3 New England lakes are among the 26 best US lakes for swimming this summer

RoninTravel2025-07-194900

A recent article from Reader’s Digest has included three New England locations on a list of the best lakes to swim in the U.S.

And surprisingly, Lake Winnipesaukee and Lake Champlain didn’t make the cut.

Squam Lake in New Hampshire, Walden Pond in Massachusetts and Echo Lake in Maine were among the 26 locations, which ranged from two of the Great Lakes (Lake Erie, Lake Michigan) to Lake Powell, a popular tourist destination that touches both Arizona and Utah.

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While the list doesn’t rank the locations, it does cite the strengths of each lake, and tranquility and geographical features seem to be New England’s best qualities.

Reader’s Digest recommends Squam Lake’s 6,700-plus acres for its numerous coves and 30 named islands, and also cites low speed limits for boats as a major plus for swimmers. Echo Lake, located within Maine’s Acadia National Park, also earned a spot on the list for its peaceful waters, thanks to a ban on boat engines larger than 10hp.

Concord’s own Walden Pond, however, is apparently so impressive that it’s the only official non-lake on the list — being a pond. In addition to its calm waters for swimmers and kayakers, the report also suggests checking out out a nearby walking trail and the former home of Henry David Thoreau, the transcendentalist who penned the book “Walden” from his experience living for two-plus years in a cabin by the pond.

View Reader’s Digest’s full list of destinations here.