Quabbin Park, located off MA-9 in Belchertown is a small corner of the vast Quabbin Reservation. Open every day of the year from dawn until dusk, the park is the only section of the Reservation accessible by vehicle. The area offers visitor services including restroom facilities, the Quabbin Visitor Center, and the Quabbin Observation Tower, as well as many of the unique cultural and natural features of the Quabbin Reservation. Much of the main infrastructure that created the reservoir, Winsor Dam, Goodnough Dike, and the reservoir spillway, are all located in the park. A walk or drive through Quabbin Park Cemetery reveals the history of the valley’s lost towns. There are over twenty miles of walking trails available in the park giving visitors an opportunity to view wildlife.

Bicycling and fishing are also allowed in certain designated areas in the park. The Quabbin Visitor Center offers programs and information about the cultural history, and the management of the reservoir, watershed, and wildlife.

The Quabbin Reservoir is a remarkable engineering feat that provides water to millions of people in Massachusetts. It was constructed in the 1930s by damming the Swift River and flooding four towns in the process. The reservoir covers an area of 39 square miles and has a capacity of 412 billion gallons. The Quabbin Reservoir is a popular destination for fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing. The reservoir is surrounded by a protected forest that hosts a variety of plants and animals, some of which are rare or endangered. 

Quabbin Reservoir is one of the largest unfiltered water supplies in the United States. Along with the Wachusett Reservoir and Ware River, it is the source of high-quality water for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority water supply system. Recreational activities are regulated and limited to protect 3 million people’s drinking water.