Squam Lake New Hampshire

Squam Lake

Interested in visiting a stunningly beautiful lake in New Hampshire, but you don’t want to deal with the crowds at Lake Winnipesaukee? Want to swim in clean water, fish on a large, unpolluted lake or just relax on sandy shores? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you might consider a trip to Squam Lake, the second-largest lake within the borders of New Hampshire.

Squam Lake is located in central New Hampshire, just northwest of the mammoth Lake Winnipesaukee. Squam Lake is still quite large by most standards, covering an area of over 6700 acres. Not quite as large or deep as it’s neighbor to the southeast, Squam Lake has plenty to offer visitors as well as those who have chosen to make this area of the state their home. Squam Lake drains into Little Squam Lake to the southwest, then flows through a dam into the Squam River, then the Pemigewasset River in Ashland, NH.

Squam Lake was first known as Keeseenunknipee, which, in the native Abenaki tongue, means “goose lake in the highlands”. As settlers often did when they came across a village, mountain or lake that had already been named by the local Native Americans, they renamed it to a more European name like “Casumpa”, “Kusumpy” and “Kesumpe”. In the early 1800’s, the lake was renamed, this time with the Abenaki name, “Asquam”, which means “water”. By the early 1900’s the name had been shortened simply to Squam Lake, the name it retains today.

The lake offers picturesque views from any angle, though looking north and northwest across the lake affords you a spectacular view of the White Mountains reflecting on the pristine waters of Squam. Only minutes from the White Mountain National Forest, Squam Lake gives residents and visitors the best of both. Much less frequently visited than Lake Winnipesaukee to the southeast, Squam Lake allows for a little more room to breathe without bumping into another boat, water-skier or jetski. In fact, you may have already seen Squam Lake without even realizing it – the lake was used in the filming of “On Golden Pond”. Peaceful and tranquil, Squam Lake is a little slice of paradise well within the Granite State.

Only the two towns of Holderness and Center Sandwich actually border the lake, however several small villages and camps also call Squam Lake their home. With fewer residences and fewer towns surrounding the lake, Squam Lake experiences far less traffic than the larger Winnipesaukee.

Fishing, canoeing, wake-boarding, sailing and more await you at Squam Lake. Consider planning your next vacation here, or, if you’re looking to make a move in your life, think about what this region of the state has to offer. And if you need more information about the wonderful state of New Hampshire, you should call Jim Miller Bean Group at (603) 801-3987. Jim is happy to extol the virtues of the Granite State and would love to help you find the perfect home for you and your family. Call today and start enjoying New Hampshire tomorrow.