Wellesley College reporters revisit Lake Waban path closure

The Wellesley News, the student-run newspaper and website at Wellesley College, has published a story headlined “No answers on Lake path closure.” The reporters take a look at the situation four years after the scenic loop was partially closed.

The News made a game effort to get an update, but ultimately was unable to pry much new information from those they reached, and was unable to reach others, including neighboring property owners to the college. The college reopened its portion of the path in 2021 after closing it during the pandemic.

The entire loop opens several times a year, usually on the q.t., other than to the college community, which gets a heads up. The openings tend to be on weekends when the path can be showcased for parents or alumni.

Some have pointed to Lake Waban technically being a Great Pond that state law appears to require public access to, but to our knowledge no formal action has been taken on this front.

We once called the Lake Waban loop “Wellesley’s best walk.”

The closure of the loop is one of several changes to public access of beauty spots in the area. The increasingly gated MassHort operation at Elm Bank Reservation over the years has closed off free access to its gardens, not far from the Lake Waban loop (you can still pay to get in). Then there was the initial sledding hill ban last winter at Elm Bank. Separately, just west of Elm Bank, Natick is readying for the 2026 removal of the iconic spillway (aka, waterfall) at the Charles River Dam that has served as a backdrop for so many wedding and other celebratory photos. The town is removing the spillway to save money, avoid possible future liability, and for ecological reasons. A new, more accessible park is planned for what will become an ordinary stretch of river.

Well, at least we still have Centennial Reservation and the surrounding forest on the other end of Wellesley…

Sign up for Swellesley’s free email newsletter