Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. There is no entrance fee, and DCR lists parking as free at both entrances: 177 Forest Street in Saugus and 100 Hemlock Road in Wakefield. DCR lists no separate swim fee for Pearce Lake, and its programs are free. See parking.

Sunrise to sunset, every day of the year, according to DCR. The visitor center, the Pearce Lake beach and Camp Nihan keep their own seasonal schedules. See hours.

At either free DCR lot: the main entrance at 177 Forest Street, Saugus, by the visitor center, or the Wakefield entrance at 100 Hemlock Road, which DCR says is closer to Pearce Lake Beach. See parking and directions.

Yes, only in the designated swimming area at Pearce Lake. In 2026 it opened May 23 and closed September 7, with lifeguards daily from June 13, 10:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Silver Lake is no swimming. See Pearce Lake.

Yes, on a leash no longer than 10 feet. The Barking Lot is a fenced off-leash dog area on the paved loop. Pick up after your dog. Pets are not allowed at Camp Nihan. See dogs.

DCR's suggested routes run from 1.6 miles (Silver Lake Trail) to 3 miles (the paved Outer Loop), and the Stories in Stone history walk is 3.4 miles. DCR does not publish one total mileage for the whole trail system. See trails and hiking and the trail map.

Yes. The 2-mile Inner Loop on paved Pine Tops Road, DCR's Healthy Heart Trail, is suitable for strollers and mobility aids. DCR also provides a beach mat and beach wheelchair at Pearce Lake. See plan your visit.

Yes. DCR says Eagle Rock, a short red-blazed climb off the Pearce Lake Trail, gives a view of the Boston skyline about 7 miles to the south. See Eagle Rock Trail.

Yes. DCR lists biking, and the paved Inner and Outer loops are gated to cars and shared with walkers. Riders yield to pedestrians, and riders 16 and under must wear a helmet. See biking.

Yes. DCR lists fishing. A Massachusetts fishing license is required, and you should fish away from the designated swimming area at Pearce Lake. See fishing.

Yes, with propane only. DCR's page for Breakheart says no charcoal grills. See the rules.

Not in the reservation itself. Group camping is at Camp Nihan Education Center, 131 Walnut Street, Saugus, with cabins and group tent sites booked through DCR. See Camp Nihan.

Yes. The park keeps sunrise-to-sunset hours all year with free parking, and DCR lists cross-country skiing. Snowshoers are asked to stay off ski tracks. See winter.

A Lynn attorney, Benjamin Johnson, and his associates bought the land from 1891 as a private hunting retreat and dammed two marshes to make the lakes. It was sold for use as a state park in 1934, and the Civilian Conservation Corps built roads, trails and the Flume. See history.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The park office number is (781) 233-0834. See contact.