New England Paddler
Puffers Pondaka Factory Hollow Pond
Puffers Pond
aka Factory Hollow Pond
Last Updated: 11/2024
Description
As a much loved and widely used natural amenity, Puffer’s Pond has been, and continues to be, an integral area that helps define North Amherst. The Pond is the largest open water body in Amherst and a prominent recreation area for fishing, birding, nature walking, canoeing, picnicking and swimming. Located approximately 3 miles north of the town center. The pond’s users and uses have changed over time and today it is the centerpiece of a greenbelt conservation area that stretches from Route 63 east to the Amherst Town line bordering Shutesbury and Leverett. This riparian corridor includes the formal Mill River Recreation Area, foot trails that meander though the floodplain of the Mill River below the Pond, Puffer’s Pond, and Cushman Brook, which flows down from the hills of Shutesbury into the Pond.
The variety of landscapes found along the Mill River, especially Puffer’s Pond, are highly valued by the public. Amherst residents, students, visitors and tourists enjoy Puffer’s Pond so much that they may be ‘loving it to death.’
Puffer’s Pond and its river corridor is a “vestige of the community’s industrial heritage” (Amherst Bulletin, 2007). Although very few extant mills remain, sluiceways, mittens, foundations and building artifacts silently explain that this area was once the economic driver of Amherst. The amount of industrial activity along the Mill River earned the area its nickname of Factory Hollow, with Puffer’s Pond known as Factory Hollow Pond.
Such a beautiful dam with water cascading over it.
- Puffer’s Pond hours are from 6:00am until dusk.
- Swimming is allowed but no lifeguard is on duty - swimming is at your own risk.
- The area around the dam and cliff are off limits. Insurance regulations require no trespassing, and trespassers will be prosecuted. Cliff jumping is prohibited.
- No alcoholic beverages or smoking.
- No glass containers are allowed anywhere around the pond.
- Children under 12 must have adult supervision.
- Dogs are not allowed on the North Beach or South Beach or in the water itself. Dogs may swim upstream in the Cushman Brook or downstream in the Mill River. Dogs must be leashed at all times.
- Fishing on shore is permitted - but people are encouraged to fish away from swimming areas. Fishing from canoes & kayaks is prohibited.
- Non-motorized boats are allowed on the pond from 6:00am until dusk.
- Parking is permitted as posted in parking areas and along the roadside. Parking is prohibited in front of gates as these entrances are for emergency vehicles and must be left clear. Parking is also prohibited between 8:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. Parking is not allowed on the south side of State Street between Sand Hill Road and the main entrance gate.
- Stay on marked trails.
- Please stay out of the water if you have any open cuts or wounds.
- Skinny-dipping is prohibited.
- No fires are permitted around the pond (including grills).
- Group use of conservation land, for weddings or other functions, may be allowed with prior approval of the Conservation Commission.
Puffer’s Pond Rules & Regulations
Puffers Pond Launch
Position: 42°24.94'N 72°31.05'W
Altitude: 227 feet
Boat Launch:
Boat Launch:
Car top launch near road at designated sign. No motorized boats.
Nearest Launch Address:
171 State Street, Amherst, MA 01002
- After launching, find parking further down the road.
Carry your boat to the water from this point.
A view of South Beach.
Introduction
Puffers Pond has always been an area-swimming hole and attracts locals and college students mostly during the warm weather. There are now a number of trails for hiking along the Mill river corridor. Since the pond is small for paddling, consider a visit there on a lazy summer day where you can hike, paddle, swim, and enjoy a picnic. Choose a different paddle if you want adventure.
The town of Amherst has posted an enormous amount of information, including extensive history, on their website. It would be difficult to improve upon their hard work. Below are some excerpts. Please refer to the town website at:
STATISTICS
Skill Level: Class 1 - Flat water
Estimated Time: 0.5 hour
Perimeter: 0.75 miles
USGS Map: Williamsburg, MA
Physical Features:
- Area: 12 acres
- Max depth: 20 feet
- Average Depth: 5 feet
- Transparency: feet
- Terrain Type: Wooded, State Park, Homes, Conservation Land
Fish Population
- Last survey: Unknown
- Species: Unknown
National Inventory of Dams
Factory Hollow Dam
NID ID: MA00063
Owner: Town of Amherst
Owner Type: Local Government
Purpose: Recreation
NID Height: 31 feet
NID Storage: 94 Acre-feet
Year Complete: 1895
Dam Type: Masonry, Gravity
Last Inspected: 05/13/2021
Emergency Action Plan Prepared: YES
Last Emergency Action Plan Revision: 02/01/2023
Owner: Town of Amherst
Owner Type: Local Government
Purpose: Recreation
NID Height: 31 feet
NID Storage: 94 Acre-feet
Year Complete: 1895
Dam Type: Masonry, Gravity
Last Inspected: 05/13/2021
Emergency Action Plan Prepared: YES
Last Emergency Action Plan Revision: 02/01/2023
National Inventory of Dams
Factory Hollow Dike
NID ID: MA00063S001
Owner: Town of Amherst
Owner Type: Local Government
Purpose: Recreation
NID Height: 5 feet
NID Storage: 94 Acre-feet
Year Complete: 1895
Dam Type: Earth
Last Inspected: 05/24/2021
Emergency Action Plan Prepared: NO
Last Emergency Action Plan Revision:
Owner: Town of Amherst
Owner Type: Local Government
Purpose: Recreation
NID Height: 5 feet
NID Storage: 94 Acre-feet
Year Complete: 1895
Dam Type: Earth
Last Inspected: 05/24/2021
Emergency Action Plan Prepared: NO
Last Emergency Action Plan Revision:
