Squam Lake Natural Science Center

Open meadows, mature forests, and marsh boardwalks connect interactive natural exhibits where native animals reside. Spend a day among black bears, mountain lions, raptors, river otters, bobcats, and more. Spend a day - take a self-guided tour of the animal exhibit trail (plan at least two hours). Explore our hiking trails, relax and learn on a Squam Lake Cruise, enjoy the beauty of Kirkwood Gardens, and shop naturally in the Howling Coyote Gift Shop.

Paddle or Boat on Beautiful Squam 

Rent kayaks or canoes at Squam Lake association. You can rent motor boats at Holderness Harbor and Squam Boat Livery. Or if you have your own boat, use the Squam Lake Public boat launch located a 4-min drive away from the cabin.

Squam Lake has several public islands and trail systems you can explore:
- Bowman Island
- Moon Island
- Heron Cove
- Dog Cove Shore Trail System

Swim and Enjoy Squam 

There are several options for swimming in the Squam Lake region. For detailed information about your swimming options and accessible beaches, please review our Swimmming information card. Go for a Swim at the Ashland Little Squam Beach. Ashland Town Beach is located at the southern end of Little Squam Lake. It is the only public beach on the lake and is a perched beach, having the majority of the beach behind a retaining wall. The beach is a full access, equal opportunity beach for all visitors featuring a water-accessible wheelchair ramp. The beach also has picnic tables, charcoal grills, a volleyball court, and a funnel ball area. Directions here! Additional swimming options are described in our Swimmming information card.

Other Family Activities

- Polar caves
- Monkey trunks zipline
- Logs of fun
- Visit Castle in the cloud
- The largest Arcade in the world
- Living shores aquarium
- The Old Country Store, in Moultonborough, perhaps the oldest in the United States, A store since 1781. 228 years old.

- The Loon Center
- Escape room
- Movies and Shows at the Flying Monkey in Plymouth
- Christmas tree farm and Maple syrup experience at The Rocks

Hike or Snowshoe around Beautiful Squam and surrounding Mountains

Endless hiking possibilities around Squam Lake, for a map of hikes around the Lake, look HERE and click on any of the hikes on the map to obtain detailed information. Cotton Lake Cabin is truly a hiker paradise, you can start your hikes directly at your personal trail head behind the Cabin from where marked trails allow you to connect to the Squam Range trail system. Hike Mt Fayal, Cotton Mountain, Livermore Mountain, or the entire Squam Range all the way to Double Head Mountain (recognized as one of the best hiking area in NH, read more HERE)- enjoy hiking at its best starting directly from the cabin with no need for a car or finding a parking spot at the trail head!

For more details on the trails starting at the cabin, click HERE!

For more details on specific hikes:
- Brooks Fisher Trail
- Butterworth Trail
- Cabin Trail
- Col Trail
- Cotton Mountain Trail
- Crawford Ridgepole Trail
- Dog Cove Shore Trail
- Eagle Cliff Trail
- East Rattlesnake Trail
- Heron Cove Trail
- Mountain Trail Road
- Mount Percival Trail
- Mount Prospect Trail
- Old Highway Hiking Trail
- Prescott Trail
- Rattlesnake Hiking Trail
- Red Hill Hiking Trail
- Ridge Trail
- Undercut Path

For driving directions and GPS coordinates of trailheads, click on the green box "Driving Directions" on each of the trail map included in the files above.

Discover New Hampshire White Mountains, 20 min away

A plethora of activities in NH White Mountains await, check an exhaustive list HERE and a handful of ideas below:
- Fall Foliage: enjoy the beautiful colors of the Fall, plan your trip with The Fall Foliage Tracker; newcomer to the White Mountains in the Fall? Start with the Kancamagus Highway, a 34.5 mile scenic drive along NH's Rt. 112 that is well known as one of the best Fall Foliage viewing areas in the country. The Kancamagus Highway is now designated an American Scenic Byway for its rich history, aesthetic beauty and culture.
- Mount Washington Historic Auto Road
- Cannon Mountain aerial Tramway
- Conway Scenic Rail
- Mount Washington Cog Railway
- Zipline at Brettonwoods, Errol,
- White water sports (rafting, kayaking)
- Franconia Notch: Opportunities are endless for experiencing the natural wonders NH State Parks have to offer.  Whether it is swimming, fishing, camping, picnicking, biking, or ATVing, the land is there for everyone to enjoy. For more activities, see Franconia chamber of commerce information.
- Shaker Museum
- Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) activities
- Hike the Whites: ideas of hikes in the White Mountains

Enjoy a local drink after a day of outdoor activities...

If you’re going to enjoy a cold one while visiting Squam Lake, it’s only appropriate that it be from Squam Brewing. Opened in 2010, this three-barrel nanobrewery based in a quintessential New England barn in Holderness creates beers that are sold throughout the Lakes Region; you can also tour the brewery by appointment. Other local breweries include Twin Barns in Meredith and Woodstock Inn Brewery in North Woodstock.

... and a good meal to finish up the day.

A lot of great dining options await:

- The Inn Kitchen and Bar (Holderness): located at the award-winning Squam Lake Inn, this eatery is a great choice on a summer night thanks to its outdoor dining veranda, which is filled with cushy seating and twinkling string lights. Or choose to sit inside, which is equally comfortable and offers easy access to the bar and its signature craft cocktails. Entrées feature fresh, local ingredients, including herbs from the on-site garden.

- Squam Lake Marketplace (Holderness): At Squam Lake Marketplace you can stock up on local produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, and a curated selection of wine and beer for your lake stay — or just stop in for a freshly baked pastry and coffee. And don’t miss out on the signature ice cream sandwiches, starring locally made ice cream and house-made cookies.

- The Manor on Golden Pond (Holderness): The Manor offers a fine dining experience in a relaxing atmosphere. The menu rotates seasonally and features items such as steaks, salads, fresh seafood and other New American cuisine with a creative twist. Manor on Golden Pond has a full bar with an extensive wine list as well as a knowledgeable staff who can help pair wine with each entree.

- Squam Lakeside Farm (Holderness, seasonal): For casual summer dining (think burgers, lobster rolls) right across from the lake, head to Squam Lakeside Farm. It has a full menu of classic American food plus lots of cool summer treats: ice cream cones, sundaes, soft-serve, and even frappes, freezes, and floats.

- Walter's basin (Holderness): Located right on Little Squam Lake, Walter’s Basin has water views and a full selection of lunch and dinner eats, including a hearty New England seafood dinner, fish fry, rib-eye steak, and lobster mac and cheese.

- The Common Man (Ashland): Opened in Ashland in 1971 by owner Alex Ray, it is the first Common Man Restaurant! The Common Man Ashland serves great American fare with flair! Prime rib, home made baked macaroni and cheese, and our famous crab cakes, voted Best of NH five years in a row by readers of New Hampshire Magazine, are just some of the delicious items on the menu. Enjoy dinner in the dining room, or upstairs in Bar 'n grill, complete with cozy couches, a wood stove and parlor games. Settle in and make yourself at home! After dinner, take a stroll across the street to our Common Man Company Store to check out our penny candy counter, home made fudge, specialty foods and Common Man gear.

- Ashland House Of Pizza: Ashland House of Pizza is the best pizza in town! We know pizza can be hit or miss and we make sure to use only quality ingredients.

- Fosters Boiler Room (Plymouth): Foster's Boiler Room is located inside the Common Man Inn & Spa in Plymouth and serves a variety of fine American foods, from light fare to hearty selections, served in our lively pub, or fire-side in our Abenaki dining room.

- The Corner House Inn (Center Sandwich): At this Center Sandwich restaurant located in a former 1849 inn, you can enjoy a tasty meal in a rustic, historical setting. The Corner House Inn is also a favorite destination for evening entertainment, as it hosts everything from pub music to storytelling dinners.

- Little Red Schoolhouse (Campton, seasonal): Serious fans of lobster rolls flock from both the Lakes region and the nearby White Mountains to this funky little converted schoolhouse with both screened-in seating and a large outdoor picnic area high on a bluff above the Pemigewasset river.