Silver Lake, New Hampshire, USA

Silver Lake is located in eastern New Hampshire’s Lakes tourism region, just south of the White Mountain National Forest. The lake spans almost 1,000 acres with seven miles of shoreline. Nestled in Carroll County, Silver Lake has an average depth of 47 feet and a maximum depth of 164 feet. Inflow into the lake comes from three sources (Deer River, Cooks Brook and Forrest Creek), while its…
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All About Silver Lake, NH

Silver Lake is located in eastern New Hampshire’s Lakes tourism region, just south of the White Mountain National Forest. The lake spans almost 1,000 acres with seven miles of shoreline. Nestled in Carroll County, Silver Lake has an average depth of 47 feet and a maximum depth of 164 feet. Inflow into the lake comes from three sources (Deer River, Cooks Brook and Forrest Creek), while its outflow carries water from the southern tip of a lake through a stream to Ossipee Lake a few miles southeast.

Silver Lake has a watershed area of 22 square miles. The dam, built in 1975 and located at the southern section of the lake, controls water levels and is owned and operated by the Town of Madison. Monitoring of the water quality and protecting the general environment of the lake through community programs also falls to the Silver Lake Association of Madison, a group of citizens committed to keeping Silver Lake clean and healthy for generations to come.

Visitors have access to three beaches (Nichols Beach, Monument Beach, and Kennett Beach) with crystalline waters to enjoy swimming and snorkeling. Residents and their guests have access to a fourth beach, Town Beach. A boat launch ramp is located at the south end of Silver Lake with mandatory boat inspection for invasive plants and animals. Personal watercraft (jet skis) are not permitted on the lake. Summertime brings sailboats, rowing shells and kayaks plowing the pristine waters. Silver Lake lures anglers with catches of smallmouth bass, pickerel, horned pout, lake trout, rainbow trout and white fish. Ice fishing is also popular during the winter for those hardy enough to brave the cold temperatures.

For a bit of time spent out of the Silver Lake’s waters, make your way to the northern tip of the lake to visit the Village of Silver Lake and further north for the larger Town of Madison. The small town offers local cuisine with seasonal events throughout the year. To make your visit a bit more memorable, travel a few miles northwest of Madison and check out the Madison Boulder, a large granite rock that is 83 feet high and 23 feet wide. Called a glacial erratic, or a rock carried by glaciers far from its place of origin, this 5,000-ton boulder is one of the largest in the world. A quick stop in the Village of Silver Lake will put you next to another unique setting — the summer home of the famous poet E.E. Cummings.

The area around Silver Lake is not lacking in outdoor activities, either. There are nearly 230 acres of wetland habitat at Goodwin Forest to discover, located just to the southeast of the lake. Hiking trails within the Herbert Burke Forest, just below the Goodwin Forest, are also popular. Visitors can snowmobile in the winter and hike a trail up to Trout Pond in the summer or fall. A few miles to the north of Silver Lake is the White Mountain National Forest, with over 800,000 acres to explore. Check out daily loop hikes that range from easy to moderately difficult, or backpack into the forest and spend the night beneath the stars. Watch for bears and moose, both of which live and can be seen within the forest.

Rent a vacation home or cottage to explore the Silver Lake community. With numerous real estate opportunities available, making your home within this pristine setting has never been easier.

Things to Do at Silver Lake NH

These are some activities in the Silver Lake, NH area visitors can enjoy:

  • Vacation Rentals
  • Fishing
  • Ice Fishing
  • Boating
  • Sailing
  • Swimming
  • Beach
  • Kayaking
  • Snorkeling
  • Hiking
  • Snowmobiling
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • National Forest

What Kind of Fish Are in Silver Lake NH?

Silver Lake NH has been known to have the following fish species:

  • Bass
  • Black Bass
  • Lake Trout
  • Pickerel
  • Pike
  • Rainbow Trout
  • Smallmouth Bass
  • Trout
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Find Places to Stay at Silver Lake NH

If you’re considering a Silver Lake NH lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

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More Sites to Book a Silver Lake NH Vacation

Our interactive Silver Lake NH lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

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Silver Lake NH Statistics & Helpful Links

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Lake Type: Natural Freshwater Lake, Dammed

Water Level Control: Town of Madison

Surface Area: 995 acres

Shoreline Length: 7 miles

Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 466 feet

Average Depth: 47 feet

Maximum Depth: 164 feet

Water Volume: 5,500 acre-feet

Drainage Area: 22 sq. miles

Trophic State: Oligotrophic

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