Walden Pond, Concord MA

• 3-star hikes • 2 to 4 mile options • Easy | Gain 70 to 440 feet • Concord, MA | MetroWest Region . During his two-year stay at Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau immersed himself in simple living and the close observation of nature. His reflections on living in the area culminated in his writing of 'Walden', now a celebrated work of American literature. Today, the glacial kettle pond where his small cabin once stood is preserved within the Walden Pond State Reservation, leaving visitors to wonder what Thoreau would make of the famous landscape today. Since Thoreau’s time, the pond has seen developments come and go, including the building and eventual razing of an entire amusement park, complete with swings, a rollercoaster and a dedicated railroad stop. In the late 1950s, the pond's shoreline was altered to enlarge the beach areas, which including cutting back vegetation and importing truckloads of sand. Today, Walden Pond has returned to a much more peaceful state. Visitors with a…