Lake Memphremagog

Q: What does Memphremagog mean?

The name comes from an Abenaki word usually translated as 'great expanse of water' or 'a long and large sheet of water.'

Lake Memphremagog starts at Newport, Vermont, and runs about 31 miles north into Québec, with roughly three-quarters of the lake in Canada. On the Vermont side, a visit centers on Newport: Prouty Beach for swimming and camping, Bluffside Farm's mile-long lakeside path and sand beach, rail trails that run to the Canadian border, and summer cruises on the international waters, with Owl's Head Mountain on the horizon.

By Vermont Lake Collection · Last reviewed: October 2026

The Short Answer

Where can you swim in Lake Memphremagog in Vermont?

Prouty Beach in Newport, a 36-acre city park with a beach, more than 75 campsites and boat rentals. Bluffside Farm, just outside downtown, also has more than a mile of natural sand shoreline.

Can you take a boat cruise on Lake Memphremagog?

Yes. Northern Star Lake Cruises runs scenic cruises on the lake's international waters.

Can you boat from Vermont into Canada on Lake Memphremagog?

The lake crosses the U.S.–Canada border. Anyone crossing by boat must follow U.S. and Canadian border reporting rules, so check with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency before you go.

Newport and the Waterfront

Newport sits on the lake's southern shore, a few miles from the Québec border, and is billed by Vermont's tourism office as "Small City. Lake Life." The downtown waterfront is the starting point for walks, paddles and cruises. On clear days, Owl's Head Mountain on the Québec side marks the horizon.

Prouty Beach

Newport's main lakefront park, run by Newport Recreation, covers 36 acres overlooking the lake and downtown. It has a swimming beach, more than 75 campsites, boat rentals, tennis courts, a disc golf course, a playground, basketball, shuffleboard and horseshoes. Anglers fish for yellow perch, largemouth bass and rainbow trout.

Bluffside Farm

Just outside downtown, Bluffside Farm is a 129-acre lakeside property protected by the Vermont Land Trust in 2015 and open to the public since. It has more than a mile of natural sand beach, which is rare on a Vermont lake, and a one-mile accessible recreation path, completed in 2021, with a boardwalk over Scott's Cove. The path connects to about seven miles of trails between the city and the Canadian border.

Rail Trails to the Border

The Beebe Spur Rail Trail is a level, roughly six-mile path for walking, biking and skiing that runs to the U.S.–Canada border at Derby. Nearby in Derby Line, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House famously sits on both sides of the border.

On the Water

Northern Star Lake Cruises runs scenic trips on the international waters of the lake aboard a 1920s-style canal cruiser. Paddlers and boaters can launch from Newport; remember that the border runs across the lake, and crossing it by boat requires following both countries' reporting rules.

Memphre, History and More

Memphremagog has its own lake-monster legend, Memphre. Read Memphre, the Legend and our Lake Memphremagog history for the steamboats, grand hotels and cross-border stories.

When to Go

Summer is for Prouty Beach, cruises and the trails. Fall is quieter here than at better-known lakes: Prouty Beach is an uncrowded place to watch the color come in. In winter, Jay Peak Resort is a short drive away. See our fall foliage lake guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Lake Memphremagog?
It begins at Newport, Vermont, in the Northeast Kingdom and runs about 31 miles north to Magog, Québec. About three-quarters of the lake is in Canada.

What is there to do in Newport, Vermont?
Swim and camp at Prouty Beach, walk the Bluffside Farm path, bike the Beebe Spur Rail Trail, take a lake cruise, and visit the Haskell Free Library on the border in Derby Line.

What mountain do you see across Lake Memphremagog?
Owl's Head, on the Québec side, is the lake's most recognizable peak and has a ski resort.

What does Memphremagog mean?
The name comes from an Abenaki word usually translated as "great expanse of water" or "a long and large sheet of water."