US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsHolderness · Sandwich · Moultonborough · Center Harbor, New Hampshire — NH Fish & Game Region 2 (Lakes Region). Designated Lake Trout and Salmon Lake.
Source: NH Fish & Game NH Freshwater Fishing Guide layer (NHFG Inland Fisheries, 2026; depth/area/trophic from NHDES). Depth map: NHFG Squam Lake bathymetry map (PDF). NHD Permanent ID 92797659.
The red circle marks the lake.
Road distances are measured to the NHFG Squam Lakes Boat Access Facility (Holderness) using OSRM routing on © OpenStreetMap data.
As of 2026-10-10. Check the official source before you go.
Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 92797659), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: NH Access Sites to Public Waters (NH OPD / NHFG, 2025). Marinas aren't plotted because no official coordinates are published. Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
| Month | Median | Range measured | Samples | Years sampled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 68.5°F | 66.7–71.2°F | 27 | 2015, 2023 |
| July | 76.1°F | 74.7–80.1°F | 27 | 2015, 2022 |
| August | 75.6°F | 74.7–79.3°F | 34 | 1988–2021 (3 yrs) |
These are actual lake-sampling measurements, not a forecast, from a small number of years. They show what the water has been like, not what it is today. One April 2022 sample read 45.8°F. No winter, spring, or fall data were found.
Water data: Water Quality Portal (USGS/EPA), "Temperature, water" for NHDES (org 11113300) and UNH Lakes Lay Monitoring Program (org U_NH01) Squam Lake stations. Pulled Oct 10, 2026. Air data: National Weather Service API (api.weather.gov), nearest observation station.
Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.
Each dot is one year's ice-out date (47 years, 1978–2025). Higher on the chart means earlier in spring. The dashed line is the average.
| Year | Ice-out |
|---|---|
| 2025 | April 16 |
| 2024 | March 31 |
| 2023 | Not recorded |
| 2022 | April 8 |
| 2021 | April 8 |
| 2020 | April 8 |
| 2019 | April 26 |
| 2018 | April 27 |
Squam Lakes Association rule: ice is out when a boat can get from the Ashland covered bridge through Little Squam and the channel to Sandwich Beach. (SLA). Ice-out isn't the same as safe ice. Never judge ice safety from these dates.
Source: NHDES Ice Cover Data Record. NHDES Ice Cover Data Record for Squam Lake (table updated Sept 23, 2026). 2023 isn't in the record. As of Oct 10, 2026.
★ = stocked in 2026. Species list from NHFG Fishing Guide codes: RT, LLS, LT, LW, SMB, LMB, ECP, BBH, WP, BC, BRB, AE (names decoded by us; NHFG does not publish the legend with the layer).
| Date | Species | Fish | Lbs | Hatchery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2026 | Landlocked salmon (1+ yr) | 3,911 | 550 | New Hampton |
| May 13, 2026 | Rainbow trout (1+ yr) | 1,300 | 431 | Twin Mountain |
| May 13, 2026 | Rainbow trout (1+ yr) | 2,617 | 875 | Twin Mountain |
Source: NHFG Fish Stocking (2026) feature service · NHFG stocking report. Pulled Oct 10, 2026.
Sources: 2026 NH Freshwater Fishing Digest – Lakes & Ponds rules · Ice Fishing & cusk waters · NHFG Fishing Seasons. Always check the current digest before fishing.
| Site | Town | Owner | Ramp / type | Parking | Fee | Notes | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squam Lakes Boat Access Facility Rt 113, Squam channel | Holderness | State – NHFG | Trailer · concrete ramp · dock | Paved | No fee | Restrooms. No personal watercraft; speed restrictions | 43.7325, -71.5878 |
| Squam Lakes Assn. Ramp | Holderness | Squam Lakes Association | Concrete ramp | Gravel | $5 parking (non-members) | 25 HP max · dawn to dusk · restrooms · no PWC (SLA) | 43.7260, -71.5630 |
| Center Harbor Town Beach | Center Harbor | Town | Gravel ramp | Gravel | Residents only | No PWC; speed restrictions | 43.7353, -71.4991 |
| Sandwich town boat ramp | Sandwich | Town | Ramp & trailer lot | — | Resident sticker | Town permit sticker required (2025–26: $15, two-year) | — |
| Squaw Cove Cartop Access | Sandwich | Private nonprofit | Cartop / carry-in | Gravel | No fee | Limited access | 43.7848, -71.5221 |
| Belknap Woods | Center Harbor | Squam Lakes Association | Cartop · shore | Gravel | No fee | Difficult access; no PWC | 43.7031, -71.5026 |
Sources: NH Access Sites to Public Waters (NH Office of Planning & Development / NHFG, 2025) · Sandwich: 2025–2026 Permit Sticker form. SLA ramp fee and horsepower limit are from the SLA boat launch page. As of Oct 10, 2026.
At the launches: Squam Lakes Association ramp (534 US Route 3): 25 HP max. Bigger boats launch at the Route 113 state ramp. $5 parking for non-members, open dawn to dusk, and the SLA cove is no-wake. (SLA)
Source: NH State Police Marine Patrol, Restricted Bodies of Water. These are summaries. For exact wording, see Saf-C 400 and RSA 270. As of Oct 10, 2026.
Documented on Squam Lake
The Squam Lakes Association says no new variable milfoil infestation has been found on the Squam Lakes since 2007, and it has Lake Hosts at the Route 113 state launch and its own Piper Cove launch in summer. (SLA)
Sources: NHDES Lake Information Mapper (exotic species fields) · RSA 487:16-d · RSA 487:16-c. As of Oct 10, 2026.
| Marina | Location | Fuel | Slips / storage | Rentals | Repairs / service | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squam Boat Livery | 853 Route 3, Holderness, NH 03245 | Gas dock (fall hours from 9/8: Mon–Fri 9–3, Sat 9–5, Sun closed) | Inside storage $44/ft; shrink-wrap $34/ft, owner-stored $27/ft (2026) | Weekly & daily boat rentals (e.g. 13-ft Boston Whaler 25 HP, $1,000/week) | Service dept. Mon–Fri 9–5; shop rate $137/hr; towing $200/hr (2026) | (603) 968-7721 · squamboats.com |
| Holderness Harbor | Holderness, on Squam Lake (address not published on its site) | Marine gas | 7 covered boathouse + 35 open slips; open slip $4,950/season, $600/week, $150/night; valet dry storage $3,600/season (2026) | Whalers, fishing boats, pontoons, bowriders, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards | Parts, service & ship store; detailing | (603) 968-9001 · holdernessharbor.com |
Sources: each marina's own website (Squam Boat Livery rentals, service rates; Holderness Harbor slips, rentals). Prices and hours change every season. As of Oct 10, 2026. OpenStreetMap had no marina mapped on Squam Lake.
| Beach | Town | Who can use it | Cost / pass | Facilities | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holderness Town Beach | Holderness | Town residents only | Not published (state data: residents only) | Picnic, restrooms, gravel parking | 43.7441, -71.5610 |
| Sandwich Town Beach | Sandwich | Residents & guests | Permit sticker $15 (2-yr) or guest pass $10 (2-yr); $75 fine if parked without one (2025–26) | Picnic, restrooms, gravel parking | 43.7824, -71.4725 |
| Center Harbor Town Beach | Center Harbor | Town residents only | Not published (state data: residents only) | Picnic, restrooms, gravel ramp | 43.7353, -71.4991 |
| Livermore Beach | Holderness | Managed by Holderness Recreation with the Squam Lakes Conservation Society | Not published | — | — |
Hours and season dates are not published in these official sources for 2026, so we don't show any. Check with the town before you go. Water quality: see Safe to swim? below.
Sources: NH Access Sites layer (above) · Sandwich 2025–26 permit form · Holderness 2025 Annual Report. As of Oct 10, 2026.
| Notice | Issued | Removed | Days | Main type | Cell count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warning (historic) | Oct 12, 2018 | Oct 17, 2018 | 5 | Microcystis | 175,500 cells/mL |
This is the only notice on NHDES's record for Squam Lake (updated April 22, 2026). Check before you swim: the NHDES Healthy Swimming Mapper is updated daily. If you see a bloom, stay out of the water, keep pets out, and report it to NHDES.
Sources: NHDES Cyanobacteria Bloom History, Squam Lake · NHDES Healthy Swimming Mapper data (status above refreshes live when the page loads) · NHDES Lake Information Mapper. As of Oct 10, 2026.
Road miles are measured from the Route 113 state launch with OSRM on OpenStreetMap data. Details come from each linked official page. As of Oct 10, 2026.
Placeholder links. They'll be swapped for real tracking links after program approval, with an affiliate disclosure added.
NH Fish & Game Region 2 (Lakes Region), New Hampton · reg2@wildlife.nh.gov · 603-744-5470. License prices: NHFG License Prices (+$2.00 transaction fee, $2.75 online).
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All New Hampshire lakes & ponds · All waters in Holderness