Black-and-white 1942 panorama north over the reservoir from the Administration Building

Quabbin Hours

When you can walk, drive, fish and visit

Quabbin Reservoir's lands are open to walkers every day from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, free. Cars in Quabbin Park follow a posted schedule that changes through the year: as of October 18, 2026, 6:30 am to 6:30 pm. The Quabbin Visitor Center is open 8:30 am–4:30 pm, Thursday through Tuesday (closed Wednesdays). Entry and parking are free everywhere except the three boat launch areas.

Quick Facts

Hours at a Glance

On foot (all DCR land)1 hr before sunrise to 1 hr after sunset

Quabbin Park by car6:30 am to 6:30 pm as of October 18, 2026 (posted)

Visitor center8:30 am–4:30 pm, Thursday through Tuesday (closed Wednesdays)

Holiday closuresThanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day

Boat launch areas6 a.m. to posted closing, in season

Fishing season (boats)April 18, 2026 – October 17, 2026

Shore fishingTo December 31

Entry & parkingFree (boat launch areas charge)

Walking Hours

DCR's general rule for the whole watershed: visitors may enter through designated gates and areas from one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset. That applies to Quabbin Park on foot and to every numbered gate around the reservoir (see gates). Night access is allowed only by permit, in fishing season, at specific gates. The exceptions without a permit are the Swift River below the Y Pool (reached from Route 9) and the banks of Pepper's Mill Pond in Quabbin Park, plus the off-watershed ponds.

Quabbin Park Vehicle Hours

Cars follow a separate schedule, because the park gates are locked overnight. DCR posts the time vehicles must leave at the Middle and East entrances, the Quabbin Tower, Enfield Lookout, Hanks Meadow and Goodnough Dike, and changes it through the year. As of October 18, 2026, vehicle hours were 6:30 am to 6:30 pm. Rangers sweep the park before closing. About 15 minutes before locking, the right half of each gate is shut so cars can leave but not enter; don't drive in if you see it.

Quabbin Visitor Center Hours

Black-and-white 1948 photo of the Quabbin Administration Building, a brick building with a lawn, at Winsor Dam

8:30 am–4:30 pm, Thursday through Tuesday (closed Wednesdays). Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, the same days Quabbin Park closes. Phone (413) 323-7221. More on the visitor center page.

Boat Launch Area Hours and Fees

The three boat launch areas (Gates 8, 31 and 43) open at 6 a.m. seven days a week during the fishing season. In 2026 they closed at 8 p.m. through May 9, 8:30 p.m. from May 10 to July 25, 8 p.m. to August 15, 7:30 p.m. to September 5, and 6:30 p.m. through the season's end on October 17, 2026. Boats must be off the water 90 minutes before closing.

Parking and fishing access: $6 per car, $8 with a trailer (launch included).
Season parking pass: $50, sold online only.
Boat and motor rental: $40 a day; boat only: $14.
One-day Quabbin Fishing License: $5.
Seniors 62 and older and people with a disability placard: half price on parking, the season pass and rentals.
Credit or debit cards only (no cash, no American Express).

Full details: boat rentals and the fishing guide.

Fishing Hours

Shore fishing: one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, from the third Saturday in April to December 31.
Night fishing on the reservoir: by DCR permit only, during the season, through Gates 16, 31, 33, 35, 41 and 43.
Swift River below Winsor Dam: fly fishing, catch and release, all year from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. The river, the Y Pool and the Route 9 parking area are closed 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Closures to Know About

Holidays: Quabbin Park and the visitor center close on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Deer hunt: Quabbin Park closes to the public during its two-day controlled hunt, December 2 and 3, 2026.
Weather: DCR can suspend boat rentals in high wind or storms, and can close shore fishing early for ice.
Security: DCR says national security conditions may require closing the watershed, with notices posted at access points.
Gate 30 parking (Route 122, New Salem) has been closed since 2021.

Black-and-white 1948 photo of a man beside a bronze tablet on the brick wall of the Quabbin Administration Building

Black-and-white 1943 view northeast over the reservoir from the Administration Building

FAQ

Hours FAQ

What are Quabbin Reservoir's hours?

Walkers: one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. Cars in Quabbin Park: posted hours that change through the year (6:30 am to 6:30 pm as of October 18, 2026).

What time does Quabbin Park close?

It changes with the season and is posted at the gates. As of October 18, 2026, vehicles had to be out by 6:30 pm. Gates are locked overnight.

Is the Quabbin Visitor Center open today?

It's open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm every day except Wednesday, and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Does Quabbin cost money?

No, except at the three boat launch areas in fishing season: $6 per car, $8 with a trailer.

Is Quabbin open in winter?

Yes. The watershed stays open to walkers and snowshoers in daylight hours, and Quabbin Park's roads open to cars on the posted schedule. Boating ends in October.