Nothing says summer quite like splashing near a waterfall or natural swimming hole. Numerous natural swimming spots are located across New York state – in lakes, streams and ponds and others at the base of waterfalls or tucked along a favorite hiking path. Traditional pools are certainly fun, but there’s something special about taking a dip in a spot carved out over the years, created by Mother Nature.
Many popular natural swimming spots don’t allow swimming legally – whether deemed unsafe by police or located on private property – but that doesn’t stop folks from taking a dip. Some spots are enforced more aggressively than others.
Beating the summer heat in a natural swimming spot may feel nostalgic, and its usually a hit – a must-do on your summer bucket list given its unique draw. Here are eight such spots scattered around the state.
Robert H. Treman State Park
Located just outside Ithaca, Tompkins County, the natural swimming hole in Robert H. Treman State Park is in a wide-open area at the base of Enfield Falls. Swimmers can cool off in the stream-fed pool beneath the park’s 70-foot-tall Lower Falls when a lifeguard is on duty. The pool’s diving board is often busy – and a great backdrop for unique photos – while other swimmers prefer to splash near the base of the falls. The pool is 1 to 12 feet deep, depending on location within the water, and can feel a bit chilly. Changing rooms and restrooms are located near the swimming hole, which is open daily between mid-June and Labor Day. Entry fee to the park is $10 per car.
Address: 105 Enfield Falls Road, Ithaca, Tompkins County
Kershaw Park
Kershaw Beach, the focal point of Canandaigua’s Kershaw Park, opened for the season over Memorial Day weekend and will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. through mid-August, weather pending.
The nine-acre park at the north end of Canandaigua Lake in Ontario County is a popular swimming and gathering spot. In addition to the swimming beach, the park has a bathhouse, a playground, a small craft launch area and public dock with a boat pump-out station. More serious swimmers can also “swim the buoys” just outside the designated beach area, but be sure to check in with lifeguards before swimming in the open water. There’s no longer an entry fee to access the swimming beach. Of note, water levels are high as of mid-May, so the sand portion of the beach is smaller than normal. Water levels are expected to drop as the summer months pass, exposing more beach and sand area.
Address: 155 Lakeshore Drive, Canandaigua, Ontario County
Taughannock Falls State Park
One of several parks that offers swimming in Cayuga Lake, Taughannock Falls State Park also has the tallest free-standing waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains at 215 feet. That spot alone is a huge draw for tourists and locals. But the swimming beach – located roughly 20 minutes north of Ithaca – is open daily in the summer. There’s a wooden flotilla about 100 feet offshore that offers a fun splash zone for more experienced swimmers. Lifeguards are on duty between late June and L:abor Day. Outside the designated swimming area, visitors may only wade ankle-deep into the lake. There’s a bath house with changing stalls and showers, a large playground and picnic spots nearby. Entry fee to the park is $10 per car.
Address: 1740 Taughannock Blvd., Trumansburg, Tompkins County
Eagle’s Cliff Falls
A 41-foot-tall waterfall at the center of a wide amphitheater-shaped rock wall showers people in the knee-high water at Havana Glen Park in Montour Falls, Schuyler County. The spot has a natural eagle-shaped formation at the top, the large rock cathedral makes the 15-foot-wide waterfall look small from a distance. The hike from the lot to the falls is short – roughly 20 minutes – but you will pass several smaller cascades along the trail. Posted signs prohibit swimming but many hikers still wade into the water or stand under the spray of the cascade. The park has a campground and daily parking rates are $3 per car.
Address: 135 Havana Glen Road, Montour Falls, Schuyler County
Fillmore Glen State Park
A roped-off section of Dry Creek is the main attraction when open. Water levels change depending on the rainfall and time of season. Swimming is allowed in the stream-fed swimming space, but only when a lifeguard is on duty. The park offers changing rooms and restrooms. Entry fee to the park is $10 per car.
Address: 1686 State Route 38, Moravia, Cayuga County
Green Lakes State Park
Located in Fayetteville, Onondaga County, Green Lakes State Park is best know for its two glacial lakes that are surrounded by upland forests. The turquoise waters cover a freshwater reef, which is exceedingly rare. Parts of the reef are visible from the shore, and it is fascinating to observe. The Green Lakes are meromictic lakes, meaning there is no seasonal lake mixing, and have a high potential for evidence of ancient plant and animal life.
A large swimming beach is located at the north end of Green Lake and is open Memorial Day through Labor Day weekends. A bathhouse and nature center are located nearby. Visitors may not enter the water near near Dead Man’s Reef. Entry fee to the park is $10 per car.
Address: 7900 Green lakes Road, Fayetteville, Onondaga County
Fawn’s Leap
A deep swimming hole in Kaaterskill Creek in the Catskills is at the base of a 24-foot tall waterfall, located off Route 23A and near Moore’s Bridge in Palenville, Greene County. This spot comes with a warning. Its an incredibly popular but unsanctioned swimming hole, surrounded by tall, towering cliffs. Do not jump from the cliffs into the water. Accidents happen. There are several other small unregulated swimming holes in this same area as well as other nearby natural pools within Kaaterskill Wild Forest, in the Town of Hunter, where swimming is technically not allowed, but people take a dip nonetheless.
Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Minnewaska State Park in Ulster County has two swimming beaches – one of Lake Minnewaska with a pebble surface beach and one on Lake Awosting where there is a rock surface beach. You need to hike or bike 3 to 5 miles (distance depends on your route) to reach the Lake Awosting beach, making it a swimming spot you need to earn. The park is on the dramatic Shawangunk Mountain ridge, more than 2,000 feet above sea level, and is surrounded by rugged, rocky terrain. State Park entry is $10 per vehicle. Beaches are open mid-June through Labor Day.
Address: 5281 Route 44-55, Kerhonkson, Ulster County
Swimming tips
Swimming tips
Please remember: There are risks associated with any water source, natural or otherwise. Some of these watering holes do not have certified lifeguards on duty. Anyone entering the water, at any time, does so at his or her own risk.
The New York State Department of Health recommends the following:
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: 8 hidden NY swimming holes and waterfalls perfect for summer
Reporting by Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team | USA TODAY Network
