Lake Lashaway

Near East Brookfield, Massachusetts · on Lake Lashaway

Verified · 3 independent sources

WATER: lake
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: Free
SEASON: June

About Lake Lashaway

Lake Lashaway is a 293-acre impoundment straddling East Brookfield and North Brookfield, Massachusetts, formed by an early-1800s mill dam on what was originally a meandering stream. The towns jointly maintain an official, permitted Town Beach on Lake Lashaway (on Route 9), the local swimming hole, which operates each summer from late June through Labor Day, alongside a separate public boat ramp on Harrington/Shore Road at the lake's north end.

The lake sits just north of Route 9 in the twin small towns of East Brookfield and North Brookfield in Worcester County, with a heavily residential (about 90% developed) shoreline, two islands near the center connected by a navigable channel, and North Brookfield State Forest nearby. Camp Atwater, a children's summer camp, occupies part of the north shore.

Swimming at Lake Lashaway

Swimming is centered on the official, town-permitted Town Beach shared by East Brookfield and North Brookfield, open for the summer season; water is described by visitors as tannic/brown-tinted lake water typical of the region, and the beach itself is described by at least one visitor-review aggregator as basic and not considered a standout swimming destination, with no restrooms, showers, or lifeguards reported on-site.

How to get to this swimming hole

The Town Beach is located directly on Route 9 in East Brookfield, MA (drive-up access, no hike). A separate paved public boat ramp is at the north end of the lake off Harrington Street/Shore Road in North Brookfield.

Parking: Street parking near the beach entrance is described as limited; the separate boat ramp has its own small lot (roughly 6 vehicles).

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up/roadside access directly off Route 9 in East Brookfield; no trail or hike involved to reach the Town Beach.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

Not ideal for young kids

No lifeguards are present at the Town Beach, water is tannic/brown (limited visibility to see feet/hazards), and a visitor-aggregator (sandee.com) explicitly characterizes the beach as not family-friendly with no nearby restrooms or food. Shoreline is a gentle lake beach (not a cliff/current hazard), but lack of supervision and murky water argue for close adult supervision at minimum.

Parking

Free

Town Beach on Route 9 has no dedicated lot -- visitors use limited on-street parking near the entrance. The separate public boat ramp off Shore Road/Harrington St in North Brookfield has its own small paved lot (roughly 6 vehicle/trailer spaces), no fee.

Restrooms

None on site

No restrooms reported at the Town Beach itself (sandee.com states the beach lacks restrooms and showers); the official East Brookfield Parks & Recreation page does not list any facilities either. No restroom info found for the separate Shore Road boat ramp.

Water clarity

Often murky

Described consistently as brown, tannic-colored lake water typical of the region, not swimming-pool clear. No firsthand accounts about clarity were located in this pass, and the tannic characterization comes from secondhand visitor commentary rather than a confirmed first-person account.

Hours

Town Beach operates seasonally from late June through Labor Day (confirmed by the Town of East Brookfield); no official daily open/close time was found. A visitor-aggregator site (sandee.com) lists generic '24/7' access, which is unconfirmed and may just reflect no posted gate hours rather than an official policy.

Swim smart

No lifeguards reported at the Town Beach (per a visitor-review aggregator); the lake sees motorboat traffic, which one first-hand kayaking account flagged as a hazard ('busy with fast boats'); water is tannic/brown rather than clear.

Rules: The beach is operated under a Town of East Brookfield 'Permit to Operate a Bathing Beach' issued by the Board of Health. The Lake Lashaway Community Association periodically treats the lake with herbicide for invasive aquatic vegetation, temporarily restricting swimming (typically ~1 day post-treatment) as well as fishing, boating, and irrigation use for varying periods.

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

KayaksCanoesMotorboats

A first-hand kayaking trip report (bostonkayaker.com) and a paddling directory (thepaddlinghub.com) both describe put-in at the Shore Road boat ramp in North Brookfield, with calm, flat, beginner-friendly water for paddlers but also motorboat and water-skiing traffic on the lake ('busy with fast boats' per the kayaker's account). No horsepower limit, no-wake zone, or electric-only restriction was found in any source -- absence of a rule was not confirmed as absence of enforcement, so restrictions are left null rather than assumed none.

What regulars say

No dedicated visitor discussions specifically about Lake Lashaway were located in this research pass. The only candid commentary available is secondhand visitor reporting that describes the water as brown and tannic, notes the Town Beach has no restrooms, showers, or lifeguards, and states reviewers do not rate it as a standout swimming beach compared to other options in the area. Treat this as secondhand commentary, not confirmed first-person visitor reports.

Backstory

The lake was created around 1812-1825 when Revolutionary War veteran Jeduthan Stevens built a dam (originally called Stevens Pond) to power local mills; it was renamed Lake Lashaway and became a recreational destination when Lashaway Park opened in the early 1900s.

Lake Lashaway: FAQ

Does Lake Lashaway charge a fee?

No fee is charged at the public boat ramp; no specific fee information was found for the Town Beach itself, though it operates under a municipal Board of Health bathing-beach permit.

Is Lake Lashaway kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Lake Lashaway?

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

Where do I park for Lake Lashaway?

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Lake Lashaway?

When is the best time to visit Lake Lashaway?

Late June through Labor Day, matching the Town Beach's official operating season.

What are the rules at Lake Lashaway?

The beach is operated under a Town of East Brookfield 'Permit to Operate a Bathing Beach' issued by the Board of Health. The Lake Lashaway Community Association periodically treats the lake with herbicide for invasive aquatic vegetation, temporarily restricting swimming (typically ~1 day post-treatment) as well as fishing, boating, and irrigation use for varying periods.

What water body is Lake Lashaway on?

Lake Lashaway is on Lake Lashaway, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.