Massachusetts / Quabbin Reservoir /

Quabbin Reservoir Boat Launch

Boat ramp · on Quabbin Reservoir · near New Salem · Massachusetts

Restricted

Public, but limited to town residents, sticker or permit holders. Check the rules with the town or agency before you go.

Status not reported No closure has been posted for this launch, but its agency does not publish open or closed status. Check with the managing agency before you tow.

At the launch

Type
Boat ramp
Fee
Fee charged
Ramp surface
Concrete
Car parking
Varies
Managed by
DCR(W)
Coordinates
42.51816, -72.29389

Directions (Google) Apple Maps

On Quabbin Reservoir

Quabbin Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in Massachusetts. It covers about 39 square miles (roughly 24,700 acres), has 181 miles of shoreline and holds 412 billion gallons. Its average depth is 51 feet and its deepest point is 151 feet. The reservoir flooded the Swift River Valley behind Winsor Dam and Goodnough Dike, which were built between 1930 and 1939, and it was full by 1946. Building it displaced about 2,500 people and drowned the towns of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich and Prescott. The reservoir lies in the Chicopee River watershed, part of the Connecticut River basin, and is the main drinking water supply for 2.7 million Massachusetts residents. More about Quabbin Reservoir.

Boating rules on Quabbin Reservoir

  • Boat fishing season runs from the third Saturday in April to the third Saturday in October (boating closes October 17 in 2026) source
  • Private boats must have an unbroken DCR Quabbin Boat Seal, obtained by hot-water decontamination or cold weather quarantine inspection source
  • Everyone must carry a valid MA fishing/sporting license or Quabbin Fishing License plus fishing tackle source
  • Private two-stroke motors limited to half the boat's BIA/OBC hp rating, maximum 20 hp source
  • Private four-stroke motors limited to half the BIA/OBC hp rating; 4-stroke engines 40 hp or larger limited to a maximum of 25 hp source
  • DCR rental boats limited to 10 hp source
  • Boats must be at least 12 feet long; maximum 4 people per private boat source
  • No pontoon boats, inflatable boats or sailboats; private canoes and kayaks not allowed source
  • Boats must be operated at a safe and reasonable speed; no boating beyond marked limits source
  • No landing on shoreline or islands except at designated restroom sites or in emergencies (10-minute limit) source
  • No swimming or wading; no dogs; no alcohol or cannabis source
  • Pottapaug Pond and O'Loughlin Pond closed to all boating in 2026 (swollen bladderwort control) source

Community

Where people who use Quabbin Reservoir talk about it.

Nearby launches

Sources

Why it is listed as public: listed by Massachusetts Office of Fishing and Boating Access sites. Something wrong, or is this launch private? Corrections help everyone; a reporting form is coming soon.