Horn Pond

August 29, 2014 




I feel like summertime is a state of mind. With trips to the beach and farmer’s market, people are more conscious about looking and feeling their best now than they are any other season. All summer long I have been walking Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield, Massachusetts to stay in shape but as of yesterday I have found a better place to exercise: Horn Pond in Woburn, Massachusetts. 

Before it attracted bikers and fishers, Horn Pond was home to the Algonquin Native Americans. In fact, it is also referred to by Native Americans as 'Innitou', which means "Mirror of the Spirit." Horn Pond is a glacially formed 133-acre pond and throughout its history it has served as the site for the commercial ice-making businesses, sand and gravel operations, public beaches and the Woburn Parkway. The pond is comprised of woods, marshes, and fields and tucked off the beaten path is the 287-foot Horn Pond Mountain, also known as Mount Towanda, which was once used as a ski area. Today, it is most popular for its 2.2-mile walking-route.

If you’ve read my blog post about Lake Quannapowitt, you’re probably wondering how is Horn Pond different? After all, these two bodies of water are close in size and were both exporters of ice. Well, here are my five reasons why walking Horn Pond is a more enjoyable experience. 

5. About 90-95% of the route is canvased by shade. 

What will exhaust you the most about Lake Quannapowitt isn’t it’s 3.5-mile walk, but the amount of sun of you will be exposed to. At Horn Pond, you will feel cooler because a majority of its path, including its seating, is away from uv rays. 


4. There’s bathrooms.

You will have to drink more water at Lake Quannapowitt to stay hydrated and you’ll have no place to urinate. The restrooms at Horn Pond are provided at the Lake Avenue parking lot. 

3. The walkway is wide. 

Who doesn't hate having people up their rear? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve how to stop to let passers go by at Lake Quannapowitt. Or worse, once I had a jogger push me aside. 

2. There are multiple trails 



There are many places at Horn Pond where two roads diverge. Lake Quannpowitt, on the other hand, doesn’t have trails; it has shortcuts. Photo Credit: WoburnMaps.com 


1. There’s a wonderful sense of community. 







The biggest thing I noticed about my trip is how special Horn Pond is to the people of Woburn. Along its walkway, you’ll see veteran memorials and benches dedicated to the deceased, often with captions expressing how Horn Pond was their ‘happy place.’ The Pond is well preserved, and I found it lovely how much pride and joy the people of Woburn have put into it. 

Horn Pond 
Arlington Road 
Woburn, Massachusetts 01890

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