New Hampshire is a beautiful state in the United States that is famous for its many lakes and ponds. These amazing water bodies are natural lakes and also areas where rivers are held back by dams. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services keeps an official list of public waters. They have recorded 944 lakes and other water areas!
Discovering New Hampshire's Lakes
New Hampshire's lakes and ponds are super important. They offer lots of fun activities for everyone. You can go swimming, fishing, or boating in many of them. Some lakes are very big, while others are small and peaceful.
What Makes a Lake or Pond?
Lakes and ponds are natural dips in the land that fill up with water. They are usually fed by rivers, streams, or even underground springs. The main difference between a lake and a pond is often size. Lakes are generally larger and deeper than ponds.
Fun Activities on New Hampshire's Waterways
Many of the lakes in New Hampshire are perfect for outdoor adventures. Imagine splashing around on a hot summer day or casting a fishing line to catch some fish! Boating is also very popular, from small kayaks to bigger motorboats. These lakes are not just for fun; they are also home to many different kinds of plants and animals.
A Glimpse at New Hampshire's Lakes
Below is a list of some of the well-known lakes and ponds in New Hampshire. Each one has its own unique features and is located in different towns across the state. The table shows their size in both acres and hectares.
Lake |
Town(s) or city |
Area (acres) |
Area (hectares) |
Akers Pond |
Errol |
276.3 |
111.8 |
Armington, Lake |
Piermont |
152.2 |
61.6 |
Arlington Mill Reservoir |
Salem |
268.6 |
108.7 |
Ashuelot Pond |
Washington |
367.8 |
148.9 |
Ayers Island Reservoir |
Bristol, Bridgewater, New Hampton |
500.0 |
202.3 |
Baboosic Lake |
Amherst, Merrimack |
228.5 |
92.5 |
Back Lake |
Pittsburg |
347.7 |
140.1 |
Balch Pond/Stump Pond |
Wakefield, NH; Newfield, ME; Acton, ME |
570.7 |
230.9 |
Baxter Lake |
Farmington, Rochester |
302.1 |
122.3 |
Bellamy Reservoir |
Madbury, Dover |
382.2 |
154.7 |
Bow Lake |
Strafford, Northwood |
1,160.7 |
469.7 |
Broad Bay |
Freedom, Effingham |
463.8 |
187.7 |
Canaan Street Lake |
Canaan |
303.0 |
122.6 |
Canobie Lake |
Windham, Salem |
373.4 |
151.1 |
Cedar Pond |
Milan |
78 |
32 |
Chocorua Lake |
Tamworth |
222 |
90 |
Christine Lake |
Stark |
197 |
80 |
Cobbetts Pond |
Windham |
302.1 |
122.3 |
Comerford Reservoir |
Monroe, NH; Littleton, NH; Barnet, VT; Waterford, VT |
1,093.0 |
442.3 |
Contoocook Lake |
Jaffrey, Rindge |
322.9 |
130.7 |
Conway Lake |
Conway, Eaton |
1,299.0 |
525.7 |
Country Pond |
Kingston, Newton |
255.0 |
103.2 |
Crystal Lake |
Enfield |
404.4 |
163.7 |
Crystal Lake |
Gilmanton |
440.9 |
178.4 |
Crystal Lake |
Manchester |
18.6 |
7.5 |
Dan Hole Pond |
Ossipee, Tuftonboro |
443.3 |
179.4 |
Deering Reservoir |
Deering |
315.4 |
127.6 |
Dublin Pond |
Dublin |
240 |
97 |
Eastman Pond |
Grantham, Enfield |
335.0 |
135.6 |
Echo Lake |
Franconia |
38.2 |
15.5 |
Echo Lake |
Conway |
15.7 |
6.4 |
First Connecticut Lake |
Pittsburg |
3,071.0 |
1,242.8 |
Fourth Connecticut Lake |
Pittsburg |
1.8 |
0.74 |
Francis, Lake (Murphy Dam) |
Pittsburg, Clarksville |
1,933.8 |
782.6 |
Franklin Pierce Lake |
Hillsborough, Antrim |
483.4 |
195.6 |
Goose Pond |
Canaan, Hanover |
624.6 |
252.8 |
Grafton Pond |
Grafton |
321.0 |
129.9 |
Granite Lake |
Nelson, Stoddard |
232.5 |
94.1 |
Great East Lake |
Wakefield, NH; Acton, ME |
1,829.6 |
740.4 |
Great Pond |
Kingston |
268.0 |
108.5 |
Greenough Pond |
Wentworth Location |
234 |
95 |
Halfmoon Lake |
Barnstead, Alton |
282.4 |
114.3 |
Harrisville Pond |
Harrisville |
138 |
56 |
Highland Lake |
Stoddard, Washington |
712.0 |
288.1 |
Hopkins Pond (Adder Pond) |
Andover |
27 |
11 |
Horn Pond |
Wakefield, NH; Acton, ME |
227 |
92 |
Island Pond |
Stoddard |
179 |
72 |
Island Pond |
Derry, Hampstead, Atkinson |
531.6 |
215.1 |
Ivanhoe, Lake |
Wakefield |
68 |
28 |
Jenness Pond |
Northwood, Pittsfield |
266.9 |
108.0 |
Kanasatka, Lake |
Moultonborough |
371.0 |
150.1 |
Lakes of the Clouds |
Sargent's Purchase |
0.6 |
0.24 |
Little Squam Lake |
Ashland, Holderness |
408.1 |
165.1 |
Little Sunapee Lake |
New London, Springfield |
472.0 |
191.0 |
Locke Lake |
Barnstead |
149 |
60 |
Lonesome Lake |
Lincoln |
12.2 |
4.9 |
Lovell Lake |
Wakefield |
538.0 |
217.7 |
Mascoma Lake |
Enfield, Lebanon |
1,165.3 |
471.6 |
Massabesic Lake |
Auburn, Manchester |
2,561.4 |
1,036.6 |
Massasecum, Lake |
Bradford |
401.7 |
162.6 |
McIndoes Reservoir |
Monroe, NH; Barnet, VT |
545.0 |
220.6 |
Mendums Pond |
Barrington, Nottingham |
252.7 |
102.3 |
Merrymeeting Lake |
New Durham |
1,233.0 |
499.0 |
Milton Pond |
Milton, NH; Lebanon, ME |
270.5 |
109.5 |
Mirror Lake |
Tuftonboro |
332.8 |
134.7 |
Monomonac, Lake |
Rindge, NH; Winchendon, MA |
593.8 |
240.3 |
Moore Reservoir |
Littleton, NH, Dalton, NH; Waterford, VT; Concord, VT |
3,490.0 |
1,412.3 |
Newfound Lake |
Bristol, Hebron, Alexandria |
4,450.7 |
1,801.2 |
Northeast Pond |
Milton, NH; Lebanon, ME; Acton, ME |
682.7 |
276.4 |
Northwood Lake |
Northwood, Epsom |
653.0 |
264.3 |
Nubanusit Lake |
Nelson, Hancock |
715.0 |
289.3 |
Opechee Bay |
Laconia |
449.0 |
181.7 |
Ossipee Lake |
Ossipee, Freedom |
3,245.3 |
1,313.4 |
Paugus Bay |
Laconia |
1,220.0 |
493.7 |
Pawtuckaway Lake |
Nottingham |
783.4 |
317.0 |
Pearly Lake |
Rindge |
191.5 |
77.5 |
Pemigewasset Lake |
New Hampton, Meredith |
255.8 |
103.5 |
Penacook Lake |
Concord |
360.0 |
145.7 |
Pine River Pond |
Wakefield |
570.4 |
230.8 |
Pleasant Lake |
Deerfield |
479.0 |
193.8 |
Pleasant Lake |
New London |
606.0 |
245.2 |
Pontook Reservoir |
Dummer |
280.0 |
113.3 |
Potanipo Pond |
Brookline |
136.2 |
55.1 |
Powder Mill Pond |
Bennington, Hancock, Greenfield |
435.0 |
176.0 |
Powwow Pond |
Kingston, East Kingston |
285.3 |
115.5 |
Profile Lake |
Franconia |
13 |
5.3 |
Province Lake |
Wakefield, NH; Effingham, NH; Parsonsfield, ME |
967.1 |
391.4 |
Sebbins Pond |
Bedford |
20 |
8.1 |
Second Connecticut Lake |
Pittsburg |
1,102.1 |
446.0 |
Silver Lake |
Harrisville, Nelson |
332.7 |
134.6 |
Silver Lake |
Hollis |
39 |
16 |
Silver Lake |
Madison |
969.4 |
392.3 |
Skatutakee Lake |
Harrisville |
228 |
92 |
Solitude, Lake |
Newbury |
4.6 |
1.9 |
Spofford Lake |
Chesterfield |
738.8 |
299.0 |
Squam Lake |
Holderness, Center Harbor, Moultonborough, Sandwich |
6,790.7 |
2,748.2 |
Stinson Lake |
Rumney |
350.0 |
141.6 |
Success Pond |
Success |
290.0 |
117.4 |
Sunapee, Lake |
Sunapee, New London, Newbury |
4,136.2 |
1,673.9 |
Suncook Lakes |
Barnstead |
697.0 |
282.1 |
Sunrise Lake |
Middleton |
256.9 |
104.0 |
Sunset Lake |
Alton, Gilmanton |
252.7 |
102.3 |
Surry Mountain Lake |
Surry |
265.0 |
107.2 |
Swains Lake |
Barrington |
348.8 |
141.2 |
Tarleton, Lake |
Piermont, Warren |
334.3 |
135.3 |
Third Connecticut Lake |
Pittsburg |
231 |
93 |
Thorndike Pond |
Jaffrey, Dublin |
248.7 |
100.6 |
Turkey Ponds |
Concord |
339.0 |
137.2 |
Tuxbury Pond |
South Hampton, NH; Amesbury, MA |
119 |
48 |
Umbagog Lake |
Errol, NH; Cambridge, NH; Upton, ME; Magalloway, ME |
7,538.9 |
3,051.0 |
Waukewan, Lake |
Meredith, New Hampton |
928.3 |
375.7 |
Weare Reservoir |
Weare |
279.1 |
113.0 |
Webster Lake |
Franklin |
612.0 |
247.7 |
Wentworth, Lake |
Wolfeboro |
3,115.6 |
1,260.9 |
White Oak Pond |
Holderness |
291.0 |
117.8 |
Wicwas, Lake |
Meredith |
350.1 |
141.7 |
Willard Pond |
Antrim |
108.0 |
44.0 |
Winnipesaukee, Lake |
Laconia, Gilford, Meredith, Center Harbor,
Moultonborough, Tuftonboro, Wolfeboro, Alton |
44,586.0 |
18,043.1 |
Winnisquam, Lake |
Tilton, Belmont, Sanbornton, Laconia, Meredith |
4,237.5 |
1,714.9 |