Office of Fishing and Boating Access (OFBA)

The Office of Fishing and Boating Access serves the public by providing and maintaining access to over 300 coastal and inland boat and canoe launch and fishing areas across the state.

News and Updates

Updates on OFBA facilities. The latest updates are at the top.

• 2023 Special Use Permits are now available! Apply online or by mail.

• Buel Lake—Pixley Road, Monterey
  The boat ramp will be closed from June 7 to July 1, 2023 for driveway and parking lot reconstruction work. Please check back for the reopening date.

• Katama Bay—Edgartown Bay Road, Edgartown
  The boat ramp is open for the season!

• Merrimack River—Pawtucket Boulevard, Lowell
  The boat ramp is open for the season.
  Management Measure: The public access facility will be closed for public usage November 2022–May 2023. Exact closure dates are determined by the installation and removal of the safety barrier at the Pawtucket Dam. 

• Sabbatia Lake—Bay Street, Taunton
  The lake will be closed on June 15, July 21, and August 6, 2023 for invasive weed treatment.

• Pequot Pond—Route 202, Westfield
  The boat ramp will be closed early June for grading. Please check back for updates.

• Connecticut River (Barton Cove)—Cove View Road, Gill
  The boat ramp is open for the season!
  Management Measure: The boat ramp will be closed mid-November and reopen mid-May when safety barrels are installed.

• Black Rock Creek (Salisbury Beach)—Atlantic Avenue, Salisbury
  The boat ramp is open for the season!

• Lake Quinsigamond—North Quinsigamond Road, Shrewsbury
  The Quinsigamond Rowing Association (QRA) has rowing events on weekends from April 8 to May 27 and the facility may be closed. Please check the QRA lake schedule

• Connecticut River (Oxbow)—North Street, Easthampton
  The boat ramp is open for the season.
  Management Measure: The boat ramp facility will be closed seasonally mid-November to mid-May. Please note that short-term, temporary closures may occur due to increased river flows.

• Connecticut River—Syrek Street, Chicopee
  The boat ramp facility is open for the season. 
  Management Measure: The boat ramp facility will be closed seasonally mid-November to mid-May. Please note that short-term, temporary closures may occur due to increased river flows.

• Merrimack River—Wooten Street, Chelmsford
  The Southwell Field boat ramp is open for car-top boat (canoes, kayaks, etc.) use only. Alternative trailered boat access is available at the Pawtucket Boulevard boat ramp in Lowell.

• Merrimack River—Riverside Drive, Methuen
  Management Measure: The boat ramp facility is closed November 1–March 31. It will reopen April 5–October 31, 5 a.m.–9 p.m. daily.

• Singletary Lake—West Main Street, Millbury
  Management Measure: The boat ramp facility will be open for cartop access only during periods of lake level drawdown, November 1–May 1.

• Scorton Creek—Inner Beach Lane, Sandwich
  Management Measure: The public access facility will be closed December 1–April 15.

• Walden Pond—Concord Road, Concord
  Management Measure: The boat ramp facility will be closed December 1–April 1, weather permitting.

• Cook Pond—Henry, Fall River
  Management Measure: From December 1 to March 31, the boat ramp facility is closed all day Monday–Friday, and Saturday–Sunday from dusk to dawn. The facility is open Saturday–Sunday from dawn to dusk. The facility is open every day April 1–November 30 from dawn until dusk.

• South Watuppa Pond—Jefferson Street Extension, Fall River
  Management Measure: From December 1 to March 31, the boat ramp facility is closed all day Monday–Friday, and Saturday–Sunday from dusk to dawn. The facility is open Saturday–Sunday from dawn to dusk. The facility is open every day April 1–November 30 from dawn until dusk.

• Merrimack River (Riley Park)—Rowe Street, Lawrence
  The boat ramp facility is temporarily closed. Please check back for re-opening date.