Newfound Lake is the 8th clearest lake in the United States
New Hampshire has a multitude of lakes that draw visitors and vacation homeowners from all over the country. The most well-known are Winnipesaukee and Squam; however, I remember a geography project I was doing in high school on Newfound Lake in the 1960s; back then, it was called one of the cleanest lakes in the country by National Geographic. When I was in grammar school, my parents would bring my siblings and I to Wellington State Park Beach and I always remember how crystal clear the bottom of the lake was from the swim raft.
Yes, Newfound Lake is still a jewel of a lake, a true treasure, with water clarity that is unbelievable and forested mountain ranges in the background. Located in Grafton County, in the heart of the Lakes Region, the towns of Alexandria, Bridgewater, Bristol, and Hebron surround this 4,451-acre lake, New Hampshire’s 3rd largest lake contained within the state. It is considered one of the deepest lakes in New Hampshire with a maximum depth of 183 feet and an average depth of 74 feet. This glacial lake has a maximum length of 6 miles with a maximum width of 2.4 miles.
Ask any resident around Newfound Lake about its water quality and you’ll get an earful. The local residents praise and take so much pride in the quality of their lake and for good reason. AZanimals.com, on September 29, 2022, listed the 10 cleanest lakes in the United States. The site noted there are thousands of lakes in the USA (111,819 according to the National Lake Assessment), including 12,000 in Minnesota alone! However, not all lakes are created equal; there are some that are truly special. Guess what? Newfound Lake was ranked the 9th cleanest lake in the USA on their site. Also, on vacationsmadeeasy.com, lifestyle.com, getawaycouple.com, and flavorverse.com, Newfound Lake was ranked the 8th clearest lake in the country. Smartertravel.com ranked Newfound Lake as the 2nd most swimmable lake in America on its top 10 list. All of these rankings are very impressive when you think about the fact that there are 111,819 lakes in the country!
SO, WHAT ARE THE UNDERLYING REASONS FOR NEWFOUND LAKE’S PRISTINE CLARITY?
- First of all, the lake has two primary inflows from the Fowler River and the Cockermouth River and its primary outflow is the Newfound River which keeps the water moving at all times.
- The lake is blessed with eight subterranean natural springs which refill the lake with crystal clear water twice a year. This natural wonder keeps the lake recycled with cold, fresh water.
- The lake is surrounded by an exceptionally clear watershed comprised of 98% forest. Newfound sits in the middle of about 100 square miles of undeveloped land which helps keep pollutants at bay.
- The lake’s maximum depth of 183 feet and average depth of 74 feet keep the water moving. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services ranks our lakes from “0” (clear) to “75” (tea-colored). Newfound is one of five in the state with a “0” designation. Also, the state designates the lake at “oligo” under the “irophic class,” which means there is minimal support for algae blooms and rooted plant growth. This is one of the contributing factors to the lake being milfoil free and keeping invasive weeds from invading. Newfound beaches are renowned for their soft, white, natural sand beaches. Whenever I drive around the lake, I always admire the beautiful, natural beaches and the shimmering, clear waters lapping along the shoreline.
- The Newfound Lake Region Association has always remained diligent in monitoring the lake, keeping milfoil at bay and ensuring that it stays that way. The hard work of local volunteers who clean the area and maintain the trails is super important. NLRA “Lake Hosts” and “Weed Watchers,” along with conscientious “Recreators,” has been the first line of defense against invasive species. Lake Hosts provide complimentary boat and trailer inspections at Newfound Lake’s two public boat launches to check for any fragments of flora and fauna. Since 2002, Lake Hosts have recovered 28 fragments of invasive plants, including milfoil, from being launched into the pristine waters of the lake. They have done a great job!
- The lake is home to 22 species of fish and Wellington State Park in Bristol has the largest freshwater beach of all of the New Hampshire State Parks. The long stretch of white, soft sand is amazing and the nature trails and picnic areas make it one of the best places to spend the day.
- At Paradise Point, the New Hampshire Audubon Preserve is located at the head of the lake. The Preserve consists of 43 acres encompassing 3,500 feet of untouched shorefront.
So, there you have it…no sharks, no riptides, no salty water, just paradise with crystal clear, calm, fresh waters that will be waiting for us come early spring. In the interim, the fall season has been breathtaking. There are still a few boats in the water and there are lots of hiking trails surrounding the lake to enjoy before winter sets in.
Now let’s take a look at the real estate activity from January 1st to November 8th, 2022 compared to January 1st to November 8th, 2021 for waterfront individual homes on Newfound Lake:
In 2022 to date, there were seven homes that sold. The median sales price was $1,300,000 with the lowest price at $796,000 and the highest price at $1,850,000. The median days on the market was 11.
In 2021, for the same period above, there were seven homes that sold. The median sales price was $1,280,000 with the lowest price at $800,000 and the highest sales price at $2,575,000. The median days on the market was 13.
Both years saw very similar activity. At the present time, there are no pending sales on Newfound Lake that have not closed.
Presently, there is only one single-family waterfront home for sale on Newfound Lake and is listed with Steve Baker of Roche Realty Group in Meredith. This is a very special property overlooking Pike’s Bay with 237′ of pristine shorefront with commanding lake and mountain views. The shore frontage boasts 150′ of Caribbean-style sandy beach. The three level home was built with smart home modern systems and quality construction. It includes a large wrap-around porch and lower stone patio, plus a 16’x22′ boathouse and a new boat dock. This four bedroom, ten room lake house is priced at $1,995,000. For information, please call Steve Baker at 603-455-4931 or Roche Realty Group at 603-279-7046.
Life is good on the 8th clearest lake in the United States!
This article was written by Frank Roche. Frank is president of Roche Realty Group with offices in Meredith and Laconia, NH, and can be reached at 603-279-7046. Please feel free to visit www.rocherealty.com to learn more about the Lakes Region and its real estate market.
