Richmond Pond

About this Location

Richmond Pond is a 218-acre raised great pond that has a maximum depth of 53 feet and an average depth of 18 feet. Transparency is very good, extending to 13 feet. The bottom is composed of silt and clay and supports abundant aquatic vegetation, which extends outward from most of the shoreline areas to depths of 6 or 8 feet.

Richmond Pond fills a depression scraped from the limestone-and-marble bedrock by advancing glaciers thousands of years ago. It lies at about 1,100 feet elevation in a narrow valley just east of the Taconic Mountains that rise to about 1,700 feet near the pond. To the west, the elevated ridge of Lenox Mountain climbs to an elevation of about 2,000 feet. The western half of the lake is shallow, with an average depth of less than ten feet.

Much of the southern and western shoreline is heavily developed, with approximately 182 seasonal cottages and year-round dwellings around the pond, some a road or more back from the shoreline but with shared shore access. There are two camps on the lake – Camp Russell (Boys and Girls Club of the Berkshires) and The Camp by Bousquet (Mill Town Capital). The northwest shore harbors the public access concrete boat launch, which is suitable for car top and shallow draft trailer boats, with a separate canoe/kayak launch dock installed during the summer; the parking lot can hold up to 30 vehicles.

At the far end of the northwest shore is the Richmond town beach, with a large tract of undeveloped wetland and forest in between. The town beach is gated and is staffed by lifeguards in summer, but is accessible off-season by walking from the public boat launch. Dogs and smoking are not allowed at the town beach. There is a public access fishing trail accessed at the shoreline from the north end of the town beach parking lot.

Railroad tracks run the length of the northwest shore a few yards from the lake. To the southwest of the lake is an extensive wetland, Nordeen Marsh, covering about 250 acres. It can be reached from the pond by canoe or kayak with an easy portage over the road.

Features

  • Roadside viewing

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

Content from Official Website

Last updated November 25, 2023