Harriman's Most Remote Beach Is Worth the Extra Miles

Most people driving through Harriman State Park on a summer weekend end up at Lake Welch or Sebago — crowded, loud, familiar. Lake Tiorati Beach, accessible off Seven Lakes Drive near Southfields, is the one that requires a little more intention, and rewards it accordingly.

The park officially lists it as the most remote of Harriman's bathing beaches, which tells you something about what you'll find there. On weekdays especially, it draws a quieter crowd: people who packed a lunch, maybe brought a fishing rod, and aren't in a hurry. The beach is sand, there are lifeguards on duty during the season, and the site includes picnic areas, bathhouses, and restrooms — so it's not roughing it, just a step removed from the chaos.

For anyone in Tomkins Cove or the surrounding stretch of Route 9W, Harriman's back roads are practically a backyard amenity, and Tiorati sits toward the western edge of the park in a pocket that many day-trippers simply never reach. That geographic remove is its appeal. The shoreline loop trail adds something for people who want a little walking after their swim, and the lake itself is open for fishing and boating if you want to do more than sit on the sand.

Families who have already done the closer beaches a dozen times, or anyone who finds themselves grinding their teeth at a packed parking lot, tend to discover Tiorati and then keep it to themselves. That cycle is probably why the weekday crowd there stays manageable.

A few things to know before you go: the beach is seasonal, and there is a paid admission requirement, so it's worth confirming current hours and fees before making the drive out to Southfields. For details and directions, see the full listing.