Dorrs Pond — Attraction in Derry

I've always loved this park and have enjoyed visiting it for years, so it pains me to leave a 3-star review. However, after this weekend, the only reason I'm giving more than 1 star is that in prior years, this park has been well cared for and a pleasure to visit.

This weekend, my wife and I took our 2- and 4-year-old kids here to go to the playground and to go fishing. While I was attending to one child's scraped knee at the car (the other insisted on joining), our other child ran a short distance into the woods. When wrangling them, I found, to my horror, an unsheathed hypodermic needle lying on the ground. Adding to this distress, there were at least six people smoking cigarettes at the picnic tables adjacent to the playground.

It was a wildly different experience from years past, and it is truly disheartening to see such a cherished place fall...

A lot to say about this place. Ive been going here since 1998. Mainly come here to fish. In my youth, I used to run the trail to cut weight/train cardio as a wrestler. This is the first place I ever fished at 9 years old. I fished here the other day and now I'm 35. Lots of sentimental memories here. Fishing is good here. Lots of bass, pickerel and yellow perch. Ive also caught crappie, sunfish and the really occasional bullhead catfish. I wouldn't reccomend eating the fish out of here due to pollution. The water is also fairly shallow and stagnant. Pond is also home to some big snapping turtles and painted turtles. Lots of different ducks/swans also. A gem of a place in a metropolitan city. Only downside is the occasional annoying teenager being obnoxious. It was no different in the early...

Great walking path on the north end of the city. (Tends to be a bit congested with joggers and dog walkers). Nice quiet places to sit and enjoy nature. Lots of side paths branching from the main one for hiking. Pond is beautiful but wouldn't recommend dipping toes in the water (don't feed the wildlife!!!). City pool and park nearby complete with very vast open field for kite flying, kickball and other activities. bathrooms and free Parking available. Famous Puritan backroom right across the street if you're feeling hungry for a sweet cone, Ice cream trucks also frequent the park throughout the summer. I don't recommend walking at night. Bears are known to be sighted on the path. I saw one...