Leonard’s Pond

Leonards Pond 1Leonard’s Pond is located on Mary’s Pond Road. The Rochester Land Trust purchased the 2.95 acres in 2008 to preserve the scenic views of Eastover Farm and to provide the public with a place to enjoy and access Leonard’s Pond. It is adjacent to 4.1 acres purchased from the Hiller family by the Town of Rochester to provide residents with over 450-linear feet of frontage on the pond.

HABITATS: A wonderful blend of man-made and natural succession.

  • shrub layer mostly of Sweet Pepper Bush, Blueberry and Red Maple
  • pine and hardwood

HISTORY: Native Americans camped along the Sippican River and used it as a water highway. Early European settlers built several mills near here. The land around Leonard’s Pond was cleared for hay fields, pastures, and for crops. In the 1900’s it was a dairy. In recent years, some of the cleared areas have grown up in white pines, our early succession trees. Eventually, hardwoods will fill in as the pines fall.

The bobbers festooning the trees are testimony to the many fishermen who try their luck here. In the spring, alewives, an anadromous fish, swim upstream along the Sippican River through a special fish ladder to spawn in the pond. The young will then return to the sea, but will come back to Leonard’s Pond in a few years to spawn and complete the cycle.

VISIT: Park in the off road parking area on Mary’s Pond Road. The path, cut by Eagle Scout Michael Spearin in 2009, follows the side of the pond and offers lovely views of Leonard’s Pond.

This trail was named the in memory of Herbert Wood Jr. Herb joined the Rochester Land Trust in 2004, and was treasurer from 2007 until stepping down in 2012. Herb came to the RLT Board of Directors after a career as an associate engineer at Titleist.

A longtime Rochester resident, Herb loved the open nature of his town and devoted countless hours not only as treasurer, but also volunteering his time at the many fundraising activities held by the Land Trust.  He rarely missed a board meeting; his accurate bookkeeping was a reflection of his analytical mind, and his dry wit a perfect foil for some of the more exuberant members. It is an honor for his land trust to name this trail the Herbert Wood Trail.

  • Walk the Herbert Wood Trail trail starting and ending near the off road parking area.
    Leonards Pond Sign Posting 1
  • Watch various waterfowl including geese, mergansers and buffleheads that use the pond as a migration stopover. Chickadees, titmice and woodpeckers flit through the trees. The pond teems with reptiles and amphibians such as snapping and painted turtles and bull and pickerel frogs.
  • Fish with a valid license – freshwater fish including Bass, Sunfish, Perch, Bluegill, Pumpkinseeed, Pickerel, Shiner,Bullhead, and Black Crappie.
  • Picnic at a table with a water view.