, south and west shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 2.1 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Ponkapoag Pond shoreline, mostly along the east, south and west shores. They follow about 60% of the shore, so you can walk most of the way around but not a full loop.

Trails along the shore

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Ponkapoag Pond

We found 7 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Ponkapoag Pond, 3 of them within 5 miles. 3 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

1 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Massachusetts

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (42.1925, -71.0952). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Ponkapoag Pond. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Ponkapoag Pond

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Public beaches

    On OpenStreetMap: 1 beach or swimming spot on the shore of Ponkapoag Pond not marked private, residents-only or members-only.

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Fishermans BeachBeachAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions

    Beaches: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), within about 150 m (500 ft) of the lake outline. A mapped beach is not a guarantee that swimming is allowed, supervised or safe; some town beaches need a resident sticker even when the map doesn't say so. Check posted rules and water-quality advisories before you swim.

    Invasive species

    Reported on or near Ponkapoag Pond

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Massachusetts lakes & ponds · All waters in Canton