Once I heard that a lake in Marlborough, Massachusetts, had added a half-mile floating boardwalk across it, I knew I just had to go! What a perfect Backyard Road Trip! On a crisp, beautiful October morning, with family in tow, we all headed to Marlborough to enjoy the Lake Williams Boardwalk.
My journey to the lake was on a weekend, so I could park close to the boardwalk’s entrance in the Marlborough District Court parking lot. During the week, this lot is only for court visitors, but there are other lots, including one near the Williams Street ball fields and another off Lizotte Drive.
Starting Our Journey
Starting at the court’s parking lot, the entrance to the boardwalk is only a short walk. The whole Lake Williams Trail crosses the body of water via the boardwalk but then descends into the woods for the remainder of the walk, totaling a 1.5-mile loop. Setting foot upon the boardwalk feels like stepping onto a floating dock, but with guard rails to prevent falling off. Although you can tell that water is underfoot, the boardwalk is not hard to navigate, so much so that my three-year-old spent the majority of the boardwalk running on it full tilt.
The ability to walk through the lake, of sorts, is really neat. The views of the woods near the lake were pretty in the fall, although much of the walk borders busy Route 20. Expect some wind off the lake, but also warm sun since there is no shade.
One of the favorite features of the walkway for my kids was the static electricity caused by walking on the bridge. Touching the guardrail (or your brother) created a sizable shock, so of course, my kids enjoyed trying to zap each other incessantly. At the end of the floating boardwalk, the walk continues into the woods and includes another type of wooden boardwalk over wetlands. Or you can turn around and double back on the boardwalk if you wish.
After our enjoyable walk, we headed to Lost Shoe Brewing and Roasting Company for excellent breakfast sandwiches, lattes, and beer to go. For another Marlborough Backyard Road Trip, try this excursion to the Assabet River Rail Trail.
