LAKE RESOURCES
From nature preserves to scenic views to major national events, Newfound Lake is the perfect destination for your whole family. Here’s what you need to know.
Public areas and things to do
BOATING
Explore Newfound Lake by boat on your own, book an eco-tour or charter, join a sailing club or follow a water trail on the lake’s north end. You can choose from a number of public boat launches.
BEACHES
Ready for a relaxing day on the beach? Newfound Lake beaches range from small and quaint to one of the biggest around.
Wellington State Park
Reserve your spot early at the largest freshwater swimming beach in the New Hampshire state park system.
NATURE PRESERVES
Get out into nature to explore the lake’s native wildlife by land or water.
Newfound Audubon Center, Hebron
Enjoy a hike, pack a picnic and experience the beauty of Hebron Marsh. Nature store available.
Paradise Point Natural Area, Hebron
This 43-acre sanctuary includes wooded trails along the lake, canoe rentals and excellent bird-watching.
Warren Fish Hatchery and Education Center, Warren
Learn about how nearly a million trout are hatched and raised each year. Open year-round.
EVENTS
The event calendar is always full at Newfound Lake. Here’s just a sampling of the area’s year-round events.
New Hampshire Marathon
Spend the first weekend in October cheering on your favorites — or register to run! — at this sanctioned qualifier for the Boston Marathon.
Newfound Rendezvous
This gathering of boatbuilders, which takes place every September in Wellington State Park, is a gathering to show off their beautiful, strip-built boats.
Hebron Gazebo Programs
Enjoy an outdoor concert, some good barbecue and family fun days.
Hebron Harvest Fair
This popular annual tradition includes fine arts and crafts, vendors, live entertainment, barbecue and more.
Fourth of July Parade
Celebrate the nation’s independence in downtown Bristol with a parade and more.
Ice Racing
Watch souped-up sports cars take on the frozen lake every January through March.
HIKING
The lake has no shortage of hiking trails, with locations that encircle the entire lake. Find a trail that’s perfect for you, whether you’re a weekend warrior or avid mountain hiker.
Cardigan Mountain State Park, Alexandria
Head out from the trailhead on Cardigan Mountain Road for outstanding views. The park also includes a pond, waterfalls, picnic area, camping, lodge and backcountry skiing.
Elwell Trail, Bristol
Summit two peaks in one hike on the Elwell Trail, which begins just after the entrance to Wellington State Park. This link between Newfound Lake and Mount Cardigan crests both Big Sugarloaf and Little Sugarloaf with offshoots that encircle Goose Pond.
Sculptured Rocks Natural Area, Groton
A river-formed gorge and waterfalls create beautiful scenery here, along with areas to picnic and swim, including one of the best natural waterslides in New England.
Little Round Top, Bristol
Hike to a rustic outdoor chapel for peace, meditation and unbelievable views of Bristol below. Find the trailhead just south of town on Route 3A.
Old Hill Village, Hill
Explore 10 miles of old roadways and trails on the floodplain along the Pemigewasset River, where Hill used to be. Start your trek from the same parking area as Profile Falls.
Bridgewater Mountain, Bridgewater
Head to the top of Poole Hill Road and Bridgewater Mountain Road by foot or snowmobile to Sky Fields, an open field on the mountaintop with an old estate. It’s a great place to watch the weather move in.
Stinson Mountain, Rumney
Enjoy spectacular views of the Baker River Valley and the Franconia and Sandwich ranges. To reach Stinson, drive west from Plymouth on Route 25 to Rumney. Turn north and drive through the village to Stinson Lake. Bear right near the outlet of the lake and drive uphill. Take a sharp left-hand turn, and you’re in the parking lot.
Rattlesnake Mountain, Rumney
Beginning on Buffalo Road, this is a moderate trail that offers spectacular views of the Baker River Valley and its surrounding fields and mountains. To get to the trailhead, take Route 25W from the Plymouth traffic circle. At the blinking light, turn right into Rumney Village. In the village, take the first left onto Buffalo Road and travel two-and-a-half miles west to a small parking area.
THE NEWFOUND LAKE STORY
Get to know one of the world’s cleanest lakes
How did Newfound Lake receive the honor of being considered among the cleanest in the world? It’s due to a combination of its depth (at 183 feet, it’s one of the deepest in the state), the eight freshwater springs that feed its source and truly undeveloped surroundings that protect it from pollutants. At 4,106 acres, the crystal-clear waters of Newfound Lake are dazzling and milfoil-free, and its remote location is paradise for stargazers.
Believed to be called Pasquaney Lake by the Native Americans, meaning “the place where birch bark for canoes is found,” its name migrated to its current state throughout the 1700s as settlers moved in. First gaining popularity as a summer resort for the wealthy in the mid-1800s, Newfound Lake quickly grew into a tourist destination for all walks of life. Resort life was in its heyday in the 1930s and 1940s, when summer cottages and resorts lined the entire circumference of the lake and were as much of an experience as the lake itself. While many of those cottages are no longer standing, a visit to the Pasquaney Inn in Bridgewater takes visitors back to that unique era of Granite State history.
Today, the lake is home to 22 species of fish, miles of shoreline and islands that can be explored by land or water. It remains a sought-after destination for outdoor enthusiasts all year long, and serves as the location for a number of major national events, including marathons and ice racing.