5 Lakes In Maine That Completely Freeze Over in the Winter

Most lakes in Maine freeze over completely in the winter. Unfortunately, January and February are the most common times for the lakes in Maine to completely freeze over.

Though this is still in winter, it’s pushing more towards spring. If you want lakes to visit earlier in winter than late January, it’s a good idea to check out some of these lakes below. Because they are shallow and in rather cold areas, there’s a good chance they will start freezing a little sooner than others.

1. Tumbledown Pond

Tumbledown Pond is a little body of water located between Little Jackson and Tumbledown Mountains. In the summer, it’s the perfect place to fish for trout.

However, in the winter, it’s perfect for ice skating. Because the water is shallow and high up in the mountains, it’s one of the first places to freeze over completely. The ice gets plenty thick and people are known to skate it.

2. Damariscotta Lake

This lake, though long, is rather shallow. It’s a great place in the summer to look for minnows and let children run around without too much worry.

In the winter, because the water freezes over, it’s a great place to partake in winter activities such as ice boating and ice fishing. While the lake freezes over every year, the thickness changes. Sometimes, it’s too thin to be any good for winter activities.

3. Phillips Lake

In the lake, you will find fish like perch, salmon, and trout. This lake is surrounded by other bodies of water all of various shapes and sizes. Dedham is the closest community to the lake, but the nearest large cities include Brewer and Ellsworth.

Many people come to this lake to swim in the summer. In the winter, it’s often a little too cold.

This lake is often a disappointment for ice fishing during winter as well. The lake limits fishers to only two traps on the water and there often aren’t a lot of fish biting.

However, if you aren’t looking to go fishing, it’s a great place to explore and walk around on the ice without having to worry too much about other people nearby.

4. Wilson Lake

Wilson Lake is located next to Wilton, Maine. It’s very close to New Hampshire, almost right on the border. The lake is rather beautiful and is loved by tourists who visit and the locals alike.

It’s a fun lake that allows you to fish on it throughout the entire year. You can fish for salmon, trout, and bass on a boat in the summer or through the ice in the winter.

In addition to getting to fish, and maybe skate on the lake, there’s all sorts of wildlife to see in the area. Even in the winter, you can get lucky and come across some birds, deer, and moose.

Throughout other times of the year, you can find beavers, bald eagles, ducks, loons, and bears amongst other animals. Though it’s a rather famous destination for the area, a visit to the lake allows you to experience nature at its best.

5. Sabattus Pond

Sabattus Pond is just north of Sabattus, Maine. It’s near more major cities like Lewiston and Auburn as well. The water is rather shallow, making it the perfect lake to freeze in the winter.

It’s not a lake many people spend a lot of time in during the summer. The water has an unfortunate history of having poor water quality. At least, that was the case. In recent years, the pond has managed to reach a much better water quality.

While some people still avoid the lake in the summer due to previous issues, it’s perfectly safe to skate on this lake in the winter and play in the water in the summer.

Summary of Lakes in Maine That Freeze Over in Winter