Top lakes
LakeLake Chaubunagungamaug
LakeWalden Pond
LakeLake Cochichewick
LakeHoughtons Pond
LakeWenham Lake
LakeCrystal Lake
LakeJamaica Pond
LakeLake Massapoag
LakeLake Nippenicket
LakeQuaboag Pond
LakeEll Pond
LakeLake Buel
Lakes by county
All lakes (52)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Chaubunagungamaug | Worcester County | 146 m | Webster | 6 |
| Walden Pond | Middlesex County | 48 m | Concord | 7 |
| Lake Cochichewick | Essex County | 34 m | North Andover | 7 |
| Houghtons Pond | Norfolk County | 48 m | Readville | 8 |
| Wenham Lake | Essex County | 10 m | Wenham | 7 |
| Crystal Lake | Middlesex County | 43 m | Newton Center | 9 |
| Jamaica PondFrederick Law Olmsted | Suffolk County | 18 m | Jamaica Plain | 9 |
| Lake Massapoag | Norfolk County | 76 m | Sharon | 7 |
| Lake Nippenicket | Plymouth County | 17 m | Raynham | 6 |
| Quaboag Pond | Worcester County | 182 m | East Brookfield | 5 |
| Ell Pond | Middlesex County | 14 m | Melrose | 9 |
| Lake Buel | Berkshire County | 277 m | New Marlborough | 5 |
| Follins Pond | Barnstable County | 2 m | South Dennis | 6 |
| Indian Head Pond (Massachusetts) | Plymouth County | 20 m | Hanson | 6 |
| Watuppa Ponds | Bristol County | 40 m | Fall River | 7 |
| Learned Pond | Middlesex County | 49 m | Framingham | 8 |
| Little Herring Pond | Plymouth County | 11 m | White Island Shores | 5 |
| Long Pond | Plymouth County | 16 m | North Lakeville | 5 |
| Brooks Pond | Worcester County | 202 m | North Brookfield | 5 |
| New Long Pond | Plymouth County | 29 m | White Island Shores | 5 |
| Sawins pond | Middlesex County | 6 m | Allston/Brighton | 9 |
| The Oxbow | Hampshire County | 27 m | Northampton | 7 |
| Lake Quinsigamond | Worcester County | 109 m | Hamilton Worcester | 8 |
| Dug Pond | Middlesex County | 45 m | Natick | 8 |
| Ezekiel Pond | Plymouth County | 14 m | White Island Shores | 5 |
| Fairhaven Bay | Middlesex County | 33 m | Concord | 7 |
| Fresh Pond (Cambridge, Massachusetts) | Middlesex County | 2 m | West Somerville/Davis Square | 9 |
| Great Herring Pond | Plymouth County | 10 m | Sagamore | 5 |
| Silver Lake | Berkshire County | 298 m | Pittsfield | 7 |
| Sunset Lake | Norfolk County | 31 m | Braintree | 8 |
| Assawompset Pond | Plymouth County | 16 m | North Lakeville | 6 |
| Big Sandy Pond | Plymouth County | 15 m | White Island Shores | 5 |
| Winnecunnet Pond | Bristol County | 20 m | Norton Center | 7 |
| Tispaquin Pond | Plymouth County | 26 m | Middleborough | 5 |
| Spectacle Pond | Plymouth County | 5 m | Onset | 5 |
| Leonards Pond | Plymouth County | 8 m | Rochester | 5 |
| Little Long Pond | Plymouth County | 21 m | White Island Shores | 5 |
| Walker Pond | Worcester County | 177 m | Sturbridge | 5 |
| Maquan Pond | Plymouth County | 22 m | Hanson | 6 |
| Monponsett Pond | Plymouth County | 18 m | Halifax | 6 |
| Oldham Pond | Plymouth County | 17 m | Hanson | 6 |
| Fairyland Pond | Middlesex County | 40 m | Concord | 7 |
| Hocomonco Pond | Worcester County | 85 m | Westborough | 6 |
| Pocksha Pond | Plymouth County | 16 m | North Lakeville | 5 |
| Prankers PondSaugus Iron Works | Essex County | 8 m | Saugus | 8 |
| Halfway Pond | Plymouth County | 19 m | White Island Shores | 5 |
| Hedges Pond | Plymouth County | 31 m | White Island Shores | 5 |
| Watson Pond | Bristol County | 19 m | Raynham | 7 |
| Little Quittacas Pond | Plymouth County | 16 m | North Lakeville | 5 |
| Gallows Pond | Plymouth County | 21 m | White Island Shores | 5 |
| Great Quittacas Pond | Plymouth County | 16 m | North Lakeville | 5 |
| Quabbin Reservoir | Franklin County | — | Hardwick | 5 |
Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).
Map
How to photograph lakes
Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.
- For mirror reflections, get low and close to the water; the reflection grows with a lower camera.
- A polarizer can remove reflections to show the lakebed — or keep them, depending on rotation.
- Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
- Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
- Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.
Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.