Inexperienced Lakes State Park Is an Upstate NY Hidden Gem

10 miles east of Syracuse, New York, the vibe took a dramatic shift as I handed by way of the forests of Inexperienced Lakes State Park. I had heard concerning the two lakes — Inexperienced Lake and Spherical Lake — being meromictic, which implies their layers of water don’t combine. However after I really set eyes on them, I gasped.

It wasn’t simply that they had been unusually clear; additionally they had that soothing bluish-green sheen that’s usually related to the Caribbean. The truth is, that’s why I discovered them so surprising: I used to be far inland, proper in the course of upstate New York, however taking a look at waters that appeared to belong on an island a thousand miles away. The 1,955-acre park — centered across the two peculiar, but gorgeous, lakes — might not be probably the most talked about within the Finger Lakes area, however there isn’t any doubt it is among the many most original. 

“Fashioned over the past ice age almost 15,000 years in the past, the 2 lakes are basically big plunge swimming pools,” the Finger Lakes Land Belief says concerning the park on-line. “Nice waterfalls flowing off the receding fringe of the glaciers scooped out almost 500 ft of rock to kind deep, steep-sided lakes which can be incongruous with the present-day panorama.”

Inexperienced and Spherical Lakes are about 195 and 180 ft deep respectively, and their distinctive hue is attributed to minerals and salts like calcium carbonate. “[Minerals and salts] leech into the lake from the groundwater,” the nonprofit explains. From Might to early June, the lakes undergo a yearly “whiting” occasion, throughout which “the calcium carbonate precipitates out of the water and settles to kind reef-like buildings.” The land belief provides that it’s “yet one more spectacle solely observable at this park.”

Surrounding the lakes are gorges with slopes as excessive as 150 ft, in addition to old-growth forests which can be “a uncommon circumstance within the Northeast” and “function multi-layered canopies [with] massive diameter timber,” the land belief added. 

Listed here are all the sensible particulars it’s essential to plan a go to to the dazzling Inexperienced Lakes State Park. 

Planning Your Go to 

Inexperienced Lakes State Park is within the New York city of Fayetteville, simply outdoors of Syracuse. From Syracuse, a fast jaunt east on Interstate 690 and NY-290 will take you to Inexperienced Lakes Park Drive, which you’ll be able to observe into the park.

Open year-round from daybreak to nightfall, the park has a automobile entry price of $10.

Pets are allowed, however they should be supervised always and saved both on a leash or in a crate. Solely service animals are allowed within the park’s boats, boardwalks, buildings, golf programs, playgrounds, and guarded seashores. These tenting on web site might want to present proof of rabies vaccination to the employees.

Greatest Time to Go to

Summer time is the time when the park and its namesake lakes are at their finest, but it surely’s additionally the busiest season, with the height interval working from late June by way of Labor Day. Summer time’s additionally the one time to benefit from the park’s seashores and swimming areas — they’re open solely from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend by way of Labor Day, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day.

Whereas not a great season for swimming, autumn is one other gorgeous time to go to, because of the park’s exhibiting off its multitude of colours. Peak fall foliage durations could be tracked by way of the I Love New York Fall Foliage Report. 

Winter gives journey, too, with about 10 miles of groomed cross-country and snowshoeing trails. Merely put, there isn’t any flawed time to go to Inexperienced Lakes State Park. 

Greatest Issues to Do within the Park

A real all-around vacation spot for outside lovers, the park is primed for actions of each sort, together with biking, birdwatching, boating, cross-country snowboarding, disc golf, {golfing}, fishing, climbing, snowshoeing, and swimming.

The boat home is open Memorial Day to Labor Day and gives leases. Rowboats and single kayaks are $5 for a half hour and $10 for an hour, whereas tandem kayaks are $10 for a half hour and $15 for an hour. Crystal tandem kayaks are additionally out there for $15 for a half hour and $20 for an hour. Personal boats, kayaks, and canoes usually are not allowed on both lake.

One of many highlights of the park is its 18-hole golf course, designed by famend course architect Robert Trent Jones. The state park service notes that the rolling hills of the park make the course difficult even for superior gamers, with deep bunkers and woods that imply “errant tee photographs could also be pricey.”

Tee occasions could be booked as much as seven days upfront. The nine-hole inexperienced price is $18 on weekdays and $20 on weekends and holidays, whereas the 18-hole price is $22 on weekdays and $32 on weekends and holidays. There’s additionally a particular twilight 18-hole price of $14 supplied after 6 p.m. from June by way of August. The junior price for New York State residents 17 and underneath and senior price for these 62 and older is $11 for nine-hole and $16 for 18-hole, and applies solely on weekdays and after 1 p.m. on weekends and holidays. 

If {golfing} is not your factor, birding is one other nice exercise to attempt within the park. Birdwatchers can spot almost 170 species in Inexperienced Lakes — from purple finches and home wrens to snow geese and black-billed cuckoos — and mark them off on the park’s official guidelines.

Geocachers also can hunt for caches on web site, even taking part in 2024’s Central Area Geocache Problem by way of Nov. 11. Those that discover 45 of the 80 caches within the space will earn a collectible and trackable distinctive geocoin.

Greatest Hikes 

The park gives 19.1 miles of climbing trails, however its hottest routes are across the lakes: the 1.9-mile Inexperienced Lake Path and the 0.9-mile Spherical Lake Path. If you wish to skip the extra crowded spots, the two.5-mile Deer Run Path could be accessed from the parking zone within the northwestern nook of the park, whereas 2.8-mile Spruce Ridge’s trailhead is off Pierson Highway on the east aspect. A map to all 21 trails could be accessed right here.

Simply outdoors of the NY-290 entrance, a bridge connects the park to the Erie Canalway Path.

Locations to Keep 

For the reason that park is barely a few 15-minute drive from Syracuse, a variety of inexpensive lodges can be found close by. Many are outposts of acquainted manufacturers, just like the Lodge Skyler Syracuse, Tapestry Assortment by Hilton, close to the Syracuse College campus or the Hampton Inn & Suites Syracuse North Airport Space, between Onondaga Lake and the Syracuse Hancock Worldwide Airport (SYR). A better possibility is The Craftsman Inn & Suites in Fayetteville, only a seven-minute drive to the park.

For individuals who’d wish to pair the journey with an journey on a bigger lake, drive about 20 minutes southeast to Cazenovia, on the south finish of Cazenovia Lake. There, you may keep on the GIlded Age mansion The Brewster Inn or the historic Lincklaen Home, with roots relationship again to 1835. 

An alternative choice: Turning Stone Resort On line casino is a half hour east of Inexperienced Lakes in Verona and gives round the clock actions, from bars, lounges, and stay leisure to {golfing}, a spa, and, in fact, a sprawling on line casino ground. 

Tenting

The 2024 tenting season on the Inexperienced Lakes State Park Campgrounds began Might 17 and runs by way of Oct. 13. Reservations could be made on-line as much as 9 months upfront, with the 135 campsites priced at $18 to $37 an evening and the seven cabins going for $115.50 an evening (with a two-night minimal) or $462 every week. There’s an extra $7.25 registration price, in addition to one other $7 an evening or $28 every week price for individuals who usually are not residents of New York State. 

Some websites have an electrical hookup, whereas others have full hookup. There are additionally websites with water and sewer hookups. Domesticated pets are allowed. Specifics for every explicit web site shall be proven throughout reserving. 

You possibly can mark your calendars for the 2025 season now, too — it runs from Might 16 to Oct. 12, 2025.

Locations to Eat

Contained in the state park is Yards Grille, identified for its view of each the golf course and lakes. Targeted on basic American fare, the present menu contains crab muffins, salads, a Waldorf hen sandwich, and fried haddock. For extra informal meals, the north finish of Inexperienced Lake is dwelling to the Seaside Home snack shack, serving fundamentals like pizza, burgers, hen tenders, and ice cream. 

Outdoors the park, close by Fayetteville gives a variety of choices, together with Arad Evans Inn, serving American meals in a Nineteenth-century Federalist-style farmhouse, and The Craftsman Wooden Grille & Faucet Home, providing all the pieces from scallops and fish and chips to steak. For a real upstate expertise, pop into the Fayetteville department of the grocery retailer Wegmans, which doubles as a neighborhood gathering area. Decide up meals for a picnic lunch to get pleasure from on the park.