Western MA – outdoor swimming season

June 22, 2020 1:04 AM

In western Mass, in an average big lake (I care most about this lake, SW of Greenfield), what range of the year is swimmable without a wetsuit? I'm happy swimming when both air and water temps are at least 60F/15C (and if air and water temps are often different in MA, let's say my standard is a water temp of 60 or above).
posted by kalapierson to Travel & Transportation around Western Massachusetts, MA (5 answers total)

My wife grew up near a lake not too far from that one. She said that it was the water was usually unpleasantly cold before July. However, they never used wetsuits when they went swimming (in contrast to when they went ocean swimming at Cape Cod.)
posted by Johnny Assay at 5:09 AM on June 22, 2020

I just came back from a lake in Western MA (around 40 miles south of your lake), and it was (and is usually) comfortable, starting the beginning of June. It depends on depth and location of springs feeding it, but I find that you can swim from around Memorial Day to the end of September. Obviously, varies by year. This year, it felt warmer than it usually does in June.

We also never used wetsuits - if it was cold, you just got out quicker.
posted by oryelle at 10:23 AM on June 22, 2020

I don't know anyone who goes swimming in this area in a wetsuit. Some people will choose smaller bodies of water if the larger ones are too cold (for example Puffer's Pond in Amherst) or in rivers/streams just to cool off.

Here is a list of swimming holes in western MA. If you want more room to swim, the Daughters of the American Revolution has a sizable lake with swimming.
posted by plinth at 11:55 AM on June 22, 2020

(Also, I just looked at your history, and it looks like you're a far more serious swimmer than me or my family. When I say 'swimmable,' I'm talking about the point where I'd play in the water with a child and we'd pop out of the water every 30 minutes or so to warm up and make sure no one's lips were turning blue.)
posted by oryelle at 12:49 PM on June 22, 2020

Ashfield lake is only 38 acres, with an average depth of 7 feet, and a max depth of 20 feet. It will warm up quite fast.
posted by rockindata at 3:56 PM on June 22, 2020