Green Lakes State Park
About
What It Is
Green Lakes State Park is a New York State Park situated east of Syracuse in the town of Manlius [1]. The park is built around two small meromictic lakes — Green Lake and Round Lake — both of which formed during the ice ages and display a striking blue-green color [1]. Green Lake covers 65 acres and reaches a maximum depth of 195 feet; Round Lake covers 34 acres and reaches a maximum depth of 170 feet [1]. The park also preserves the largest stand of old-growth forest in Central New York, with nearly half its area consisting of mature trees including tuliptrees, sugar maples, beech, basswood, hemlocks, and white cedars [1].
Activities & Experiences
Visitors can swim at a sandy beach on the northern end of Green Lake, which includes changing facilities and a concession stand [1]. Rowboats and paddleboats are available for rental at a boathouse adjacent to the beach during the summer season, and stand-up paddleboard classes, excursions, and yoga sessions are offered through Method 360 [1]. The park contains an extensive trail network, including a level 3.25-mile loop combining the North Lake Trail and Round Lake Trail, roughly 10 miles of cross-country ski trails, and paths open to mountain biking [1]. An 18-hole public golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones in 1935 and a Frisbee golf course are also available, along with multiple picnic areas, some with reservable shelters [1]. A grove of tuliptrees southwest of Round Lake, known as the Tuliptree Cathedral, is a notable natural feature within the old-growth forest [1].
Practical Access
The park connects at its north entrance to the Old Erie Canal State Historic Park, whose former towpath serves as a walking and bicycling route [1]. Camping options include 137 campsites and seven cabins [1]. Picnic shelters can be reserved for group use [1]. The golf course has been open to the public since its inaugural season in 1936 [1].
Restrictions
Privately owned boats and paddleboards are not permitted on the lakes [1]. Stand-up paddleboard activities are offered exclusively through the park's authorized provider, Method 360 [1].
What Makes It Distinctive
The two meromictic lakes are geological rarities — remnants of the ice ages whose unusual chemistry produces their vivid blue-green color, making them scientifically significant as well as visually striking [1]. The park simultaneously protects the largest old-growth forest stand in Central New York and offers a full range of recreational infrastructure, from a historically significant Robert Trent Jones golf course to a popular swimming beach built by Civilian Conservation Corps labor during the Great Depression [1]. The western shoreline of Green Lake and the area around Round Lake remain largely undeveloped, preserving a wilderness character within close reach of Syracuse [1].
Sources
- Open year-round
- Typical duration: 1h
Things to do
- 18-hole golf
- birdwatching
- camping
- cross-country skiing
- disc golf
- fishing
- hiking
- lake viewing
- mountain biking
- nature observation
- paddleboat rental
- picnicking
- rowboat rental
- snowshoeing
- stand-up paddleboard classes
- swimming
Amenities
- changing facilities
- concession stand
- golf clubhouse
- reservable picnic shelters
Features
- glacial gorge
- green lake depth
- meromictic lakes
- old-growth forest
- round lake depth
- tuliptree cathedral grove
Nearby
- old erie canal state historic park
Good to know
- no private boats
Photos
