Lake Wood Swimming Area

Lake Wood Swimming Area is a small beach on a shallow Great Pond near the north end of Mount Desert Island. It’s a good change of pace if you want freshwater instead of the coast; skip it if you need an accessible shoreline or a lifeguard.

From Maine Route 3, follow Crooked Road about a mile to Lake Wood Road and the end-of-road parking area. The access road does not open until June 1. From the lot, a 0.1-mile path with uneven footing and roots leads down to the beach, so this isn’t an accessible swim stop. A public restroom has been reported at the lot, but it isn’t accessible. There are no lifeguards, and summer water quality can change; check the current freshwater beach status before swimming.

The pond reaches 11 feet at its deepest, with smooth ledges around parts of the shore and a small gravel beach at the swim access. Keep an eye on the shallows for frogs, tadpoles and little minnows; leeches have been reported too. That’s the trade for a real pond rather than a maintained pool.

From the beach, include a strip of the pale gravel edge in the foreground and the wooded shore across the water. A frame full of water misses the small shoreline that makes this a swimming stop.