Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond

Harwich, Massachusetts · on Long Pond

Verified · 3 independent sources · top-verified

WATER: pond
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: Yes, see below
SEASON: Best in summer

About Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond

Cahoon Beach Landing is a public freshwater swimming hole on Long Pond in Harwich, Massachusetts, also known locally as Wixon Memorial Beach. Long Pond is the largest freshwater pond on Cape Cod (about 743 acres, up to 70 feet deep with clear water to 14 feet), and this landing off Cahoon Road provides a designated, roped-off swimming area for anyone seeking places to swim away from the Cape's saltwater beaches.

The beach sits on the shore of Long Pond, a large kettle pond straddling Harwich and Brewster with a roughly six-mile, moderately developed shoreline of homes and seasonal cottages. The pond has good water clarity, a sand-and-rubble bottom, minimal aquatic vegetation, and connects via channels to three smaller ponds (Black, Smalls, and Greenland) that ultimately drain into the Herring River.

Swimming at Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond

Swimming takes place in a roped-off designated area at the landing, in calm, clear freshwater pond conditions described by visitors as clean and uncrowded with a relaxed, low-key atmosphere - a contrast to the Cape's busier ocean beaches. It suits casual swimmers and families looking for quiet water rather than surf or strong current.

How to get to this swimming hole

Located off Cahoon Road in Harwich, on the shore of Long Pond; sources list the site variously as 110 Cahoon Road (Harwich Ponds Coalition) and 48 Cahoon Rd (aggregator listing) - exact street number is not fully confirmed.

Parking: Small on-site lot; requires a Harwich beach parking sticker or daily/weekly non-resident fee. Town-wide sticker pricing: $35 resident season sticker, $75 (1 week)/$140 (2 weeks)/$175 (season) for non-residents, plus $25 per additional vehicle. A first-hand review reported strict, sometimes unclearly signed enforcement (a $100 ticket in an apparently empty lot).

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up landing: Swim Guide and Open Water Data both describe handicap-accessible parking directly at the site with a roped swimming area, picnic area, and kayak/canoe launch immediately adjacent - no trail or hike to reach the water.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Roped-off designated swimming area with warm, clear water and a calm pond setting suits families, but there is no lifeguard on duty (confirmed by Sandee's FAQ and the prior dossier's aggregator review), so young children need active supervision. One aggregator's own FAQ flatly calls it 'not family-friendly' while its main description calls it family-oriented with 'warm waters and family-friendly environments' - the contradiction itself is a signal to supervise closely rather than assume lifeguarded safety.

Parking

Paid, $35 resident season sticker; non-resident $75 (1-week)/$140 (2-week)/$175 (season); $25 per additional vehicle

Small on-site lot with handicap-accessible spaces, requiring a Harwich beach parking sticker (available via harwichstickers.townhall247.com or Town Hall/Recreation Dept). One recent visitor reported a $100 ticket in an apparently empty, unsigned lot on July 4th, suggesting inconsistent or aggressive signage and enforcement, so arrive with a valid sticker rather than assume roadside parking is safe from tickets.

Restrooms

Yes

Restrooms are listed at the site by Swim Guide and Open Water Data (both official water-quality/beach monitoring listings). Sandee's FAQ contradicts this and claims no restrooms - per the prior dossier, the monitoring-program sources are treated as more reliable.

Water clarity

Clear

The Harwich Ponds Coalition reports clarity to about 14 ft in a pond up to 70 ft deep, and swimmers separately describe the water as 'warm and clear.' Visitors consistently describe the spot as 'clean and not crowded' with a 'chill pond/beach vibe,' consistent with clear water rather than algae or turbidity issues.

On the water

KayaksCanoesPaddleboardsMotorboats

Harwich Ponds Coalition confirms motorized watercraft are allowed on Long Pond generally, and Swim Guide/Open Water Data both note a dedicated canoe/kayak launch at this landing. Sandee references 'nearby rental services available' for kayaks and paddleboards without naming any business. No no-wake, electric-only, or carry-in-only restriction was found in any source - swimmers should stay aware of boat traffic outside the roped swim area, per the prior dossier's hazard note.

What regulars say

Visitor accounts offer the closest first-hand color: regulars call it clean, uncrowded, and shady in spots, with a relaxed 'chill pond/beach vibe' distinct from the Cape's busier ocean beaches. One visitor specifically warns to 'leave your car at home' after being ticketed $100 in an apparently empty, unsigned lot over a July 4th weekend, describing Harwich police as giving out parking tickets 'very selectively.' No rental outfitter serving this specific pond has been identified; general Cape Cod kayak and SUP outfitters such as Cape Cod Kayak in Bourne are too far away to confirm as serving Long Pond, so none are listed as verified rentals here.

Backstory

Also known locally as Wixon Memorial Beach.

Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond: FAQ

Does Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond charge a fee?

Beach parking sticker or daily/weekly fee required through the season; stickers available online (harwichstickers.townhall247.com) or at Harwich Town Hall and the Recreation Department.

Is Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond?

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond?

When is the best time to visit Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond?

Summer (monitoring/swim season runs May through September).

What are the rules at Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond?

Public swim area is roped off; monitored seasonally (May-September) for water quality by local boards of health and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

What water body is Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond on?

Cahoon Beach Landing - Long Pond is on Long Pond, a natural pond verified in USGS hydrography data.