Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach

Guilford, Connecticut · on Guilford Lakes

Verified · 3 independent sources

WATER: lake
ACCESS: See details below
FEE: Yes, see below
SEASON: Best in summer

About Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach

This is one of two private beaches on the Guilford Lakes, a chain of three small lakes in Guilford, Connecticut maintained by the Guilford Lakes Improvement Association (GLIA), a residential association incorporated by the Connecticut legislature in 1963. It is a private swimming hole in the strictest sense: access is restricted to GLIA member households (and their renters) whose land falls within the association district, so for anyone outside the association this is not a lake to swim in.

The Guilford Lakes area was developed in the 1930s as a summer vacation colony centered on three interconnected lakes, a golf course, a clubhouse, and tennis courts; the clubhouse and courts are long gone and the area is now a year-round residential neighborhood. The lakes are fed mainly by Iron Stream, and the town-owned 'Timberlands' forest, with miles of hiking and horseback trails and rock outcrops, borders the Third (Upper) Lake to the north.

Swimming at Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach

Members swim at two association beaches on the lower two of the three lakes: the First/Lower Lake Beach (White Birch Drive at North Madison Road) and the Second/Middle Lake Beach (Lakeside Drive). There is no lifeguard at either beach and swimming is explicitly at the swimmer's own risk. Water weeds had made the lakes difficult to swim in until a 1990-1994 dredging project deepened them and rebuilt the dams; the association board has the water tested each spring.

How to get to this swimming hole

The GLIA beaches sit off White Birch Drive at North Madison Road (Lower Lake Beach) and off Lakeside Drive (Middle Lake Beach), within the residential Guilford Lakes neighborhood near Nut Plains in Guilford, CT; access is limited to the private roads of the GLIA district.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a private, members-only residential lake beach reached directly via GLIA's neighborhood streets (White Birch Drive/North Madison Road for the Lower Lake Beach, Lakeside Drive for the Middle Lake Beach), no hike is needed. The town-owned Timberlands open-space property, confirmed via the Guilford Conservation Commission's page to have its own dedicated trail map, borders the Upper (Third) Lake to the north, but this is a separate recreational trail network, not a route to the swim beaches, and its trailhead/mileage details could not be retrieved this pass.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Official GLIA Beach Rules (approved 2007) require children under 12 to be accompanied by an adult on the beaches and prohibit horseplay/roughhousing; there is no lifeguard on duty at either beach (per prior dossier). No information was found describing the entry (shallow vs. steep) or depth profile of either beach.

Parking

Free

GLIA's official Beach Rules (Rule 11) prohibit overnight parking of any vehicle on Association property, implying day-use parking exists at/near the beaches (off White Birch Drive/North Madison Road for the Lower Lake Beach, and Lakeside Drive for the Middle Lake Beach) for members and their checked-in guests only. No dedicated lot, exact space count, or fee was described in any source found.

Hours

Per the official GLIA Beach Rules (approved June 11, 2007), the beaches close at 9:00 PM; use after that hour requires prior Board of Governors approval. No opening time or seasonal closure schedule is specified, access is year-round for current members, not on a public park schedule.

Swim smart

No lifeguard on duty at either beach, swimming is explicitly at your own risk. Weed growth historically made the lakes hard to swim in before a 1990-1994 dredging project; 'soapsuds' from decaying leaves can appear on the water in spring, described by the association as a natural (non-hazardous) phenomenon.

Rules: Private, members-only beaches, not open to the public. No lifeguard on duty at either beach; swimming is at your own risk. Power boats are banned on the lakes (rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and small sailboats are allowed). Any work around the lakes or streams requires approval from the Guilford Inland Wetlands Commission, and portions of the district lie within the town's Groundwater Protection District.

This is an informational listing, not an invitation. Conditions and access change; verify locally before you go. Visiting any swimming hole is at your own risk. See our Terms of Use.

On the water

CanoesKayaksRowboatsSailboats

Restrictions: Per official GLIA Beach Rules (2007), outboard/gas motors are not permitted on the lakes except for official lake-maintenance use, and all boats must stay out of designated swimming areas. Diving from the Association's dams or from the North Madison Road Bridge is prohibited. Access is restricted to GLIA members only, there is no public boat launch.

Backstory

Developed in the 1930s as a summer vacation colony with three lakes, a golf course, clubhouse, and tennis courts (the latter two no longer exist). The Guilford Lakes Improvement Association (GLIA) was incorporated by act of the Connecticut state legislature in 1963, giving it taxing authority to maintain the lakes, beaches, and dams. Between 1990 and 1994 the lakes were dredged and the dams rebuilt to eliminate weed regrowth that had impeded swimming.

Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach: FAQ

Does Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach charge a fee?

No public admission fee; access is granted only to GLIA member property owners and their renters, funded by an annual association tax (a mil rate applied to each member parcel's assessed land value) that pays for upkeep of the lakes, beaches, and dams.

Is Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach?

When is the best time to visit Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach?

Summer; the lakes are lowered each fall to reduce ice pressure on the dams and raised again in spring.

What are the rules at Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach?

Private, members-only beaches, not open to the public. No lifeguard on duty at either beach; swimming is at your own risk. Power boats are banned on the lakes (rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and small sailboats are allowed). Any work around the lakes or streams requires approval from the Guilford Inland Wetlands Commission, and portions of the district lie within the town's Groundwater Protection District.

What water body is Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach on?

Guilford Lakes Association Private Beach is on Guilford Lakes, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.