Crescent Lake
Crescent Lake is a quiet, spring-fed gem just minutes from downtown Wolfeboro. At roughly 700 acres with crystal-clear water and a peaceful shoreline, it's the perfect escape for families who want the lake experience without the…
Why Crescent Lake?
Crescent Lake is a quiet, spring-fed gem just minutes from downtown Wolfeboro. At roughly 700 acres with crystal-clear water and a peaceful shoreline, it's the perfect escape for families who want the lake experience without the crowds of Winnipesaukee.
The lake is ideal for kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming, and fishing. Motor boats are welcome but the smaller size keeps things calm. The surrounding area offers easy access to Wolfeboro's restaurants, shops, and the Cotton Valley Trail.
Yankee Pedlar manages select waterfront rental properties on Crescent Lake: intimate, family-friendly homes with private docks and sandy beaches.
The Story of Crescent Lake
Crescent Lake used to be called Crooked Pond, and got its prettier name from its crescent shape. It is really a working part of Wolfeboro's waterworks: the Smith River flows through it, carrying Lake Wentworth's water down toward Winnipesaukee, and that flow powered the mills at Wolfeboro Falls from the 1770s all the way into the 1970s, turning out lumber, excelsior, and tool handles.
The dam at the outlet was built in 1855 by the Lake Company to control the water feeding those mills (and, ultimately, the great Merrimack River mill system downstream). The lake's oddest historical footnote came in 1910, when the Crescent Lake Land and Live Stock Company tried to run a large sheep ranch on its shores for wool, meat, and breeding stock. It failed, and the shoreline went back to being what it is now: quiet coves and family camps.
Beyond the mills and the sheep, Crescent Lake's history is mercifully uneventful, which is rather the point of the place. It has spent the last century doing exactly what it does today, giving Wolfeboro families a calm, clear lake five minutes from downtown.
Through the Years
- 1770sMills begin running at Wolfeboro Falls on the lake's outlet flow
- 1855Outlet dam built by the Lake Company to control water for the mills
- 1910The short-lived Crescent Lake sheep ranch venture
- 1970sThe last of the Wolfeboro Falls mills close
Crescent Lake Map
2 Vacation Rentalson Crescent Lake
Homes Near Crescent Lake
21 Waumbeck Road
Wolfeboro, NH
5 BD | 3 BA | 2,634 sqft
Listed by Coldwell Banker Realty Gilford NH
44 Waumbeck Road
Wolfeboro, NH
3 BD | 2 BA | 1,940 sqft
Listed by BHHS Verani Wolfeboro
369 Stoddard Road
Wolfeboro, NH
3 BD | 4 BA | 3,663 sqft
Listed by KW Coastal and Lakes & Mountains Realty/Meredith
23 Crystal Shore Road
Wolfeboro, NH
5 BD | 5 BA | 5,588 sqft
Listed by BHHS Verani Wolfeboro
6 Eagle Trace
Wolfeboro, NH
4 BD | 3 BA | 2,268 sqft
Listed by BHHS Verani Wolfeboro
6 Millwood Road
Wolfeboro, NH
4 BD | 4 BA | 5,773 sqft
Listed by BHHS Verani Wolfeboro
IDX display courtesy of Yankee Pedlar Realtors, Wolfeboro NH. PrimeMLS Listing Information displayed herein is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by PrimeMLS. This display of listings may or may not be the entire Compilation from the PrimeMLS database, and PrimeMLS does not guarantee the accuracy of such information. © 2026 PrimeMLS, Inc.
Fishing on Crescent Lake
Warmwater fishery · Open water fishing: mid-April through October. Ice fishing in winter.
Crescent Lake is a classic New Hampshire warmwater pond fishery: bass, pickerel, and panfish in a quiet setting that suits a canoe or kayak better than a bass boat. It sits on the Smith River flow between Lake Wentworth and Winnipesaukee, and fishing pressure stays light all season, so the rocky shoreline smallmouth rarely see a crowd.
Warmwater Species
Fish illustrations by Duane Raver and Timothy Knepp, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Access & Regulations
Small public boat launch on the southern end. Best accessed by kayak/canoe or from waterfront properties.
A New Hampshire freshwater fishing license is required for anglers 16 and older, available online from NH Fish and Game.
NH Fish & Game RegulationsLocal Tips
Loons, herons, kingfishers, and more call Crescent Lake home. See our Lakes Region birding guide for who to watch for and where.
Stories & Guides
From Crooked Pond to Cottage Country: The History of the Avery Cottages
Cottage #516 on Crescent Lake may be one of the original Avery cottages, built on land that was once a working farm. Here's the surprising story behind it.
Triggs Island: The Hidden History of Lake Wentworth's Most Storied Isle
From colonial settler Thomas Triggs to a future Supreme Court justice conquering his fear of water, Triggs Island on Lake Wentworth has a story worth knowing.
Big Barndoor Island: History, Life, and Homes on Winnipesaukee
Discover the rich history and island lifestyle of Big Barndoor Island on Lake Winnipesaukee, from cattle grazing to coveted waterfront retreats.
List your waterfront home with Yankee Pedlar. We manage one of the largest rental portfolios in the Lakes Region and can help maximize your property's income.
List Your Property