walk out on the ice, a little skating. reservoir is surrounded by hills coated in ice and snow, as pretty a picture as you could ever want.
Plenty of put-ins, right outside of town (on the road just south of the turnoff to Mt Snow). The lake is really pristine, with only a few houses visible. We were concerned about the currents when we heard about the 1500 cubic ft/secind release of water by the power compant at the dam... but not to worry... in the spring, when the water is high, the current is nil. It did get a bit choppy now and then when the wind picked up, but nothing we couldn't handle. We did go during the week, so I am not sure if power boat wakes would be a problem on the weekend. We only had to dodge wakes a couple of times, and they pretty much kept their distance.
Harriman Reservoir is stunning. It's enormous size is hidden behind each turn the reservoir takes. Best swimming ever. Rent a canoe, motor boat, wave runner and explore the shoreline. It's my fav.See you next summer.
Located about a mile south of the intersection of Rt 9 and Rt 100, Harriman Reservoir is one of the main attractions in the Deerfield Valley/Mt. Snow region. An eleven mile lake that runs from Wilmington south down to Whitingham, this reservoir is open to the public with many excellent recreational options including hiking along the Catamount Trail, swimming, boating, kayaking, picnics, facilities, free parking, boat launches, snow shoeing and so much more. I love to kayak out along the lake and explore the many coves and small islands that can be found. One tip of caution: This lake is a reservoir and owned by a power company that raises and lowers the water levels. Be mindful of this if you head out far onto the lake.
Sunsets and storms were magnificent to view. Rocky beaches easily accessed. I took my camera there at different times of the day as the reflection of light off the lake constantly changed the view.
Go to the southern end where the dam is, and walk across the dam, looking north. Go to the eastern side, midway, to the beach and picnic area on a wonderful overlook of the reservoir. Launch your kayak here, or at the dam. Or launch it at the northern end near Wilmington. (An historic town with wonderful places to eat, shop, and relax in local inns) There are no homes along this water. And the mountains are tall. The water clear. Your day will be fabulous.
Harriman Reservoir is very well maintained, clean (both the grounds and the water... amazingly crystal clear!). Good place for dogs, just be sure to bring baggies to clean up after them :) The picnic tables are spaced out enough to give privacy. Terrific place for a leisurely cookout, picnic, and swim! We visit at least once a month during the nice weather.
Cold, drizzly, with hard rain at the end, but we had a wonderful 3 hour paddle. A highlight was watching two foxes running and playing at the water's edge, aware of us but not running away.
My wife and I make Harriman Lake an essential stop on our Wilmington stays. We recently spent an entire afternoon reading fiction and watching the sunlight dance on the windblown lake. Both the sun's movement through the sky and the modulation of the breeze made an ever changing view. To add to the beauty was a perpetual motion sky, whose clouds were ever-changing in form and density. When passing before the sun, they altered the quality of light and shadow on both lake and woods, moving the preceding patterns into something new. It was a symphony of sight that played and amused us for hours. Kayakers and swimmers put in at a spot nearby. It was a most RELAXING afternoon.
we rented a pontoon and cruised around the reservoir for an afternoon. It was fantastic! the water was refreshing and so clear.