Whiting's Pond

North Attleborough, Massachusetts · on Whiting Pond · Whiting Pond

Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified

WATER: pond
ACCESS: See details below
FEE: $25
SEASON: Best in summer

About Whiting's Pond

Whiting's Pond in North Attleborough, MA is home to 'Whiting's Beach,' an official Town-managed freshwater swimming hole with a designated swim area, operated seasonally by the Parks & Recreation Department under Conservation Commission rules. Access is restricted to North Attleboro and Plainville residents with a paid vehicle pass during the Memorial Day through Labor Day season (free gate access in shoulder months). A separate informal, primitive shoreline footpath along the pond's east side is used primarily for trout fishing.

A small freshwater pond in a residential/wooded corner of North Attleborough near the Plainville town line, part of the Ten Mile River watershed. The Town-run beach sits at a gated, parking-lot access point; a separate quarter-mile primitive footpath runs along the east shore, offering intermittent pond views and used mainly by anglers.

Swimming at Whiting's Pond

Swimming is permitted only within a designated, roped/marked swim area at Whiting's Beach and is explicitly at the swimmer's own risk per Town regulations. The beach is under surveillance, with lifeguard information posted separately by Parks & Recreation. Tubes, rafts, and floats (other than infant safety devices) are barred from the swim area; boats must stay at least 150 feet from it; children under 12 must be supervised by an adult. Admission requires ID/proof of North Attleboro or Plainville residency and, in season, a paid vehicle pass.

How to get to this swimming hole

Whiting's Beach is a gated, drive-up Town beach on Whiting's Pond off Whiting Street in North Attleborough, MA; passes and info are handled through Parks & Recreation (446 Elm Street). A separate informal shoreline trail (mainly for fishing access) runs along the pond's east side, with an additional public access point on the far shore.

Parking: On-site gated parking lot at Whiting's Beach. Memorial Day-Labor Day: gate open 7am-8pm, valid pass required to enter/exit. April 1-Memorial Day and Labor Day-October 31: gate open with no fee, 7am-8pm (7am-6pm in fall). Police must be called to exit after closing; tickets may be issued for overstaying.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Whiting's Beach is a drive-up, gated parking-lot swim beach with no hike needed to reach the water. A separate ~0.5 mi round-trip primitive shoreline footpath exists along the pond's east side off Whiting Street, but it's an alternate fishing-access path, not the route to the designated swim area.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Designated, marked swim area at a Town-run beach with '24 hour surveillance' and children under 12 required to be supervised by an adult, but the facility page only points to the town website for lifeguard info rather than confirming lifeguards are on duty, and the beach is explicitly posted 'swim at your own risk.' Tubes, rafts, and floats are barred except infant safety devices, so young kids can't use flotation aids in the swim area.

Parking

Paid, $25 North Attleboro resident vehicle pass (Memorial Day-Labor Day); $5 North Attleboro senior pass; $25 Massachusetts boat-trailer pass; no fee outside that season

On-site gated parking lot directly at Whiting's Beach. Pass required to enter/exit during the paid season; gate is open fee-free April 1-Memorial Day and Labor Day-Oct 31. Police must be called to exit after gate-closing hours and tickets can be issued for overstaying.

Hours

Gate open 7am-8pm April 1-Labor Day (pass required Memorial Day-Labor Day, free outside that window), then 7am-6pm Labor Day-October 31.

Swim smart

Explicitly a 'swim at your own risk' area despite beach surveillance; standard pond hazards (variable depth, weeds); boat traffic is restricted near the swim zone but present elsewhere on the pond.

Rules: Governed by the Town of North Attleboro Conservation Commission's 'Pond and Beach Rules and Regulations': swimming only in the designated area, at own risk; no tubes/rafts/floats (except infant devices) in swim area; boats barred within 150 ft of designated swim area and limited to headway speed (max 6 mph) from 150-300 ft; no alcohol, pets, open fires, glass containers, waterfowl feeding, littering, or smoking; children under 12 must be supervised; combustion engines prohibited on Whiting's Pond except emergency vehicles or by Commission permission; violations can draw warnings, fines up to $100, or season-long bans.

This is an informational listing, not an invitation. Conditions and access change; verify locally before you go. Visiting any swimming hole is at your own risk. See our Terms of Use.

On the water

KayaksCanoesPaddleboards

Restrictions: Combustion engines of any kind are prohibited on Whiting's Pond specifically (Conservation Commission Sec. 2.2), and jet skis are barred pond-wide under MGL c.90B §9A; the myrec.com facility listing confirms 'no motorized boats allowed.' All boats/craft must stay at least 150 ft from the designated swim area (headway speed only, max 6 mph, within 150-300 ft). Non-motorized craft (kayak/canoe/paddleboard) are not explicitly named in any source but are implied to be the permitted alternative given the ban is specific to motors/combustion engines and jet skis.

No boat ramp is mentioned for Whiting's Pond itself in the sources found (a state boat ramp is referenced for the town's ponds generally, but the specific ramp location wasn't confirmed for Whiting's).

Backstory

Whiting's Pond marked the northern boundary of a 1930s WPA (Works Progress Administration) project that improved roughly 2.5 miles of the Ten Mile River between Whiting's Pond and Falls Pond for flood control and to reclaim swampland. The pond was acquired by the Town of North Attleborough in the 1960s for recreation and flood-control purposes and is now jointly overseen by the Conservation Commission (pond/dam management, stocked by MA DCR in spring and fall) and the Parks & Recreation Department (beach operations).

Whiting's Pond: FAQ

Does Whiting's Pond charge a fee?

Seasonal (Memorial Day-Labor Day) vehicle passes: $25 North Attleboro resident pass, $5 North Attleboro senior pass, $25 Massachusetts boat-trailer pass. No fee outside that season. Beach admission itself is restricted to North Attleboro/Plainville residents with ID/proof of residency, regardless of pass.

Is Whiting's Pond kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Whiting's Pond?

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

Where do I park for Whiting's Pond?

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Whiting's Pond?

When is the best time to visit Whiting's Pond?

Summer (Memorial Day-Labor Day) for the staffed/paid beach season; the gate and pond area are otherwise accessible April 1-October 31 during posted hours.

What are the rules at Whiting's Pond?

Governed by the Town of North Attleboro Conservation Commission's 'Pond and Beach Rules and Regulations': swimming only in the designated area, at own risk; no tubes/rafts/floats (except infant devices) in swim area; boats barred within 150 ft of designated swim area and limited to headway speed (max 6 mph) from 150-300 ft; no alcohol, pets, open fires, glass containers, waterfowl feeding, littering, or smoking; children under 12 must be supervised; combustion engines prohibited on Whiting's Pond except emergency vehicles or by Commission permission; violations can draw warnings, fines up to $100, or season-long bans.

What water body is Whiting's Pond on?

Whiting's Pond is on Whiting Pond, a natural pond verified in USGS hydrography data.

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Managed by

Whiting Pond

Official site · Town of North Attleborough

At a glance

Land access: Open to the public
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Highlights: Official Town-managed freshwater beach ('Whiting's Beach') with a designated, regulated swimming area - not merely an informal swimming hole; Resident-only access (North Attleboro & Plainville) with a seasonal paid vehicle-pass system; Separate informal shoreline footpath (~0.5 mi round trip) along the east shore near Whiting Street, used mainly for trout fishing; No motorized/combustion-engine boats allowed on the pond; Stocked by MassWildlife/DCR in spring and fall
Nearby towns: North Attleboro (0.9mi); Plainville (1.0mi); Attleboro Falls (1.7mi); Wilkins Four Corners (2.7mi)
Coordinates: 41.9947, -71.3364