This lake is pretty awesome with $8 parking. There is plenty of space to grill and benches to sit. There is also a playground for the kids to enjoy. There is a huge lake where people do swim in even tho you are advised not to. I like to soak my feet in since the water is pretty warm during the summer. read more

Shay a random day there last singer we had a girl scout party at their carousel house! It was perfect. They leave you be but there if you need help. They had a very large commercial sized fridge/ freezing for your food. All tables were out but if you needed more they were very accessible. We paid in full in advance, we chose to pay for everyone's parking which we paid for at the end. Very easy. The girls loved riding the carousel a million times! Only draw back it's there is no AC abs barely breathable fans. Very hot. Would do it again :) read more

I pass the Hempstead lake almost every morning to go to work and didn't know there was a huge park that existed around the lake. A large group of us came here for a BBQ. There are different fields within the park with several seating areas to conduct cookouts. I also saw a few children's playgrounds, pool, and a carousel in the vicinity. I recommend coming here on a nice warm day to relax with family or solo to take in the views of the lake. read more

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It's a fine park with lots of tall trees and a super large dog park. I come here often just to walk and see the swans. read more

Hempstead Lake State Park - Parks Near Me

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Once used as a reservoir that supplied Brooklyn with its fresh drinking water prior to them joining the rest of NYC. After its first purpose this very large lake (largest In all of Nassau County) , became a state park. It was one of the original state parks on Long Island when Robert Mosses was creating the parkway system, originally the sole purpose of this system was to incorporate leisurely drives with recreational stops such as state parks. Hempstead Lake State Park is truly an awesome park. This park has something for everyone, I love taking the walk around the main lake as well as the nature trails along the two smaller Northern ponds in the park. In this very large park you will find picnic areas for barbecuing, pickle ball, basketball, baseball and other great activities. Whats truly great is that they also offer boat and kayak rentals for the main lake. It seems like you can fish any where in the park which is cool too. One of my favorites to visit. read more

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Love walking my Dog here. The paths are well maintained and the bridle path is great. Just wish more people would carry out there trash. read more

On our way home from visiting family in Brooklyn, my son who is potty training suddenly declared he Had to use the bathroom. Luckily we were really close to the exit for Hempstead Lake State Park and decided to get off. We use the very clean bathrooms and went to the playground and he had a blast. What started as an emergency ended up being a really lovely morning. read more

Hempstead Lake State Park - Beautiful day at the playground - Parks Near Me

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Came here during winter. Nice park. Nice bathrooms. Need to come back again and walk the whole park. Only checked out couple piers, but I imagine it pretty nice during the summers. It was just too good in January to explore much. Would come back again read more

I visited the park several times in the summer. I recently went early October morning , the weather was great. My kids and I had a nice , relaxing walk along the water. I especially enjoyed the scenery , the boys liked the view from the observation deck. The trails circle around the lake , it's a pretty good distant. There is a $8.00 parking fee till 4:00pm If you get there after 4:00pm its no charge. I recommend it for a nice walk. read more

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I love running here and it's super pretty and safe. Seriously recommend it man. If you are looking for a chill place to run I suggest this place bc u can see the lake read more

We had a nice experience here. The park is in a great location, right off the Southern State. The lake is beautiful and well kept. It looks like they have picnic area complete with spaces to barbecue. The stroll was pleasant. read more

Hempstead Lake State Park - Parks Near Me

Beautiful lake! Pickleball courts! And a large playground for kiddos of all ages. We really enjoyed our time at Hempstead Lake Park. Will need to come back to explore more. Parking is $8. read more

Truly a gem, I had taken for granted: I never came to visit because of the horror stories I've heard. It turns out they're all wrong. This park is beautiful and a great place to visit in Autumn especially as the leaves turn to reds, yellows, and orange. There's a beach trail and an upper flat dirt trail around the lake. The beach one can be narrow and tricky at times and does not have as many outlets to the upper flatter trail. The upper flatter trail also loops around and provides direct access to the various parking lots scattered throughout the park. If you're ever having a bad day or need a place to come and relax this is it. If you live nearby (within 25 miles) don't pass it up! Definitely go for a hike / walk solo or with friends / fam. Happy adventures! read more

Great place to picnic and enjoy the outdoors. Ample benches and grills are available. There are play areas for children and a walkway that leads to paths around the lakes. Well maintained with free parking off-season, but parking for a fee from Memorial Day weekend until the end of the summer season. ($8.00 as of June 1, 2023). read more

Hempstead Lake State Park - Environmental Education Center - Parks Near Me

Beautiful hiking trails around 4 lakes. Dog park, picnic areas, nature museum, carousel and plenty of parking. read more

Hempstead Lake State Park - Trail along the lake - Parks Near Me

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We went in late afternoon around 3:30 pm on Sunday. The field 1 parking lot was almost full and lots of people hanging around the field near the parking lot. We rode our bikes around the Hempstead Lake. The trail was about 3 miles in total and it was a loop. Most part of the trail was unpaved and with lots of Little Rock and sands, but a portion of the path was paved. The trail was not crowded at all. Only a few hikers while we hiked. read more

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My 10 year old decided he wanted to go fishing. So I Yelped for locations and Hempstead Lake State Park was our destination. We stopped in to the park office for info before fishing. The gentleman behind the counter was really cool. He gave us some advice as well as directed us to McDonald pond. Nice spot for beginners. Thank you again sir. Long story short. My son had an amazing time. He actually caught a fish on the fourth casting of his line. We were right next to a grandfather with his daughter and grandkids. Other families could be seen set up around the lake too. The Park was clean, packed with families and people enjoying the well kept grounds. read more

Hempstead Lake State Park - Parks Near Me

My family and I had a BBQ at this park today. We enjoyed the park and we had amazing time. The weather was nice and the park is very beautiful. My only complaint would be the women's restroom. It was filthy. The toilets were not cleaned properly. The sinks had dirt in them and it was toilet paper all over the floor in the bathroom. There were even sanitary napkins (pads) on the bathroom floor. The janitorial staff needs to be spoken to regarding the upkeep of the park restrooms and also the people who visit the park need to be more considerate and not throw their trash all over the floors. It's a shared effort/responsibility. The restrooms need a thorough cleaning. Otherwise the park has a lot to offer and I will return but I hope next time the bathroom situation is a lot better. I will contact the park office tomorrow. read more

It's quite a big park. I didn't see a lot of people there today (Sunday) despite the relatively warm weather. I didn't have time to explore the whole park but the pond and lake are nice. There are some ducks and squirrels in the park too. Didn't see any horses though :( The lake is beautiful and I bet it looks even more beautiful on a sunny day! I'm giving it 4 stars because there was a lot of dog poop especially around the McDonald Pond. read more

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The picnic area parking is horrible during the COVID-19 time since people not wearing mask, not keeping social distancing. Park is good but visitors are not observing all the regulations. Cut the line, wrong way driving in parking lot... read more

Can you believe this, I have been living in Long Island for almost 4 years and never knew about this place. Totally glad I discovered it finally!! Didn't get a chance to fully explore because it was a little cold but it's definitely great for a walk, jogging, or barbecue. I took a stroll along their trail and saw some people walking their dogs as well. This is definitely not a off leash park but can surely bring your put for a walk or a run. The view is phenomenal though and I believe you can go fishing here as well. Not sure why some people gave it a bad review when it's a decent clean park. Huge parking lot, bbq area and playground. Ideal place for family, friends, and pets. read more

I had my baby shower in the carousel pavilion. Guests are given free parking passes, free carousel rides and I paid $350 for the room. A steal! The room features mint green walls and nice wood finish. The staff was very accommodating and let my guests stay past the time we paid. I grew up coming to this park and wouldn't have chosen better. The park also features an area for cookout events with a tent. read more

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Love this place An oasis in the middle of suburbs- Dog friendly Picnic tables with bbq Great tennis courts -Carousel In warm weather Lots of parking- even bourse back riding !!! read more

Decent state park located right off the Southern State Parkway. The park offers basketball and tennis courts. There is a children's playground and a carousel( haven't had a chance to experience this due to COVID restrictions). Also, there is a pretty large man-made lake upon which you can fish or go boating (permits are requires I believe). There are numerous public grills available. Along the lake you will find paths that you can walk or run along. The place can get a bit crowded on the weekends so be mindful. People seem to ignore the signs as well. For example, there is a huge sign stating no swimming in the lake. Yet I witnessed numerous family groups disregard the sign. Overall, I would say it's worth a visit. read more

Beautiful park! There is a main three mile loop all around the lake that is paved. They are currently working on it so you can't complete loop. Small trails, dirt, and leaves all around the lake. Plenty of space to grill in separate area. New indoor center with maps and info about park. Park police. Very pretty. read more

I haven't been here in a few years but they have made some improvements. They added some steps down to the lake and a couple of piers.

Trail review. 2.9 miles Hempstead lake trail - easy. It's a nice walk but the trail was muddy. Its worth a visit. The park is dog friendly. There is a bridal path, so you might see a horse or two. Great hike for kids read more

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Beautiful park. There is no swimming in the lake. BBQs should only be used in the picnic areas, not on the lake shore. read more

Hempstead Lake State Park - No swimming in the lake! Use the picnic areas for bbq, not the lakeshore. - Parks Near Me

Disappointing Don't go on a weekend if you plan on going fishing at the lake. No enforcement whatsoever. People swimming in the lake and loud radio playing. Not good for fishing read more

Did I say off leash??? Oh my was that a biggie err! Please allow me to make the correction, this park is definitely not OFF LEASH, the park police will give you a hefty $75 or so fine for off leash so beware and keep your Fido on leash or close enough to you leash him if you see them heading your way. read more

Great park, dog friendly in certain areas. Dogs are not allowed by the picnic area. You can take you dog by the lake and enjoy the scenery. I plan on going back in the fall to see the fall foliage by the lake. read more

Hempstead Lake State Park - Parks Near Me

This was a nice state park for a dog-walk break on our drive back from the Fire Island Ferry (at Bay Shore) to New Jersey. It's conveniently located just off Exit 18 of the Southern State Parkway. While the $8 admission fee may seem expensive at first, it does give you a less crowded experience and helpful staff who provide a map of the park. We went to the clean, dog-walking area at 9:30am near the Field #3 entrance, which leads to South Pond. Although you can hear road noise from the parkways, our dog did not mind. This park covers a large area, and includes tennis courts, a biking trail, and a playground. Would highly recommend if you're looking for a dog-friendly park or walking break in this part of Long Island! read more

I cannot give this place of five star because I did not actually go around at least half of the Park 2 give a great review. However I did fish the lake and I must say that I enjoyed it. I caught approximately 3 Bass but I was targeting bluegill. The lake was clean as far as viewing it. There was no litter on the grass nor in the lake. I did not expect the pain to be so clean because I have heard stories that it was uncapped. I guess it goes to show that sometimes people make a mistake on writing a review. It's a possibility whoever wrote a negative review about this park being unkept, push the wrong button for the wrong Park. I will revisit and catch some bluegills next time I just hope they're big. I can't seem to find big big bluegills 1 lb or better in any of the Northern State Park Lakes if anyone has any advice where to fish please let me know thank you read more

This is an amazing place to go with your family and friends. They have everything, playground, bbq, carousel and a small man made lake.

Nice place to chill out! Should pay fee per car to stay. Atmosphere - friendly . Will recommend . read more

I'm first time here and so disappointed!!!There are so many big dogs without leashes!!!You just can't enjoy it here!!!

The park is great. But Walter the toll guy was acting like a peace of machinery. I go to different parks and always pay my dues and they all take credit cards, but not here. So luckily or so I thought I scraped 7 bucks in cash in my car the toll was 8. I asked him if I can have him hold on to my Id and 7$ that I scraped and let me in to reserve a table until my brother in law gets here. He would spot me a dollar for sure. His respond was go to the bank there is nothing I can do. Luckily there was a guy standing by the toll both who was waiting for his family offered me a dollar and told me where to find him to pay him back. You would expect a little curtesy from employees of this park right? They don't give a crap about people here. read more

Very Very nice fun park many activities in amenities to do will be going there again!!I enjoyed checking out new parks and this is definitely a good one on my list read more

I didn't even know this was here! I went to this park to buy an Empire Passport and plan to go back. I was impressed by all the trees - it didn't seem like it belonged in the middle of Nassau County. It's got 2 playgrounds, a carousel, picnic areas, 3 walking/hiking trails, a bridle path, tennis courts, and other stuff. read more

Went to Hempstead Lake State Park to fish on June 30th 2019. The last time I went in the Spring it was awesome. Great view calm scenery even caught 2 fish. Fast forward to the Summer. The first thing I encountered will walking with my daughter across the walkway by Parking Area 1. Was two extremely drunk Latino men pissing by the trees. The bathrooms are literally 50yrs across the road. But since they were stumbling drunk and slurring their speech I shouldn't have expected anything less of them. So of course to no avail I gave them an ear full since there were small kids including my daughter that had to be subject to their lewdness. So I make it down the little dirt road to the entrance to the lake. To the left and right of the "DO NOT ENTER THE WATER" sign that's accompanied with images of a swimmer and a person in the water with a slash going through it. Was you guessed it people splashing around and swimming in the water. Loud music, people grilling by the water, over flowing smelly garbage, and empty water bottles and other refuse floating about in the water. What set out to be a calming and relaxing Sunday afternoon. ended up being anything but. The lake area of this State Park needs to be better patrolled and looked after. Maybe of the signs were in Spanish as well as English people would learn to follow the rules. read more