Pastimes

If you are a dog owner, take your dog here!

White Pond — Photos by Steven Mattson White Pond is very popular for boaters, fishermen, and dogowners. The lake itself is about 125 acres. The water is very clear (it used to be a resevoir but was transferred to state ownership) though I would think that the weed growth could get pretty bad because it is not a very deep lake.

This site is just under seven miles from Route 84. From Exit 18, head east on Route 311. Just past the causway that goes over Lake Carmel, make a right onto Rt 52. Head north for a few miles. Just after Kent Primary School, make a left onto Farmers Mill Rd. After a few miles, make a right onto White Pond Road. Shortly after turning on to White Pond Road, you will see a sign on your left and then a parking lot on your right.

The lot can hold 20-25 cars. There is a dock and boat ramp at one end of parking lot. At other end of parking lot is an earthen dam with a paved walkway out to a wooden fishing pier. Swimming is "not encouraged" but a lot of people do it.

There is a trail that goes all the way around the pond. It took me, a six-year-old, a four-year-old, and a dog about two hours to get around the whole lake. The far side of lake has a lot of nice rock formations and an area with larger trees with a high canopy.

The trail map seemed to indicate that the main-use trail followed the main road. Let me be clear— I do not recommend walking this road if you have kids with you. And this road has guard rails on both sides, so there was NO shoulder. With two small kids and a large goofy dog, I felt pretty vulnerable walking on the road for this portion of the loop around the lake.

We followed our pond visit with a stop at the Kent Historical Society housed in a one-room schoolhouse, built in 1900, just a short distance from the preserve. We also stopped at Lee Park in East Fishkill, which has a small playground, soccer, and baseball fields, basketball court.

Steven Mattson has been a resident of Brewster for 10 years. He is currently writing a family-oriented book about the sights and adventures in and around Putnam County. He can be reached at dutchess92@comcast.net.

Sitting on the dock at White Pond in Kent