Paddling Maps

Squannacook River:

Townsend Harbor Pond Exploration (Townsend, MA)

Trip Description

Townsend Harbor Pond is an excellent location for those who wish to quietly explore wetlands, marshy shallows, and wooded shorelines for native plants and wildlife (and wildlife activity). The pond is an impoundment of the Squannacook River above the Townsend Harbor Pond Dam. It has little current, although current may be experienced at the eastern end of the pond near the dam, particularly in times of high water (after heavy rains or during spring melts).  On windy days, paddlers may wish to avoid paddling in the open middle of the pond and paddle closer to the shorelines to avoid having to work against the wind.

With little current, as you depart from the boat launch, you don’t need to be concerned about paddling upstream or downstream first as you might on the river.  Feel free to paddle a clockwise or counterclockwise circuit, or any other route you choose. The pond is small enough that shoreline is always in sight.  The order of Things to See on the online map legend follows a counterclockwise direction.  

In general, the middle of the pond is open water, the western end is braided with water channels and islands of wetland and marsh plants.  The eastern end of the pond is mostly open water with the Townsend Harbor Pond Dam at the far east end near the historic Cooperage building that is visible from the water.

When exploring the braided water channels at the west end of the pond, be aware that some channels may be too narrow to turn around and you may need to paddle backwards to exit. Also be aware that there are shallow areas that are not deep enough to paddle through.  Enjoy the variety of plants you can see here, but please do not pick flowers or remove plants which is likely to disturb the natural ecosystem of the area.

When you can see the Cooperage building clearly, and the South Street Bridge over the river, turn back toward the pond and do not approach the dam.  DANGER!  Do not attempt to paddle over the dam. The top of the dam is hard to see because the dam is a “run of the river” dam meaning the water flows freely over the dam wall, making the dam nearly invisible, and you are unlikely to hear the falling water. There are no signs marking the dam.  View the Google map for this paddle for images and directions that will help you avoid the dam area.

To return to the launch, look for the white steeple of the Townsend Harbor Church.  The launch is on the bank near the church.

What You Might See

What you may see while exploring the pond depends a great deal on your curiosity, patience, and some luck. This is a location where you may want to spend some time quietly sitting in your boat with a pair of binoculars watching to see what may appear.

At the time of posting this map, in fall 2025, there is a very large Bald eagle nest in the top of a pine tree on the south side of the pond, almost directly across from the boat launch area. It is near the top of the tree, constructed of large branches, and notable for its size.  The eagles themselves may be visible sitting in the nest tree or other trees around the pond. Eagles are very large and if you see one in flight over the pond, it will catch your eye. Mature adults have a strikingly white head and neck, while juveniles will have a dark brown head and neck.

Another bird that may be seen at the pond is the Belted kingfisher. You may spot it diving for fish in the pond, or in tree branches overlooking the pond area. The kingfisher is about a foot long with a very large head compared to its body size, and short legs. It is slate gray in color on its head, crest, and back, with a cream colored underside. On the underside are belts of black, and, on the females, rust near the chest area. You may hear their rattling call. The pond may also have a variety of waterfowl such as Mallards and Wood duck.

The shallow areas are a place to look for turtles, most likely Painted turtles basking on branches in the water, as well as frogs and a variety of insects from dragonflies and damselflies, to pollinators such as bees and butterflies drawn to the flowering shrubs and plants.

You catch a glimpse of beaver or muskrat who inhabit the pond. You are more likely to see signs of their presence such as lodges and food caches. 

For individuals interested in wetland and marsh plants, exploration of the braided waterways at the west end of the pond is recommended.  The small islands in the waterways are covered in wetland shrubs, grasses, and herbaceous plants. Sightings can include wetland sedges and grasses, blueberry bushes, white turtlehead, cattails, duck potato, sweetflag, hyssop, pickerelweed, cardinal flower, milkweed, and jewelweed.  

You may wish to purchase some inexpensive field guides to carry with you in a waterproof bag to aid in identifying what you see during your exploration.