Swimming, Boating & the Water

The lake is known for its sandy-bottomed beaches and shallow swimming areas, particularly at the Ossipee Lake Natural Area on the southern shore. This 400-acre stretch of undeveloped shoreline, also called Long Sands, offers gorgeous mountain views over warm, clear water. The property is owned by the state and managed to balance recreation with conservation—access from the water is permitted in designated areas, and its unique ecology is best appreciated by canoe or kayak rather than by foot.↗↗↗

For boating, the Pine River Boat Launch off Route 25 provides public access to the lake. Several rental outfitters operate on Ossipee's shores: Lakefront Landing Marina on Pequawket Trail offers rowboats, pontoons, and powerboats; Lakehouse Boat Rentals on Cassie Cove Road provides pontoon rentals; and Boat Bud in Effingham arranges charters. The calm, open water is ideal for a leisurely afternoon cruise, waterskiing, or tubing behind a boat.↗↗

Fishing for Every Angler

Ossipee Lake draws anglers from across the region with its diverse fish population. The waters hold bass, trout, pickerel, perch, and other species. The Constitution Park area on the western shore offers a walk-in fishing access point maintained by the town, and boat anglers can explore the lake's bays—Broad Bay, Leavitt Bay, and Berry Bay—which provide varied structure and depths. The lake's bountiful fisheries have made it a go-to destination for family fishing vacations.↗↗

Hiking the Ring Dike

The Ossipee Mountains ring the lake to the north and west, offering trails for every level. The Bald Knob summit, within the Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area, rewards hikers with sweeping panoramic views over the lake and the ring dike's circular geology. For a gentler outing, the Mt. Hedgehog trail is a beginner-friendly loop of about five miles with rewarding vistas. More experienced hikers can push to the summit of Mt. Chocorua via the Champney Brook or Piper trails, both taking roughly three hours one way and passing scenic waterfalls along the route.↗

Closer to the lake, Bearcamp Woodlands is a 244-acre preserve bordering the pristine Bearcamp River—superb for canoeing—where black bears, moose, muskrats, and otters inhabit diverse forest types. The 45-acre Stimson Forest at the junction of Routes 16 and 28 serves as a wildlife habitat demonstration area among tall white pines.↗

The Natural Area: Rare Beauty

The Ossipee Lake Natural Area is one of the most ecologically significant stretches of shoreline in New England. The 400-acre property hosts rare plant communities found nowhere else on Earth, including the sandy pond shore system with species like Mermaid Weed and Virginia Beauty. Peat mats extend from the shore into shallow, multi-colored sands. Archaeologists have uncovered artifacts here dating back thousands of years. Portions of the shoreline remain completely undeveloped, preserving habitats that were once common throughout New England but are now vanishingly rare.↗↗↗

Covered Bridges & New England Character

No visit to Ossipee Lake is complete without crossing the Whittier Bridge, a 132-foot covered bridge built by Jacob Berry in the 1870s that spans the Bearcamp River in Ossipee Village. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and closed to vehicular traffic, it is perfect for a riverside stroll. The Durgin Bridge near Sandwich, also a Berry creation from 1869, adds another charming covered bridge to the itinerary just a short drive away.↗