Best Lake in NY

MC2

MC2

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
What’s the best lake in NY? I realize that people like lakes for different reasons (some like a quiet paddle, some like to blast music on their bowrider all day, etc.), so maybe just say what lake you like and why you like it.

You can also use this thread to say why you don’t like certain lakes. For instance, I think Lake Placid has a bad shape and lots of Lake Champlain smells like the paper mill in Ticonderoga.
 
I love Lake Champlain but the part of it I know is up around Plattsburgh and Ausable Point so I couldn’t comment on the paper mill smell. North South Lake isn’t very impressive but I still go back once in a while hoping to get a pic of the giant 100+ year old snapping turtle that lives there
 
I don't know a lot of lakes, just a few in the Adirondacks, but my favorites include Lake George, Indian Lake and 13th Lake.

I'm also fond of Ontario, because of the lake effect that makes Snow Ridge and McCauley tick. I know only half of it is in NY. Does that count?

13th is my favorite because it's deep and clean, and most of the shoreline is wilderness. There is nothing upstream to pollute it. I like it winter for skiing and summer for paddling, swimming and hiking around. I've never had any luck catching a trout or salmon, but I intend to keep trying.
 
We were lucky enough to enjoy a few summers in the late 1980s on Schroon Lake. It was uncrowded with very little boat traffic, especially after spending time on Lake George. I also have visited a friend's camp on Raquette Lake and that was incredible.

Lately, we have been visiting the Finger Lakes. We particularly like Keuka Lake, although we have also spent time on
Seneca Lake. The wineries around the the Finger Lakes are excellent and there is a real foody culture that matches the quality of the wine.
 
Being I live in the Finger Lakes Region it's hard to pick my fav as they're all incredible. Guess I'd pick Owasco, my buddy #14 has a camp there so it really cool to be able to go there and chill out for a weekend. Something about waking up on the lake that can't be duplicated anywhere else.

One thing that the lakes in the Dacks have that we don't have here in CNY are loons. To listen to them sing is a real treat.
 
Love the Fingers. My gramps used to get a summer place on Seneca or Cayuga, and it was a dream. If it's deep and clean with some hills around them I like it.
 
Harvey said:
Love the Fingers. My gramps used to get a summer place on Seneca or Cayuga, and it was a dream. If it's deep and clean with some hills around them I like it.
Click to expand...
That's awesome!! And I agree about the hills thing, that's what makes them so cool. Skaneateles lake is def one of the coolest because of Skaneateles (the town) itself. Home of the original Doug's Fish Fry, Morris's ( cool biker bar), and the Sherwood Inn (all fancy n shit). Place has a cool vibe.
They also have 2 boats that provide dinner cruise's. One big one and one small one. A bunch of the people I bowled with and golfed with rented the little one (25ish people), had it all to ourselves. Before we even turned around to head back into town our crew drank the boat entirely out of beer. All of it. The Captain pulled along side the big boat so the could off load more beer for us. I happened to be sitting next to the Captain, he looked at me and said, I've been doing this for 11 years and that's never happened before ?
 
Racquette Lake 99 miles of pristine shoreline most of which you need a boat to access., rich history with several "ADIRONDACK GREAT CAMPS " from the late 1880's . Followed closely by the Fulton Chain of Lakes first thru 8th lakes especially 4 th Lake
 
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