Conway Lake Public Beach
Center Conway, New Hampshire · on Conway Lake
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Conway Lake Public Beach
Conway Lake Public Beach (also called Conway Lake Town Beach) is the Town of Conway's official swimming beach on Conway Lake, a roughly 1,316-acre lake in Carroll County, New Hampshire, located at 414 Mill Street in Center Conway. It has served as the town's public beach since 1952 and is actively managed by Conway Parks & Recreation with state water-quality monitoring.
The beach sits on the shore of Conway Lake (historically called Walker's Pond) just east of the White Mountains, off Mill Street in the Center Conway section of town. Conway Lake spans the towns of Conway and Eaton and is part of the Saco River watershed; the surrounding area supports loons, herons, eagles, and turtles per background sources.
Swimming at Conway Lake Public Beach
This is a lake swimming beach rather than a swimming hole in a river or creek: calm, flat freshwater suited to families and casual swimmers, with an adjacent public boat launch used by boaters, canoeists, and kayakers. NH DES periodically issues and lifts bacteria-related swimming advisories here, indicating an active, monitored swim area rather than an informal or rarely-visited spot.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located at 414 Mill Street, Center Conway, NH; parking for the beach is across the street from the beach itself, per the Town's own facility listing.
Parking: A town parking lot serves the beach, located across the street from the beach. Per Conway Parks & Recreation, this lot requires a resident parking sticker; daily passes are NOT available for purchase by non-residents.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up town beach, not a hike-in swimming hole. The parking lot sits directly across Mill Street from the beach itself, per the official Conway Parks & Recreation facility listing.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Calm, flat lake beach generally suited to families, but no source found confirms a lifeguard on duty, and the beach shares its site with a public boat launch used by motorboats and canoes, so kids should be watched around boat traffic. NH now provides a free child life-jacket loaner station at the beach (installed July 2026) for those on watercraft.
Parking
Lot
Town-owned lot located across the street (Mill St) from the beach. Per Conway Parks & Recreation's own site, the lot requires a resident parking sticker and daily passes are NOT sold to non-residents, effectively restricting convenient parking access for out-of-town visitors even though no per-visit dollar fee is stated.
On the water
The Town's facility page confirms a public boat launch adjoins the beach, and Wikipedia's background on the lake states it is 'utilized for swimming, boating, canoeing, and fishing.' No horsepower limit, no-wake zone, or lake-specific watercraft restriction was found in sources checked. Kayaks/paddleboards are not explicitly named in any source, so they are left out of the confirmed list even though a car-top boat launch would typically accommodate them. NH law requires children 12 and under to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket on watercraft; the beach added a free loaner-jacket station in July 2026.
Rentals nearby
Canoe, kayak, tube, and stand-up paddleboard rentals, plus shuttle service, guided trips, and multi-day canoe-camping trips on the Saco River
Prices: Kayak/canoe and tubing rentals starting from $29; canoe-camping trips starting from $20/night (per their website; full rate card not itemized)
2561 East Main Street, Conway, NH 03813, on the Saco River, not Conway Lake itself; roughly 1.5-2 miles from Conway Lake Public Beach (straight-line estimate from geocoded address)
Backstory
The beach parcel was deeded to the Town of Conway by the Public Service Company of New Hampshire in 1952; the town later raised funds for improvements and added the boat launch.
Conway Lake Public Beach: FAQ
Is Conway Lake Public Beach kid friendly?
Calm, flat lake beach generally suited to families, but no source found confirms a lifeguard on duty, and the beach shares its site with a public boat launch used by motorboats and canoes, so kids should be watched around boat traffic. NH now provides a free child life-jacket loaner station at the beach (installed July 2026) for those on watercraft.
Do I need to hike to reach Conway Lake Public Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Conway Lake Public Beach?
Town-owned lot located across the street (Mill St) from the beach. Per Conway Parks & Recreation's own site, the lot requires a resident parking sticker and daily passes are NOT sold to non-residents, effectively restricting convenient parking access for out-of-town visitors even though no per-visit dollar fee is stated.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Conway Lake Public Beach?
The Town's facility page confirms a public boat launch adjoins the beach, and Wikipedia's background on the lake states it is 'utilized for swimming, boating, canoeing, and fishing.' No horsepower limit, no-wake zone, or lake-specific watercraft restriction was found in sources checked. Kayaks/paddleboards are not explicitly named in any source, so they are left out of the confirmed list even though a car-top boat launch would typically accommodate them. NH law requires children 12 and under to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket on watercraft; the beach added a free loaner-jacket station in July 2026.
When is the best time to visit Conway Lake Public Beach?
Summer (Memorial Day-Labor Day), consistent with NH DES's official beach testing season of June 1-August 31.
What are the rules at Conway Lake Public Beach?
NH DES conducts monthly E. coli water-quality sampling from June 1 to August 31 and has issued/lifted fecal-bacteria swimming advisories and full beach closures in the past when bacteria levels exceeded state standards. NH law requires children 12 and under to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket while on watercraft; a free loaner life jacket station (12 jackets, infant to adult sizes) was installed near the site's 'lake host' in July 2026.
What water body is Conway Lake Public Beach on?
Conway Lake Public Beach is on Conway Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
