Frye Pond Beach
Andover, Massachusetts · on Frye Pond
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- pond
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $5
- SEASON
- May
About Frye Pond Beach
Frye Pond Beach is a small swimming hole on Frye Pond within the Lorraine Park Campground at Harold Parker State Forest, a Massachusetts DCR property spanning Andover, North Andover, and North Reading. Of the forest's places to swim, it is the secondary one, serving campers and day visitors, distinct from the more prominent Berry Pond swimming area a few miles away.
Frye Pond sits inside Harold Parker State Forest, a roughly 3,000-acre Central Hardwood-Hemlock-White Pine forest with 35 miles of trails and 11 ponds, about an hour north of Boston. The beach is located directly within the Lorraine Park Campground loop, with campsites situated along the pond shore.
Swimming at Frye Pond Beach
A small, campground-adjacent pond swim area used mainly by campers staying at Lorraine Park Campground and, per local reporting, open to day-use visitors 'when it's not busy.' No official description of water depth, clarity, or bottom conditions was found in available sources.
How to get to this swimming hole
Enter via the Lorraine Park Campground entrance at 133 Jenkins Rd, Andover, MA 01810, within Harold Parker State Forest; the forest's main headquarters/parking is at 305 Middleton Rd, North Andover, MA 01845.
Parking: Seasonal day-use parking fee for the forest generally is $5/day for Massachusetts residents and $20/day for non-residents (charged in season, per mass.gov); it is unclear from sources whether this fee applies at the Lorraine Campground entrance itself or only at the main Berry Pond day-use area, since Frye Pond Beach is described as being 'open to the public when it's not busy' inside the campground.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up/campground-adjacent swim spot, not a hike-in destination. Enter via the Lorraine Park Campground entrance at 133 Jenkins Rd, Andover.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Frye Pond Beach is a small natural pond beach inside an active campground; no source confirms a lifeguard on duty. Local reporting notes it's open to non-campers only 'when it's not busy,' meaning supervision and caution are warranted, especially with camper traffic and boat/swim areas sharing the small shoreline.
Parking
Paid, $5/day Massachusetts resident, $20/day non-resident, charged seasonally (roughly May 23-Oct 12)
Parking is at the Lorraine Park Campground entrance, 133 Jenkins Rd, Andover, MA 01810. andovermanews.com confirms the $5/$20 fee is charged 'through the end of October.' Day-use (non-camper) access to the beach itself is only allowed when the campground isn't busy, per local reporting, so the fee's applicability at the gate for beach-only visitors may vary by day.
Restrooms
Yes
Restroom facilities (including accessible restrooms) are available within Lorraine Park Campground / Harold Parker State Forest per mass.gov, but no source specifies their exact distance from the Frye Pond beach itself.
Hours
Sunrise to sunset (Harold Parker State Forest general rule, per mass.gov); Lorraine Park Campground's operating season runs early May through Columbus Day weekend.
On the water
Restrictions: Non-motorized craft only. Mass.gov lists 'canoeing, kayaking, and non-motorized boating' as permitted activities for Harold Parker State Forest generally, but no source confirms this specifically applies to tiny Frye Pond (which functions primarily as a campground swim beach) as opposed to the forest's larger ponds.
No boat launch, dock, or rental kiosk at Frye Pond is documented in any source found.
Frye Pond Beach: FAQ
Does Frye Pond Beach charge a fee?
Harold Parker State Forest charges seasonal parking fees ($5 MA resident/$20 non-resident) and Lorraine Park Campground charges nightly camping fees ($17 resident/$54 non-resident); no separate admission fee specific to Frye Pond Beach was found.
Is Frye Pond Beach kid friendly?
Frye Pond Beach is a small natural pond beach inside an active campground; no source confirms a lifeguard on duty. Local reporting notes it's open to non-campers only 'when it's not busy,' meaning supervision and caution are warranted, especially with camper traffic and boat/swim areas sharing the small shoreline.
Do I need to hike to reach Frye Pond Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Frye Pond Beach?
Parking is at the Lorraine Park Campground entrance, 133 Jenkins Rd, Andover, MA 01810. andovermanews.com confirms the $5/$20 fee is charged 'through the end of October.' Day-use (non-camper) access to the beach itself is only allowed when the campground isn't busy, per local reporting, so the fee's applicability at the gate for beach-only visitors may vary by day.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Frye Pond Beach?
No boat launch, dock, or rental kiosk at Frye Pond is documented in any source found.
When is the best time to visit Frye Pond Beach?
Camping/swim season runs early May through Columbus Day weekend per the Lorraine Park Campground operating season.
What are the rules at Frye Pond Beach?
General state forest rules apply: no alcohol, no littering, sunrise-to-sunset hours. Local reporting notes Frye Pond Beach is only open to non-campers 'when it's not busy,' implying camper priority over general day-use visitors.
What water body is Frye Pond Beach on?
Frye Pond Beach is on Frye Pond, a natural pond verified in USGS hydrography data.
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