By Susan Neul
Water, water everywhere, but one of the most idyllic places to swim in Becket requires walking over I-90 to get there! Thanks to the same glacier that gave us our rock-filled soil, Becket is pocketed with ponds; but not all the Becket ponds are glacier derived. Some are creations of our large beaver population, and some were formed by man-made dams. But despite the proliferation of ponds, very few have desirable public access for swimming enthusiasts seeking a more peaceful and unrestricted setting.
The outdoor aquatic enthusiast’s choice in Becket is between swimming across Center Pond, towing a bright red buoy to keep power boats away, or taking a hike to Upper Goose Pond. The 1.7-mile-one-way hike offers a huge, deliciously cool pond as its primary reward, but the walk itself is spectacular and a prize in itself. This is one of only a few places on its entire 2,198 miles where the Appalachian Trail (AT) passes over an interstate highway on a dedicated hiker overpass. Motorists below pass under a large sign announcing “Appalachian Trail” and will enthusiastically beep their horns to waving hikers above them. If passing over a motorway doesn’t fall into your list of peak outdoor experiences, be not alarmed. Very shortly traffic sounds disappear, and the trail climbs steeply about a quarter mile through hemlock groves and then winds its way on flat ground through dense stands of mountain laurel and ferns until it heads downhill to a fork in the trail just above the lake. Both of the two options lead to spots with easy access for swimming. The left fork passes through a natural clearing under pines on the banks of the pond with logs to sit on for easy removal of boots and socks. The fork to the right leads to the large dock next to the AT cabin, which provides overnight shelter for through hikers. Sometimes there are other swimmers, but mostly not. Occasionally there is a canoe or small fishing boat on the pond that has made its way through the narrow passage between Upper and Lower Goose Ponds, but mostly there is just solitude and lovely cool water.
To hike the AT to Upper Goose Pond, park at the Jacobs Ladder parking area on Route 20 near the Lee/Becket line. From the parking lot, walk along the shoulder on the south side of Route 20, following the signs for the AT. You’ll go down some stairs where the wooded trail then heads toward I-90. Follow the white rectangular trail markers (blazes), which are painted on trees along the entire route of the AT, to reach Upper Goose Pond.
