Only a small portion of the eastern shoreline is developed; the southeastern and western shores are bordered by large expanses of marshland.

[1] The name comes from a Native American[clarification needed] word meaning a spring that bubbles up from red soil, sweet water, or shallow pond.

[2] The Appalachian Mountain Club operates the AMC Ponkapoag Camp on the eastern shore of the pond.

There is street-side parking and a place to launch cartop boats and canoes at Fisherman's Beach on the pond's southern side.

[3] Although there are some limited areas where shore fishing is possible, the heavy weeds make it difficult to cover much productive water without a boat.