Silver Lake Beach
Wilmington, Massachusetts · Silver Lake Town Beach
Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $10 per person
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Silver Lake Beach
Silver Lake Beach is the official Town Beach of Wilmington, Massachusetts, located on Burnap Street on the shore of Silver Lake, a kettle lake formed by retreating Pleistocene glaciers. It is a staffed, seasonal municipal swimming hole with lifeguards, a bath house, and a roped-off swim area, run by the Wilmington Recreation Department, making Silver Lake the town's designated lake to swim in.
Silver Lake is a kettle lake (originally called Sandy Pond) that gives its name to a small village straddling Wilmington and Tewksbury. The Town Beach sits on Burnap Street alongside a playground dedicated to Sean Collier, an MIT police officer killed after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, with adjacent Fullerton Park and nearby Landry Park along Route 38.
Swimming at Silver Lake Beach
Swimming takes place in a lifeguarded, roped-off designated area of the lake, staffed daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the summer season. Rules require children under 14 to be supervised by an adult and ban flotation devices and swimming beyond the ropes, indicating a controlled, family-oriented town-beach swim area rather than open lake swimming.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up municipal town beach on Burnap Street with an adjacent parking area implied by the address; no trail or hike is involved.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Staffed municipal beach with lifeguards on duty daily 10am-6pm, a roped-off designated swim area, and a floating beach wheelchair for accessibility. Rules require children under 14 to be supervised and ban flotation devices/swimming beyond the ropes, indicating a controlled, family-oriented setup rather than open unsupervised lake swimming. No specific data found on entry slope or bottom depth near shore.
Restrooms
Yes
Bath house on-site, open whenever lifeguards are on duty (10am-6pm daily during the season).
Hours
2026 season runs Saturday June 13 through Sunday August 16; lifeguards and bath house on duty daily 10am-6pm, weather permitting.
On the water
Restrictions: Official beach rules explicitly prohibit launching watercraft from the beach.
No evidence found of permitted personal watercraft use (kayak/canoe/paddleboard) at this specific town beach; the lake itself may allow boating elsewhere but that was not confirmed.
Backstory
The lake was originally called Sandy Pond, per a 1775 map of Wilmington. The beachside playground was dedicated in September 2015 to Sean Collier, an MIT police officer and Wilmington native killed during the manhunt following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. A separate 'Baby Beach' recreation area on Grove Avenue has since been closed to the public.
Silver Lake Beach: FAQ
Does Silver Lake Beach charge a fee?
Free for Wilmington residents with proof of residency (MA driver's license, RMV ID, or Wilmington Public Schools ID); non-residents pay $10 per person for ages 3 and up for a day pass purchased on-site.
Is Silver Lake Beach kid friendly?
Staffed municipal beach with lifeguards on duty daily 10am-6pm, a roped-off designated swim area, and a floating beach wheelchair for accessibility. Rules require children under 14 to be supervised and ban flotation devices/swimming beyond the ropes, indicating a controlled, family-oriented setup rather than open unsupervised lake swimming. No specific data found on entry slope or bottom depth near shore.
Do I need to hike to reach Silver Lake Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Silver Lake Beach?
No parking lot size, cost, or roadside-vs-lot details were found on the town's official pages or in accessible search results; the beach address is 1-7 Burnap St, Wilmington, MA 01887.
When is the best time to visit Silver Lake Beach?
Summer; the 2026 official beach season runs Saturday, June 13 through Sunday, August 16, with lifeguards on duty daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (weather permitting).
What are the rules at Silver Lake Beach?
No alcoholic beverages or glass containers, no watercraft launching from the beach, no smoking, no barbecuing/cooking, no dogs on the beach or adjacent town property May 1-Oct 1, no feeding waterfowl, carry-in/carry-out trash policy, no refunds on daily admission. Children under 14 must be supervised; flotation devices and swimming beyond the roped area are prohibited.
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