Prettiest lake ever. I want to spend the rest of my life living on it and swimming in it!read more

I'm a boater but the only ramp to launch my boat is in Cooperstown one ramp is concrete and very…read moreshort with a sharp drop off at the end of the ramp in the water . It's been like that even back in the 70s ..... then there is the MAJOR parking problem. There is also a dirt ramp next door but it's very shallow also a very small parking area . Once in the water you need to stay in n the water because there is no public shoreline to pull up to and there is a privately paid patrol to keep you off the miles of empty shoreline. The state beach and campgrounds does not have a boat launch and is about eight miles from the boat launch ( by water ) much longer by road . ..... good luck !

The falls are truly incredible…read more The trail down to the bottom of the falls, is a bit tricky. But so incredibly worth it. I would suggest not to believe the sign saying 189 steps.... it is definitely more! Take drinking water because you'll need that for sure. We went back in August and the heat was definitely there. The parking lot was pretty packed but throughout the trails people were pretty evenly spaced out. Not so much at the base of the falls themselves but there was still plenty of room to move around freely.

One of the tallest waterfall in NY, similar height to Taughannock Falls. Physical requirement is…read moredifferent tho, Kaaterskill Falls has about 500foot of elevation change and a lot of slippery stone steps at the end, if you come here when the weather is still cold. Parking: most people park at the Laurel-House Road parking area, because it is the closest. Or you can park at Mountain Top Historical Society, the old train station, which an extra mile. Starting from the old railroad station is nice, you can still see some old tracks on the ground. Walk to the overlook is fairly easy, once you get to the start point of Lower falls junction, it is where you need to be prepared. I recommend hiking shoe, especially in colder months where the ground is wet and iced. When you reach to the stone steps, they can get slippery. I am surprised no one fell in late March. Half of the steps were cover in ice and people were wearing regular sneakers. Once you reach the base of the two tier falls, the view is tremendous. If water levels are high, you can feel the energy of the water. There is a lot of spray from the falls when you get close. There is short trail to the middle tier pool. It was iced up during winter, spikes will definitely be useful. The end was amazing too. So close to the lead of the waterfall. You can keep going and follow Escarpment trail and follow the edge of the valley. There is monument for fireman Frank Layman who died during firefighting in 1900, at his monument, you can see route 23A bend around mountain. And if you keep going, there are a couple viewpoint to overlook the valley. Nice break points to enjoy the view and rest your legs.

Have you guys heard of this coronavirus thing?…read more Anyway, it's this worldwide pandemic thingy that confined everyone to their homes for basically the last five months. Seeing as how my home is a tiny apartment in Brooklyn, this left my wife and I both working full-time from home, with a toddler, and nowhere to go. We're extremely lucky in our family, and had a small (but far bigger than our apartment), old, house we could shelter in next to this beautiful lake in the Adirondack Park. And this lake has been a lifesaver. In cold weather, it provided me with a shoreline overrun by nature that I could take out my excess energy on to fix up. In hot weather, swimming keeps me from flying into murderous rages (no air conditioning in this old house). When calm, we can kayak, and paddleboard, and just float when we feel lazy. At dusk, we can fish, and skim rocks, and point out frogs to our daughter. With its mountain backdrop, Lake Algonquin is gorgeous in all seasons. The sun glitters like diamonds in the summer. The colors of the autumn leaves are brief but spectacular. It freezes so solid in the winter that they have car races on it, and the snow remains pristine and perfect, unlike the sludge of NYC that appears after an hour or two. And when everything wakes up and starts blooming in spring, it's incredible and alive and downright magical. My father-in-law disparages it as merely a dammed river (perhaps he means 'damned'), but I love this lake, and I feel so fortunate to spend time next to it. Worldwide pandemics aren't my favorite, but Lake Algonquin has been a silver lining for sure.

Cool place. Nice and relaxing. The waters are calm. Take a nice walk and watch the water over the…read moreDam. A good fishing spot.

Very friendly staff at front gate beautiful lake to swim in and camping available as well.read more

This is a gorgeous state park on the northeast edge of Otsego Lake. My wife, two teenage sons (15…read moreyrs, 13 yrs), and I came here with our miniature poodle for a quick visit during a 4-night stay in Sharon Springs, NY. We came here every day to enjoy the lovely view of the lake, take a leisurely stroll with the dog, and spend an afternoon fishing (for my 15 year old son). It's about a 15-20 minute drive from Cooperstown along the east shore. At the main entrance, you'll pay a $7 admission fee per vehiecle, or you can just show your NY State Parks Empire Pass card. This is a gem of a park that is well worth the price of admission. First, it feels open and spacious with nice hiking trails. Second, the view of Lake Otsego is lovely. You may see a few kayakers or windsurfers on the lake depending on weather conditions. If you have young children, this is a must-visit place as there are kid-friendly playgrounds. Third, the lake is shallow and calm by the beach, but the water temperature can feel a bit chilly. In the summer, they have lifeguards available starting at 11:00am. Finally, the park has a concession stand which sells basic snacks, hot dogs, and drinks. It's also worth it to take a short walk up the hill to see Hyde Hall and the view of the lake from there!

Live this tranquil wooded lake. So calming to get there early am and just sit and gaze across the…read morelake and beautiful surroundings

Love going here. Such a nice place. Dog friendly if your…read moredog is well behaved. Some people don't watch their dogs and the run wild but it's been getting better.

Serene little spot in the Catskills of upstate New York. Perfect place to enjoy nature on the…read moretrails or on their surprisingly large lake. My girlfriend and I spent a few hours here on a Sunday afternoon in May. If you rent a boat you can keep it out as long as you want, and you have access to the whole property for the entire day. We spent awhile in kayaks and had the whole lake to ourselves for the entire time. We then spent some time down at the swimming hole and had that to ourselves as well. Everyone who works there was incredibly friendly and helpful. Beautiful day overall and the perfect end to a perfect weekend getaway.

Fantastic place with kayaking, a water hole, a light trail, picnic tables, and great friendly…read morestaff. Thank you Dana! Also, a nice niche store with ice cream, wine, and more.

Before you come here, if you want to hike behind the waterfalls, Indian Ladder Trail is closed…read moreduring the winter and through April due to ice. Other than that, all the trails are open and still fun to hike and enjoy the views. Also the state park is free during off season and much less traffic, which is a bonus. Luckily, I came in late March where most of the snow and ice has melted, and I could explore with regular hiking shoe. I did a loop at the Paint Mine trail. Maybe 2miles total. There are some small waterfalls there, fairly easy loop, no real elevation change. There are a couple overlooks at the park where you can see over the valley. If weather permits, you can see city of Albany at far away with a waterfall on the side. It was very foggy at my first day, so I had to go back again.

Today two friends and I visited the Nature Center to see a wildlife art show/exhibit. There were a…read morevariety of media: photography, felting, ink art, watercolors, acrylics and oil paintings and sculptures. The artists' pieces are beautiful. I was especially impressed with the paintings created on wild turkey feathers. Rarely do I head to Thacher State Park in March...I am so glad we did. I highly recommend viewing this art show now. It is running until March 29th. I look forward to returning to John Boyd Thacher State Park in warmer weather when the trails are open. Truly a treasure!

This is a small state park off US 7 about 10 miles north of Manchester Center VT. It's a 5-10…read moreminute walk from parking lot to the lake. The lake is fairly shallow, it's very clean, not a large beach area and very picturesque. It's not Lake Tahoe by any means but it's very pleasant and refreshing.

This is a beautiful park with a Great Lake for swimming. Parking is plentiful and close to the…read moreswimming area. The bathrooms and changing areas are clean.

We love, love, love this lake! We're spending the summer in Vermont and our family goes nearly…read moreafternoon for a swim and to play on the (very clean) beach. Red-winged blackbirds zip around looking for picnic crumbs, there's lots of shade, and the lake is shallow enough around the edge for my two young grandchildren to play. We had my grandson's 6th birthday party here and used one of the charcoal grills to make hot dogs. Be prepared to bring a table and chairs because all of the picnic tables have been removed due to COVID. The lake closes at sunset. Go!

Great park with nice hiking trail, paddle boat and maybe kayak or canoe rental. Minimal snack bar…read morein the past. Changing rooms, playground, picnic tables.