Silver Lake (Madison, New Hampshire)

Silver Lake is a 969-acre (3.92 km²)[1] water body located in Carroll County in eastern New Hampshire, United States, in the town of Madison. The village of Silver Lake within Madison lies at the north end of the lake. Water from Silver Lake flows via the West Branch, through the Ossipee Pine Barrens[2] to Ossipee Lake and ultimately to the Saco River in Maine.

Silver Lake
Silver Lake at Nichols Beach, Madison, NH
Silver Lake Show map of New Hampshire Silver Lake Show map of the United States
Location	Carroll County, New Hampshire
Coordinates	43°51′57″N 71°10′24″W
Primary inflows	Deer River Forrest Brook
Primary outflows	West Branch
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	2.6 mi (4.2 km)
Max. width	1.2 mi (1.9 km)
Surface area	969 acres (3.92 km2)
Average depth	47 ft (14 m)
Max. depth	164 ft (50 m)
Surface elevation	468 ft (143 m)
Islands	Big Island; Bimba Island; Loon Island
Settlements	Silver Lake (town of Madison)

Much of the lake's perimeter is forested, but there are numerous swimming spots. Popular beaches include "the foot" of the lake, "Nichols Beach", and "the head of the lake." It was the summer home of E. E. Cummings whose father had built two houses on the lake's eastern shore and later purchased the nearby Joy Farm where Cummings' spent most of his summers as well as his final days.

The lake is classified as a cold- and warmwater fishery, with observed species including rainbow trout, lake trout, lake whitefish, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, and horned pout.[3]