CONGAMOND LAKES INFORMATION
I live in Southwick , Mass. and thought you should list Congamond Lakes as an Accessible birding location.
There are three bodies of water, North Pond, Middle Lake & South Pond. Starting with South Pond, an
individual can only gain access to this area from a car or very limited access from a dirt rest area off of Rt
168, which is actually in CT. There is a small network of roads that allow some viewing of the western portion
of the lake from the car.
This area is off of Miller Rd. which can be accessed from RT 168. The roads that an individual would be
looking for are, 1st St. 2nd St. 3rd St. & 4th St. 1st St has very limited lake viewing, and the others have
better views of the lake from a car.
Middle Lake can also be accessed from Rt 168 in the same area as Miller Rd. but a bit south. There is a
boat launching area off of Berkshire Ave. which is about 500’ off of Rt 168. This is a great area to view
Osprey in the Spring & Summer. Some of the Osprey are migrants, but 2 have nested within ½ mile of this
location for 2 summers now. The Osprey nest is viewable from Rt 168, just north of Miller Rd. on top of a cell
phone tower looking South/South West from the Red Riding Hood coffee shop parking lot.
To gain access to the 180’ Accessible fishing pier & the Congamond Visitor’s Center take 10/202 to the
intersection of Rt 57 & 10/202, which is Depot St. Follow Depot St. for about ¼ mile take a right after the
Southwick Fire Station, this is Sheep Pasture Rd. Follow Sheep Pasture Rd. for about ¾-1 mile when it turns
into Point Grove Rd. Follow Point Grove Rd. for about 1 ½ miles until the public parking lots are on your
right.
The parking lots have limited access in the winter. There is 1 Accessible parking space directly off of Point
Grove Rd for the Congamond Visitor’s Center (closed during the winter) & 6 spaces between both public
lots. The public lot closest to the boat launch docks is for fishing access only so you need to be launching a
boat or getting picked up by a boat from the docks to use the Accessible parking in this lot. The Middle or
public parking lot has 4 Accessible spaces with direct access to the Accessible fishing pier, great views of
the lake, decent fishing & Great Egret or Great Blue Heron and or ducks & land birds around the cove.
Birding around the lakes is good in the Spring & Fall for ducks & other migrants. The North Pond doesn’t
have much if any access except from Lake View St and a few other roads that navigate along small portions
of the pond.
I’m sure you could Google these locations starting from Rt 10/202 and get a link for the directions.
Scott Ricker
Southwick, MA.
ptbagger@verizon.net
Reli-Abilities
Access Specialist