Where is Forest Lake?

Forest Lake is a lake in Essex County, Massachusetts. Its water-quality measurements are published by MassDEP and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Forest Lake?

Forest Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 48 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Forest Lake?

Forest Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Forest Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Forest Lake?

Forest Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Massachusetts's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Forest Lake

Essex County, Massachusetts48 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from MassDEP for this lake.

Max depth

30 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

48 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

1.1 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Mercury
30 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Forest Lake in Essex County, Massachusetts has water-quality measurements published by MassDEP, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 48 acres.

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Forest Lake is a 48-acre lake in Essex County, Massachusetts with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, MassDEP. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Forest Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp
Deep water30 ft surveyed max depth

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Forest Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Forest Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Forest Lake

These are the measurements MassDEP publishes for Forest Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Forest Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

30 ft

Surface area

48 acres

Shoreline

1.1 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by MassDEP

The depth above comes from a bathymetric survey of this lake, not from a regional estimate.

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Forest LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Forest Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Forest Lake in Essex County, Massachusetts — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.

Top-rated places to stay near Forest Lake

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Fishing Forest Lake

→ Forest Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Forest Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2022 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MA84014 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Essex County

Haggetts Pond—View →Crystal LakeMesotrophic—View →Fosters Pond—View →Lake Cochichewick—View →Chadwick Pond—View →Hoveys Pond—View →

Frequently asked questions about Forest Lake

Where is Forest Lake?: Forest Lake is a lake in Essex County, Massachusetts. Its water-quality measurements are published by MassDEP and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Forest Lake?: Forest Lake in Essex County, Massachusetts has water-quality measurements published by MassDEP, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 48 acres.
Is Forest Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Forest Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Forest Lake?: Forest Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 48 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Forest Lake?: Forest Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Forest Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Forest Lake?: Forest Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Massachusetts's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.