{{Short description|Lake in Belknap County, New Hampshire}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox lake | name = Squam Lake | image = SquamLake.JPG | caption = View from the cliffs of East Rattlesnake | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = [[Grafton County, New Hampshire|Grafton County]], [[Carroll County, New Hampshire|Carroll County]], and [[Belknap County, New Hampshire]] | coords = {{coord|43|44|43|N|71|31|34|W|type:waterbody_region:US-NH|display=inline,title}} | lake_type = | inflow = | outflow = [[Squam River]] | catchment = | basin_countries = United States | length = {{convert|7.0|mi|abbr=on}} | width = {{convert|4.6|mi|abbr=on}} | area = {{convert|6791|acre|abbr=on}} | depth = | max-depth = {{convert|99|ft|abbr=on}} | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | pushpin_map = New Hampshire | elevation = {{convert|561|ft|abbr=on}} | islands = 28 named (''see [[#Islands|list]]'') | cities = [[Holderness, New Hampshire|Holderness]]; [[Sandwich, New Hampshire|Sandwich]]; [[Moultonborough, New Hampshire|Moultonborough]]; [[Center Harbor, New Hampshire|Center Harbor]] }} '''Squam Lake''' is a [[lake]] located in the [[Lakes Region (New Hampshire)|Lakes Region]] of central [[New Hampshire]], United States, south of the [[White Mountains (New Hampshire)|White Mountains]], straddling the borders of [[Grafton County, New Hampshire|Grafton]], [[Carroll County, New Hampshire|Carroll]], and [[Belknap County, New Hampshire|Belknap]] counties. The largest town center on the lake is [[Holderness, New Hampshire|Holderness]]. The lake is located northwest of much larger [[Lake Winnipesaukee]].
It drains via a short natural channel into [[Little Squam Lake]], and then through a dam at the head of the short [[Squam River]] into the [[Pemigewasset River|Pemigewasset]] at [[Ashland, New Hampshire|Ashland]]. Covering {{convert|6791|acre|km2}},<ref>[https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/maps/bathymetry/squam_holderness.pdf New Hampshire Fish & Game bathymetric map]</ref> Squam is the second-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire.
[[File:Squam-Lake-2006.JPG|thumb|left|Squam Lake in 2006]] [[File:Squam Lake from the Asquam House, Holderness, NH.jpg|thumb|Squam Lake from the Asquam House, Holderness, NH]]
Squam Lake was originally called ''Keeseenunknipee'',{{Clarify|reason=From which language is this name? And that is the source?|date=July 2024}} which meant "the goose lake in the highlands". The white settlers that followed shortened the name to "Casumpa", "Kusumpy" and/or "Kesumpe" around 1779. In the early 19th century, the lake was given another [[Abenaki]] name, ''Asquam'', which means "water". Finally, in the early 20th century, Asquam was shortened to its present version, Squam.
Squam Lake is much less commercialized than its neighbor Lake Winnipesaukee, which has waterfront attractions in [[Meredith, New Hampshire|Meredith]], [[Weirs Beach, New Hampshire|Weirs Beach]], and other locations. Unlike the numerous businesses dotting the shores of Winnipesaukee, only a few are present on Squam, and none of them are located on Squam itself (there is an ice cream shop, a [[general store]]/marketplace, a restaurant, two [[Marina|marinas]], and multiple [[Filling station|gas stations]] on [[Little Squam Lake|Little Squam]]). The Squam Lakes Association maintains only four boat-launching sites on the entire lake in order to keep it as quiet and private as possible.
The 1981 film ''[[On Golden Pond (1981 film)|On Golden Pond]]'' was filmed in the town of [[Center Harbor, New Hampshire|Center Harbor]] on Squam Lake.<ref>[http://www.squamlakeschamber.com/golden_pond.php Squam Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223063921/http://squamlakeschamber.com/golden_pond.php |date=2010-12-23 }}</ref> There are two tour boat services on the lake, both based in Holderness. One is Experience Squam, a private charter, and the other is the [[Squam Lakes Natural Science Center]]. Both services show filming locations and items of natural significance.
Squam Lake is a nesting site for [[common loon]]s and is a good place to see them in breeding plumage during the summer months. [[Bald eagle]]s and [[great blue heron]]s are also known to nest on the lake.
The lake is classified as a cold- and warmwater fishery, with observed species including [[rainbow trout]], [[Atlantic salmon|landlocked salmon]], [[lake trout]], [[lake whitefish]], [[smallmouth bass|smallmouth]] and [[largemouth bass]], [[chain pickerel]], [[brown bullhead|horned pout]], and [[white perch]].<ref name=NHFG>{{Cite web| url=http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/maps/bathymetry/squam_holderness.pdf| title=Squam Lake, Holderness| publisher=NH Fish & Game| access-date=September 4, 2014}}</ref>
==Islands== Squam Lake has about 30 named islands and numerous smaller, unnamed islets. The named islands are: {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * Basin Island * Birch Island * Bowman Island * Carnes Island * Chocorua (Church) Island * Duck Island * Great Island * Groton Island * High Haith {{small|(at {{convert|243|acres}}, the largest island, but only separated from mainland by narrow ditch bridged by road)}} * Hoag Island * Hubble Island * Kate Island * Kent Island * Kimball Island * Laurel Island * Little Loon Island (nesting site to bald eagles in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2012) * Long Island * Loon Island * Merrill Island * Mink Island * Mooney (or Moon) Island * Mouse Island * Otter Island * Perch Island * Potato Island * Sheep Island * Three Sisters (three separate islands) * Utopia Island * Yard Island<ref>[https://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/index.html U.S. Board on Geographic Names: Geographic Names Information System]</ref> {{div col end}}
== Events == On June 26, 1932, while vacationing on Squam Lake, astronomer [[Adelaide Ames]] was taking a canoe tour with a friend on the lake when the boat capsized. She was presumed to have drowned and her body was found after a ten-day search on July 5, 1932. She died at the age of 32.<ref>''Research Astronomer Lost by Drowning.'' In: ''Popular astronomy'', Vol. 40, August/September 1932, S. 448–449. ([http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1932PA.....40..448. online])</ref>
==See also== {{portal|New Hampshire}}
* [[List of lakes in New Hampshire]] * [[Rockywold–Deephaven Camps]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.squamlakes.org/ Squam Lakes Association] * [http://www.squamlake.us/ Squam Lake / On Golden Pond visitors' website] * {{cite GNIS|872720|Squam Lake}}
{{Merrimack River}}
[[Category:Squam Lake| ]] [[Category:Lakes of Carroll County, New Hampshire]] [[Category:Lakes of Belknap County, New Hampshire]] [[Category:New Hampshire placenames of Native American origin]]