The last thing anybody wants when splashing around a lake or river, smiling up at the sun, is to have something slither up their leg and dig in for a bite. Thankfully, we’re not talking about any backwoods cryptids or slasher villains from an ’80s film. We are, however, talking about snakes. Many, many species of legless wrigglers frequent the same forests and bodies of water where people are likely to frequent, especially in a U.S. state otherwise known for good seafood, and loud St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on the streets of Boston: Massachusetts.
The heart of New England is full of woods and waters, and therefore Massachusetts is stuffed with snake-filled lakes, rivers, ponds, and so on. No, those snakes aren’t going to swarm you like ravenous piranhas the second that you step into the water. Nor are they going to mob you if you take a wrong step near the water’s edge. Nonetheless, if you’re traveling to snake-heavy areas to enjoy the scenery, do a little fishing or boating, or maybe just get away from town, it pays to know what snakes to watch for and where.
On that note, five Massachusetts bodies of water stand out on the snake-filled list: the Assabet River outside of Boston, Spot Pond in Northern Boston, the Wachusett Reservoir north of Worcester, the Quabbin Reservoir near Springfield, and the waters of the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge near Concord. We include reservoirs because even though it’s illegal to swim in Massachusetts’ reservoirs, someone might try it anyway and risk serpentine justice.
The Assabet River is home to Northern watersnakes
Visitors to Assabet River west of Boston only have to worry about one type of snake: the non-venemous, Northern watersnake. Measuring 2 to 4.5 feet, the Northern watersnake is actually one of the most common kind of snakes across the Northeast and Midwest United States. They split their time between lounging on rocks and prowling around the water looking for prey. You can spot them by their heads sticking out of the water’s surface like mini Loch Ness monsters. And while they eat amphibians and all sorts of fish like trout, bass, minnows, even catfish, they do bite larger animals like people if threatened.
Bearing all this in mind, it’s totally possible to enjoy a trip to Assabet River in any season. It’s perfectly legal to swim in public freshwater lakes, streams, rivers, and so on, in Massachusetts, but only certain parts of the Assabet River are swimmable. The river runs along the western side of Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge between Maynard and Hudson, but isn’t contained within the refuge. That whole area of Massachusetts is festooned with greenery, waterways, and parks like Lake Boon next to Pine Bluff Recreational Area, and is perfect for walking, fishing (with a license), and swimming.
That being said, the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge itself does not allow swimming, as it’s one of Massachusetts’ eight preserved natural refuges. You can still do adventurous things like bike on roads and cross-country ski on trails in winter, however. The nearby town of Concord is fames for its local charm and unique landmarks, making it an excellent, historical spot to settle in for an afternoon ––especially along its walkable Main Street.
Spot Pond near Boston is full of a variety of snake species
Snakes can swim at Wachusett Reservoir, but not people
Located north of Worcester, Wachusett Reservoir is home to most of the same snake species we see at Spot Pond: garter snakes, DeKay’s brown snakes, Eastern milk snakes, and common watersnakes. Like Spot Pond, they live within a variety of habitats along the water’s edge and venture into the reservoir for food. Visitors don’t have to worry about getting any venom injections from these snakes, but you should be on the lookout for slithery little buddies. Folks don’t have to worry about encountering these snakes while swimming, though, since swimming in reservoirs is illegal in Massachusetts. You’ve been warned.
It’s good that people can’t swim in Wachusett Reservoir, anyway, as the 65-billion gallon body of water provides drinking water to 2.7 million people. Visitors can run and walk nearby, hunt, and fish in the reservoir at designated areas accessible via specific entries, like Gates 6 to 17A from Route 70 along the reservoir’s eastern side. That’s shoreline fishing only since boats are not allowed on the water. There are also no dogs, no horses, no ATVs, no drones, no fires, no litter, and nothing at all that could pollute the reservoir.
Visitors to Wachusett Reservoir could always stop off at a quaint, picture-perfect New England town like Sturbridge, only 40 minutes away down I-90. The open-air museum portraying 19th-century local life, Old Sturbrudge Village, can give you a chance to envision what it would have been like when snakes played a much more everyday role in life.
Quabbin Reservoir has lots of snakes, but allows boating and fishing
Sitting right in the middle of Massachusetts, Quabbin Reservoir is a massive reservoir that dwarfs Wachusett Reservoir, at 412 billion gallons along 181 miles of shoreline. It’s home to numerous snake species, but it’s got a couple extra additions, too. Folks hoping to pay Quabbin Reservoir a visit should keep an eye out Northern watersnakes, much like at the Assabet River, but also ring-necked snakes, black racers, and Eastern garter snakes. None of these new additions are venemous, which is good, because there are more activities available at Quabbin Reservoir than at the Wachusett Reservoir. You still can’t swim, though, so forget about that.
You can, however, go boating at Quabbin Reservoir provided you launch from a few designated boating areas and stay out of the southern, U-shaped hook of the reservoir. You can fish from the boats as well as a good portion of the reservoir’s shoreline. Hunting is limited to an annual, two-day Quabbin Controlled Deer Hunt that requires an application and is confined to particular areas. And even though you can sit and have a picnic around the reservoir, fires, alcohol, dogs, horses, and drones are prohibited. And we should add no littering out of common courtesy. Folks looking to do any of these things — except littering, of course — can head to the scenic and small Lake Dennison in Northern Massachusetts, about 50 minutes away from Quabbin Reservoir up Route 202.
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge has multiple pockets of snake-filled water
Finally, we come to Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. If the name isn’t a clue, is a place reserved for nature and its many, many non-human inhabitants. Located a mere 15 or so minutes south from Concord, the 85% freshwater wetlands is teeming with not only numerous snake species like the Eastern milk snake, Eastern garter snake, and Northern watersnake, but turtles, otters, waterfowl, and loads of other animals. Visitors can spot these cute little critters while visiting Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, but shouldn’t lose track of the underbrush and its belly-crawling reptiles. Also: No swimming.
In some ways, Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is more restrictive than other places in this article. There are no picnics, no fires, no dogs, no horses, no drones, nor biking allowed. And, visitors have to bear in mind that the refuge is a protected space and not mess with the vegetation or wildlife, let alone leave any trash behind. That being said, you can boat from two launch points and also fish in those areas, but not out further in wetland pools, streams, ponds, and so forth. Hunting is also allowed within the confines of a very specific set of conditions related to dates, locations, types of animals, etc. Along your visit to the refuge you could stop by Concord or the equally historical Lexington, a town with roots going back to the American Revolution.
