Highland Lake (Stoddard, New Hampshire) Explained

Highland Lake
Coords:43.1006°N -72.0894°W
Inflow:Bog Brook
Outflow:Shedd Brook (north outlet); tributary of North Branch Contoocook River (main outlet)
Basin Countries:United States
Length:6miles
Width:0.5miles
Area:6971NaN1
Depth:7feet
Max-Depth:30feet
Elevation:395disp=flipNaNdisp=flip
Cities:Washington
Stoddard (Mill Village)
Pushpin Map:New Hampshire#USA
Pushpin Map Alt:Location of Highland Lake in New Hampshire, USA.

Highland Lake is a 697acres water body located in Sullivan and Cheshire counties in southwestern New Hampshire, United States, in the towns of Washington and Stoddard. The lake has two outlets. The north outlet feeds Shedd Brook, while the south outlet flows through Island Pond to the North Branch of the Contoocook River. Water from the two outlets rejoins in the town of Hillsborough, approximately 8miles east of Highland Lake and one mile upstream from the Contoocook River. The northern end of the lake is only accessible by boat through a channel approximately 50 feet wide.

The lake has been a popular site for recreational boating during the summer and snowmobiling during the winter since before the 1960s. Waterskiiers are a frequent sight, and sea planes are known to occasionally use the lake. Most of the lakeside real estate has seasonal and year-round residences situated on plots of land smaller than .25 acres. The Highland Lake Marina (the waterway's only such establishment) is located at the end of Shedd Hill Road. It is open during summer weekends, and offers boat storage, docking, and recreational merchandise. There is also a diner attached.

The lake is classified as a warmwater fishery and is home to species such as black crappie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, horned pout, and white perch.[1] The land surrounding Pickerel Cove is owned and protected by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.[2]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Highland Lake, Stoddard, Washington. NH Fish & Game. August 15, 2014.
  2. Web site: Pickerel Cove. Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. March 11, 2019.