Ashmere Lake in Hinsdale, MA

We were recently on vacation in western Massachusetts, and I took the kayak along. The cottage we rented was only one street away from Ashmere Lake, so I was able to go out and explore the lake a few times. Lake Ashmere is mostly lined with houses, two summer camps, and a few motorboats. It’s not an ideal paddling destination, but it was worth checking out.

The northern half of Ashmere Lake (where our cottage was) has much more shore to explore, though it is packed with houses. Camp Taconic had lots of kids on the water in a variety of boats, obviously having fun. It took me about two hours to leisurely paddle this portion of the lake.

The southern portion of Ashmere Lake has a few less houses, especially at the southernmost side. This portion of the lake is labeled as a state park, and there is a boat launch available. There’s also a tunnel connecting the north and south halves of the lake, and it was fun to paddle through that.

Ashmere Lake is a fine place to paddle if you live on the shore or are away on vacation, but I wouldn’t make it a priority to visit there. I suppose it may be worth noting that these photos are from a Pentax Optio W90 waterproof digital camera; this is the first time I took it kayaking with me.

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