Bucklin Beach
New London, New Hampshire · on Little Sunapee Lake
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Bucklin Beach
Bucklin Beach is the Town of New London, New Hampshire's official municipal swimming beach on Little Sunapee Lake, located at 4 Camp Sunapee Road. It is a lifeguarded, designated-swim-area lake beach operated by the town's Recreation Department for residents, taxpayers, and their guests. As swimming holes go, this one is on the orderly end, a lifeguarded lake to swim in rather than a wild spot.
The beach sits on Little Sunapee Lake, a 486-acre lake in New London, NH (with a small portion in Springfield) sometimes called 'Twin Lakes' because a long, narrow peninsula nearly splits it in half. The lake has an average depth of about 14 feet and a maximum depth of 43 feet, and it drains through Goose Pond and Otter Pond toward Lake Sunapee.
Swimming at Bucklin Beach
Swimming is confined to a designated, lifeguarded swim area of the lake rather than open shoreline. The town runs lifeguards 10am-5pm daily from mid-June through Labor Day, and children age 11 or younger must be supervised at all times, indicating a calm, family-oriented lake swimming spot rather than a rugged natural feature.
How to get to this swimming hole
The beach is at 4 Camp Sunapee Road in New London, NH, roughly 1.4 miles from the New London town center.
Parking: Beach parking is governed by the town's Beach & Transfer Station Parking Permit Ordinance; parking passes are handled through the New London Town Clerk's office, consistent with the beach's residents/taxpayers/guests access policy.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Bucklin Beach is a drive-up municipal beach at 4 Camp Sunapee Road; swimming access is essentially at the parking/beach area with no trail or hike involved.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Swimming is confined to a lifeguarded, designated swim area (lifeguards on duty Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, no guard Mondays, mid-June through Labor Day), and the town requires anyone 11 or younger to be supervised at all times by an adult or a sibling/guardian 16+ - consistent with a calm lake beach that still needs active parental watching rather than a fully hands-off kiddie spot.
Parking
Available
Beach access (and presumably parking) is limited to New London residents, taxpayers, and their guests under the town's Beach Usage Ordinance, with parking additionally governed by a separate Beach & Transfer Station Parking Permit Ordinance. Permits are handled through the Town Clerk's office (603-526-4821, 375 Main St, New London), but no fee amount is published on the town's website - the ordinance PDFs that would state the fee were not accessible in this research pass.
Restrooms
Yes
On-site restrooms at the beach. Per the town's current seasonal posting, bathrooms are open 8am to dusk on weekdays from mid-June (~June 17) through Labor Day; an earlier town notice referenced weekends-only bathroom access starting May 23, so exact weekend coverage in shoulder season is unclear from the sources found.
Hours
Beach open 7am-9pm daily. Lifeguards on duty Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm (no lifeguard Mondays), starting mid-June through Labor Day. Restrooms open 8am to dusk, weekdays only per the current seasonal posting.
On the water
Restrictions: No launching of personal watercraft (e.g. jet skis) from the beach, per the town's Beach Usage Ordinance. The town's free boat loan program is the confirmed way kayaks/paddleboards are used here: users must be 12+, present a valid driver's license, wear a life jacket at all times, and are limited to 60 minutes of use per 4-hour period, with gear returned by 4pm.
The kayak/paddleboard loan program runs Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm (unavailable Monday-Tuesday), operated by the New London Recreation Department - this is a town loan program, not a paid rental concession, so no pricing applies.
Bucklin Beach: FAQ
Is Bucklin Beach kid friendly?
Swimming is confined to a lifeguarded, designated swim area (lifeguards on duty Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, no guard Mondays, mid-June through Labor Day), and the town requires anyone 11 or younger to be supervised at all times by an adult or a sibling/guardian 16+ - consistent with a calm lake beach that still needs active parental watching rather than a fully hands-off kiddie spot.
Do I need to hike to reach Bucklin Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Bucklin Beach?
Beach access (and presumably parking) is limited to New London residents, taxpayers, and their guests under the town's Beach Usage Ordinance, with parking additionally governed by a separate Beach & Transfer Station Parking Permit Ordinance. Permits are handled through the Town Clerk's office (603-526-4821, 375 Main St, New London), but no fee amount is published on the town's website - the ordinance PDFs that would state the fee were not accessible in this research pass.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Bucklin Beach?
The kayak/paddleboard loan program runs Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm (unavailable Monday-Tuesday), operated by the New London Recreation Department - this is a town loan program, not a paid rental concession, so no pricing applies.
When is the best time to visit Bucklin Beach?
Summer: bathrooms open weekends-only from May 23, lifeguards on duty 10am-5pm starting mid-June, with full daily operations continuing through Labor Day.
What are the rules at Bucklin Beach?
Beach use is restricted to New London residents, taxpayers, and their guests. Swimming is limited to the designated swim area. Children 11 and under must be supervised by an adult, sibling, or guardian 16+. No alcohol, fires, cooking grills, or pets (service animals excepted), and no launching of personal watercraft. Beach hours are 7am to 9pm.
What water body is Bucklin Beach on?
Bucklin Beach is on Little Sunapee Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
