Herring Pond got its name from the Herring that inhabit its waters. It was an important fishing grounds for the Nauset tribe and later for European settlers. It has a maximum depth of about 7 feet and covers approximately 19 acres in area. The pond is part of a watershed that supports the migration and life cycle of herring, primarily during their spawning season in the spring. Alewives and Blue-backed Herring travel upstream from the ocean to Herring Pond every April and May and back to the ocean soon after the next generation is produced, making it a prime location for observing this natural phenomenon.