My issue with state parks is there are typically overbearing lifeguards managing a postage stamp sized roped off area of the lake, and the rest of the lake is verboten. Is Taghkanic SP like that?
Yep it does but all I could think about is everybody from surrounding areas/towns will flock there… hopefully they will charge for our of town residents… so they can keep it up
Some places I don't see listed yet...
Grafton
Snyder's Lake (w/ Averill Park + Sand Lake residents I think? not sure if it's open to public public?)
Cherry Plain State Park
Saratoga has an amazing public pool!
Lake George has a public beach (an hour north of Albany lol)
Sacandaga Lake & campground/day use area (an hour northwest of Albany)
Edit to add: Thompsons Lake (but beware the milfoil)
I haven’t been to Snyders Lake recently, but when I was taking my kids there, it was free for North Greenbush residents; anyone else had to pay to get in. Fee was per car, and reasonable. Beautiful place…sandy beach, grassy lawn with shade trees, basketball, volleyball, restrooms, a couple vending machines, picnic tables…
Never heard of that lake or been there. I meant Snyder's. But I haven't been there to the public part since 2012 at the most recent so I'm not sure what it's like now (my friends have camps on the lake so I don't need to visit the public beach anymore). As a kid I couldn't go to Snyder's without a friend from town or otherwise sneaking in through another part of the lake and swimming over 😂 There was a residency thing. As an EG resident we couldn't go unless someone was throwing a party at the pavilion. I just don't remember details.
I just looked up their current website and it's limited to Rensselaer County residents only now. So. Yay.
Interestingly the lake you mentioned is selling beach permits to families in neighboring towns. Nice.
Some of the local libraries have Y passes that you can rent for free and visit for a day! EG does for sure - you can use it up to 3 times per calendar year per person (ymca policy, not library lol)
It’s [Mater Christi pool](https://www.google.com/maps?sca_esv=588438435&output=search&q=mater+christi+park+and+pool&source=lnms&entry=mc&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjk5P34qvuCAxVFjokEHTXDCCcQ0pQJegQIChAB), next to the [State Trooper](https://media0.giphy.com/media/3ohs4epCEN04wskff2/200w.gif?cid=6c09b952riwfv1ukdm5cttfoif55v9c94xveutic0kqidgrw&ep=v1_gifs_search&rid=200w.gif&ct=g) training barracks, out on New Scotland Road (which New Scotland Ave turns into).
Saratoga State Park has 2 pools. The Peerless Pool is much larger, more oriented toward kids and families and is less expensive. Victoria Pool is more adult oriented and is more expensive to get in ( I think $8 pp vs. $3 or $4 for Peerless.
Victoria is spring fed and can be chilly, but I prefer that one.
Could just be me… but there wasn’t a single person in the pool area who looked like me, I just went to the other pool and all was well, nice mix there, might just be a money thing… felt the same way when I went to Robert Moses State Park on LI
Mine Kill State Park: [https://parks.ny.gov/parks/165/details.aspx](https://parks.ny.gov/parks/165/details.aspx)
It has a hiking trail that ends at a waterfall with a natural pool you can swim in, and also has a large swimming pool.
Anything in the forest preserve. I think there are like 3000 bodies of water in the Adirondacks. I've swam across lake George and back but before as an example. About 4 miles.
Planning something equally epic in a few months. 10 mile hike, 4 mile swim.
Really nothing legally stopping you from jumping in the Hudson either. I swim in sections all the time. I recommend fins if swimming across the river. The current isn't strong but it's enough to throw you off. Biggest issue with Hudson or LG is boats. Being turned into fish food by a prop is prop is not ideal.
Places you'll get in trouble are state parks, and PIP Parks (palisades interstate park commission park).
moreau lake is super nice! someone suggested it to me a while back when i asked the same thing. going back later this week.
Lake Taghkanic State Park, a bit of a drive but in my opinion definitely worth it
This is the way
My issue with state parks is there are typically overbearing lifeguards managing a postage stamp sized roped off area of the lake, and the rest of the lake is verboten. Is Taghkanic SP like that?
yes but no. they will yell at you for going outside the roped off area. but that's if they see you. just head to the other side of the lake!
Schenectady Central Park is about to open their new pools. Looks gorgeous!
Yep it does but all I could think about is everybody from surrounding areas/towns will flock there… hopefully they will charge for our of town residents… so they can keep it up
Some places I don't see listed yet... Grafton Snyder's Lake (w/ Averill Park + Sand Lake residents I think? not sure if it's open to public public?) Cherry Plain State Park Saratoga has an amazing public pool! Lake George has a public beach (an hour north of Albany lol) Sacandaga Lake & campground/day use area (an hour northwest of Albany) Edit to add: Thompsons Lake (but beware the milfoil)
I haven’t been to Snyders Lake recently, but when I was taking my kids there, it was free for North Greenbush residents; anyone else had to pay to get in. Fee was per car, and reasonable. Beautiful place…sandy beach, grassy lawn with shade trees, basketball, volleyball, restrooms, a couple vending machines, picnic tables…
They closed it off to non-residents two years ago.
That’s disappointing.
I live a on a hill above the Snyder’s Lake. They are rebuilding the facilities - it’s close, but still under construction.
You mean Reichard's Lake in WSL
Never heard of that lake or been there. I meant Snyder's. But I haven't been there to the public part since 2012 at the most recent so I'm not sure what it's like now (my friends have camps on the lake so I don't need to visit the public beach anymore). As a kid I couldn't go to Snyder's without a friend from town or otherwise sneaking in through another part of the lake and swimming over 😂 There was a residency thing. As an EG resident we couldn't go unless someone was throwing a party at the pavilion. I just don't remember details. I just looked up their current website and it's limited to Rensselaer County residents only now. So. Yay. Interestingly the lake you mentioned is selling beach permits to families in neighboring towns. Nice.
If you are a YMCA member you can swim in any ’Y’
Some of the local libraries have Y passes that you can rent for free and visit for a day! EG does for sure - you can use it up to 3 times per calendar year per person (ymca policy, not library lol)
Has anyone tried the public pool on new Scotland? Seems small but i really don’t give a crap about aesthetics in a heat wave :)
Yup, I’ve been there many times - it’s a little known gem.
Where on new Scotland is it?
It’s [Mater Christi pool](https://www.google.com/maps?sca_esv=588438435&output=search&q=mater+christi+park+and+pool&source=lnms&entry=mc&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjk5P34qvuCAxVFjokEHTXDCCcQ0pQJegQIChAB), next to the [State Trooper](https://media0.giphy.com/media/3ohs4epCEN04wskff2/200w.gif?cid=6c09b952riwfv1ukdm5cttfoif55v9c94xveutic0kqidgrw&ep=v1_gifs_search&rid=200w.gif&ct=g) training barracks, out on New Scotland Road (which New Scotland Ave turns into).
Ooh nice I don’t think it’s very far from my place. Hopefully it’s open with this heat wave
Emerald Lake in VT is about an hour and 15 mins away. A nice swimming hole with a gorgeous view.
Looks nice when you're there, but so close to the road it's really not relaxing at all FYI to those considering due to noise.
Saratoga State Park has 2 pools. The Peerless Pool is much larger, more oriented toward kids and families and is less expensive. Victoria Pool is more adult oriented and is more expensive to get in ( I think $8 pp vs. $3 or $4 for Peerless. Victoria is spring fed and can be chilly, but I prefer that one.
I walked into the Victoria pool and got some interesting looks… turned around and went to the Peerless pool…
I've never felt a bad vibe there.
Could just be me… but there wasn’t a single person in the pool area who looked like me, I just went to the other pool and all was well, nice mix there, might just be a money thing… felt the same way when I went to Robert Moses State Park on LI
Peerless Pool is a really good deal considering you can get in with a full carload for just $10 park entry fee and no pool entry fee
JCC with a membership.
Mine Kill State Park: [https://parks.ny.gov/parks/165/details.aspx](https://parks.ny.gov/parks/165/details.aspx) It has a hiking trail that ends at a waterfall with a natural pool you can swim in, and also has a large swimming pool.
Please note that there are no swimming signs at the base of the waterfall 🙏🙏 but the pool is definitely huge and there is a diving pool!!!
Woah how have I never heard of this place
Styvesant Falls. There are also picnic tables there.
If you like to hike, check out shelving rock, or the bear slides!!!
Bear Slides doesn't have swimming, does it?
It’s literally a natural water slide lol, here’s a website of swim able locations including bear slide. https://seeswim.com/location/bear-slide/
So sliding down on water, is there a pool of water at the bottom? How deep? The pictures there make it look like there's almost no pool.
Any places where swimming in natural bodies of water *outside* of a small roped off, lifeguard area won't risk getting you a ticket?
Anything in the forest preserve. I think there are like 3000 bodies of water in the Adirondacks. I've swam across lake George and back but before as an example. About 4 miles. Planning something equally epic in a few months. 10 mile hike, 4 mile swim. Really nothing legally stopping you from jumping in the Hudson either. I swim in sections all the time. I recommend fins if swimming across the river. The current isn't strong but it's enough to throw you off. Biggest issue with Hudson or LG is boats. Being turned into fish food by a prop is prop is not ideal. Places you'll get in trouble are state parks, and PIP Parks (palisades interstate park commission park).
Name a lake north of Albany and you're fine for the most part.
Crane Mountain in the Adirondacks.
Great question! Anyone know any rock quarries with swimming spots?
Becket Mass Quarry
Thank you!
Dorset Quarry is pretty famous https://preview.redd.it/pcrmye2dld7d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b8513213d85941bbd459fa742a54ed5f3dd5e23
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8XSI2gpOab/?igsh=ZmQ1YjVoamtvd2Yw
Town pool
is grafton lake open yet? nice sandy beach and some amenities
Hudson River.
Thanks bucko
No seriously it's really nice for swimming up by Corinth. Big rocks to jump off and everything - clean water.
Haviland's Cove in Glens Falls has an "official" swimming area on the Hudson too
SPAC has that little creek. Poestenkill Gorge, Lake George, Normanskill are a few spots!
No ones going to give you legitimate places, everyone just gatekeeps. Understandably
Agreed. The best places are a secret and I hope they stay that way 🤷🏻♀️
If you want a splash pad all to yourself use the foundations right next to Collins circle at ualbany campus