Green Lakes State Park is a hidden gem in Upstate NY

Ten miles east of Syracuse, New York, the atmosphere changed dramatically as I drove through the woods of Green Lakes State Park. I had heard that the two lakes—Green Lake and Round Lake—are meromictic, meaning their water layers don’t mix. But when I actually saw them, I gasped.

It wasn’t just that they were unusually clear; they also had that soothing blue-green sheen typically associated with the Caribbean. Which is actually why I found them so shocking: I was way inland, in the heart of upstate New York, but I was looking at waters that seemed like they belonged on an island a thousand miles away. The 4,700-acre park—centered around two peculiar, yet stunning, lakes—may not be the most talked about park in the Finger Lakes region, but it’s certainly one of the most unique.

“Formed during the last Ice Age nearly 15,000 years ago, the two lakes are essentially giant plunge pools,” the Finger Lakes Land Trust says online about the park. “Great waterfalls cascading off the retreating edge of the glaciers eroded nearly 500 feet of bedrock to form deep, steep-sided lakes that are out of keeping with today’s landscape.”

Green and Round Lakes are about 195 and 180 feet deep, respectively, and their unique color is attributed to minerals and salts such as calcium carbonate. “(Minerals and salts) leach from the groundwater into the lake,” the nonprofit explains. From May to early June, the lakes undergo an annual “whiting” event, where “the calcium carbonate precipitates out of the water and settles to form reef-like structures.” The land trust adds that it is “another spectacle that can only be seen in this park.”

Surrounding the lakes are gorges with slopes up to 45 metres high, as well as old-growth forests that are “a rare occurrence in the Northeast” and have “multi-layered canopies with large diameter trees,” the land trust added.

Here you will find all the practical information you need to plan a visit to the beautiful Green Lakes State Park.

Planning your visit

Green Lakes State Park is located in the New York City city of Fayetteville, just outside of Syracuse. From Syracuse, a quick drive east on Interstate 690 and NY-290 will bring you to Green Lakes Park Drive, which you can follow into the park.

The park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. The entrance fee for vehicles is $10.

Pets are allowed, but must be supervised at all times and kept on a leash or in a crate. Only service animals are allowed on the park’s boats, boardwalks, buildings, golf courses, playgrounds, and guarded beaches. People camping on the property must show proof of rabies vaccination to staff.

Best time to visit

Summer is when the park and its namesake lakes are at their best, but it’s also the busiest season, with peak travel from late June through Labor Day. Summer is also the only time to enjoy the park’s beaches and swimming areas — they’re open exclusively from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day.

While not a great season for swimming, fall is another beautiful time to visit because of the many colors the park displays. Peak fall foliage periods can be tracked via the I Love New York Fall Foliage Report.

Winter offers adventure too, with about 10 miles of groomed cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails. Simply put, there’s no wrong time to visit Green Lakes State Park.

The best things to do in the park

The park is a true all-round destination for outdoor enthusiasts and lends itself to a variety of activities including biking, bird watching, boating, cross-country skiing, disc golf, golfing, fishing, hiking, snowshoeing and swimming.

The boathouse is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day and offers rentals. Rowboats and single kayaks are $5 for a half hour and $10 for an hour, while tandem kayaks are $10 for a half hour and $15 for an hour. Crystal tandem kayaks are also available for $15 for a half hour and $20 for an hour. Private boats, kayaks, and canoes are not allowed on either lake.

One of the park’s highlights is its 18-hole golf course, designed by renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones. The state park service notes that the park’s rolling hills make the course challenging even for advanced players, with deep bunkers and woods that mean “wrong shots can be costly.”

Tee times can be booked up to seven days in advance. The nine-hole green fee is $18 on weekdays and $20 on weekends and holidays, while the 18-hole fee is $22 on weekdays and $32 on weekends and holidays. There is also a special 18-hole twilight rate of $14 after 6 p.m. from June through August. The junior rate for New York State residents 17 and under and the senior rate for those 62 and older is $11 for nine holes and $16 for 18 holes, and applies only on weekdays and after 1 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

If golf isn’t your thing, birding is another great activity to try in the park. Birders can spot nearly 170 species at Green Lakes—from purple finches and house wrens to snow geese and black-billed cuckoos—and cross them off the park’s official checklist.

Geocachers can also hunt for caches on site and even participate in the 2024 Central Region Geocache Challenge, which runs through November 11. Those who find 45 of the 80 caches in the area will earn a unique collectible and trackable geocoin.

Best walks

The park offers 19.1 miles of trails, but the most popular trails are around the lakes: the 1.9-mile Green Lake Trail and the 0.9-mile Round Lake Trail. If you want to skip the more crowded spots, the 2.5-mile Deer Run Trail can be reached from the parking lot in the northwest corner of the park, while the 2.8-mile Spruce Ridge trailhead is located off Pierson Road on the east side. A map of all 21 trails can be found here.

Just outside the NY-290 entrance, a bridge connects the park to the Erie Canalway Trail.

Accommodations

Since the park is only a 15-minute drive from Syracuse, there are a number of affordable hotels nearby. Many are branded properties, such as the Hotel Skyler Syracuse, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, located near the Syracuse University campus, or the Hampton Inn & Suites Syracuse North Airport Area, located between Onondaga Lake and Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR). A closer option is The Craftsman Inn & Suites in Fayetteville, just a seven-minute drive from the park.

For those who want to combine the trip with an adventure on a larger lake, drive about 20 minutes southeast to Cazenovia, on the south side of Cazenovia Lake. There, you can stay at the Gilded Age mansion The Brewster Inn or the historic Lincklaen House, with roots dating back to 1835.

Another option: Turning Stone Resort Casino, located a half hour east of Green Lakes in Verona, offers 24-hour activities, from bars, lounges and live entertainment to golf, a spa and, of course, an expansive casino floor.

Camping

The 2024 camping season at Green Lakes State Park Campgrounds began May 17 and runs through Oct. 13. Reservations can be made online up to nine months in advance, with the 135 campsites costing $18 to $37 per night and the seven cabins costing $115.50 per night (with a two-night minimum) or $462 per week. There’s an additional $7.25 registration fee, as well as an additional $7 per night or $28 per week for those who are not New York state residents.

Some pitches have electricity, while others have full hook-ups. There are also pitches with water and sewer connections. Pets are allowed. The specifications for each specific pitch will be shown when booking.

You can already mark the date for the 2025 season in your diary: it runs from 16 May to 12 October 2025.

Places to eat

Within the state park is Yards Grille, known for its views of both the golf course and the lakes. The current menu focuses on classic American fare and includes crab cakes, salads, a Waldorf chicken sandwich and fried haddock. For more casual dining, the north end of Green Lake is home to the Beach House snack shack, which serves staples like pizza, burgers, chicken nuggets and ice cream.

Outside the park, nearby Fayetteville offers a variety of options, including the Arad Evans Inn, which serves American food in a 19th-century Federalist-style farmhouse, and The Craftsman Wood Grille & Tap House, which offers everything from scallops and fish and chips to steak. For a truly upstate experience, visit the Fayetteville branch of Wegmans, which also serves as a community gathering place. Pick up food for a picnic lunch to enjoy in the park.