Shakoma Beach
Lebanon, New Hampshire · on Mascoma Lake
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Shakoma Beach
Shakoma Beach (also called Shakoma Town Beach or Shakoma Town Public Beach) is a small public swimming hole on Mascoma Lake in Enfield, New Hampshire, operated by the town and monitored seasonally for water quality by the NH Department of Environmental Services. It sits on NH Route 4A near the Mascoma Lake boat launch and the historic Shaker Village area, and it offers a modest sandy swim area rather than a large resort-style beach, a low-key spot on a pleasant lake to swim in.
The beach occupies a narrow strip of sand and grass directly on Mascoma Lake along NH Route 4A in Enfield, adjacent to the town's Mascoma Lake boat launch and roughly a mile from the historic Lower Shaker Village and Shaker Bridge area. It is a compact, low-key roadside spot rather than a large lakeside park.
Swimming at Shakoma Beach
Swimming is in calm, sheltered lake water off a small sandy shorefront designated as an official swim area; the lake bottom is described as variable near shore. It suits casual, family-style swimming rather than serious lap swimming or a destination-beach experience, with conditions affected mainly by wind and boat traffic from the adjacent launch.
How to get to this swimming hole
The beach is on NH Route 4A in Enfield, near Main Street and the Mascoma Lake boat launch, about one mile from Lower Shaker Village. Parking is in a small town lot on the inland side of Route 4A, on a hillside opposite the beach; visitors cross the road and walk a short distance (a few minutes) over sand to reach the water.
Parking: Small town-owned lot on NH Route 4A, on the hill across the road from the beach, next to the Mascoma Lake boat launch. Enfield residents can park free; non-residents reportedly need a parking permit (daily, 15-day, or seasonal), obtainable from the Enfield Town Office at 23 Main Street.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up town beach, not a hike-in spot. Parking is on the inland (hill) side of NH Route 4A; visitors cross the road and walk a short distance over sand/grass to reach the water.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Calm, sheltered lake water and a small sandy/grassy swim area suit casual family swimming, but sources conflict on lifeguard presence (one says 'may have' seasonal lifeguards, others say none), the lake bottom near shore is described as variable/uneven, boat-launch traffic operates immediately adjacent, and visitors must cross NH Route 4A on foot between the parking lot and the beach -- so supervise kids closely rather than treating it as a guarded, fenced-off beach.
Parking
Lot
Small town-owned lot on NH Route 4A, on the hill across the road from the beach, next to the Mascoma Lake boat launch; about a 2-5 minute walk down to the sand. Enfield residents can reportedly park free; non-residents reportedly need a daily/15-day/seasonal parking permit obtainable from the Enfield Town Office (23 Main Street), but no source found lists the actual permit price.
Restrooms
Yes
Handicap-accessible portable toilet (port-a-potty) on site, per Swim Guide/NH DES and Sandee listings; picnic tables and trash receptacles also present. Note: one aggregator (Beach Everywhere) contradicts this and claims no restrooms, so treat availability as likely but not universally confirmed.
Hours
Sunrise to sunset (seasonal swim-area hours), per Beach Everywhere; swim season and NH DES water-quality monitoring run June through September.
On the water
A town boat launch sits directly across the street/adjacent to the beach and is in active use, so motorized and paddle craft do use this stretch of Mascoma Lake, but no source specifies what's permitted to launch there (motorboat vs. electric-only vs. no-wake) or any hand-carry rules for kayaks/canoes/paddleboards at the swim beach itself. Boat traffic from the launch is flagged by multiple sources as a hazard/consideration for swimmers. Left the allowed list empty rather than assume specific craft are permitted.
What regulars say
No first-hand visitor accounts specific to Shakoma Beach could be found; the only descriptions available are secondhand, and one of them directly contradicts itself, first calling the beach a popular family spot and then stating that it 'is not family-friendly and does not have restrooms, lifeguards, and nearby food', a sign that some of that content may be templated or unreliable rather than a genuine local report. Treat both restroom availability and family-friendliness as likely true, matching other published listings, but not fully independently confirmed by a real visitor account.
Backstory
The beach sits near the historic Shaker Bridge (built 1849 to speed goods to the railroad across Mascoma Lake) and the Lower Shaker Village/Enfield Shaker Museum area, though no source ties the beach's own creation or history to a specific date.
Shakoma Beach: FAQ
Does Shakoma Beach charge a fee?
No swimming fee identified; a paid parking permit is required for non-resident vehicles at the beach lot, per aggregator listings, though exact pricing was not found on any source checked.
Is Shakoma Beach kid friendly?
Calm, sheltered lake water and a small sandy/grassy swim area suit casual family swimming, but sources conflict on lifeguard presence (one says 'may have' seasonal lifeguards, others say none), the lake bottom near shore is described as variable/uneven, boat-launch traffic operates immediately adjacent, and visitors must cross NH Route 4A on foot between the parking lot and the beach -- so supervise kids closely rather than treating it as a guarded, fenced-off beach.
Do I need to hike to reach Shakoma Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Shakoma Beach?
Small town-owned lot on NH Route 4A, on the hill across the road from the beach, next to the Mascoma Lake boat launch; about a 2-5 minute walk down to the sand. Enfield residents can reportedly park free; non-residents reportedly need a daily/15-day/seasonal parking permit obtainable from the Enfield Town Office (23 Main Street), but no source found lists the actual permit price.
When is the best time to visit Shakoma Beach?
June through September, matching both the NH DES water-quality monitoring window (sampled monthly June 1-September 1) and aggregator descriptions of a summer swim season.
What are the rules at Shakoma Beach?
Non-resident parking permit requirement noted by multiple listings. Sources disagree on lifeguard presence: the Swim Guide/NH DES listing says the beach 'may have' lifeguards seasonally, while another swimming-hole listing states there is no lifeguard; treat lifeguard coverage as unconfirmed/seasonal at best.
What water body is Shakoma Beach on?
Shakoma Beach is on Mascoma Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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