Best Lakes Near Albany, NY
29 lakes within 50 miles of Albany ranked by water quality grade.
Within reasonable driving distance of Albany sit 29 graded lakes — a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend. The average grade across the nearby set is C.
The lakes below are sorted by composite LakeGrade rubric score. If you have a specific activity in mind — swimming, kayaking, ice-fishing, family-fishing — the activity-specific sub-pages will filter further.
| Lake | Distance | County | Grade | Depth | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burden Lake | 10.4 mi | Rensselaer | A | - | 0 |
| Queechy Lake | 24.3 mi | Columbia | A | - | 0 |
| Lake Luzerne | 46.5 mi | Warren | A | - | 0 |
| Glen Lake | 49.3 mi | Warren | A | - | 0 |
| Taconic Pond | 18.3 mi | Rensselaer | B | - | 0 |
| Saratoga Lake | 25.2 mi | Saratoga | B | - | 0 |
| Galway Lake | 30.7 mi | Saratoga | B | - | 0 |
| Robinson Pond | 38.3 mi | Columbia | B | - | 0 |
| Lower Rhoda Pond | 40.5 mi | Columbia | B | - | 0 |
| Long Pond | 41.2 mi | Columbia | B | - | 0 |
| Hunt Lake | 42.6 mi | Saratoga | B | - | 0 |
| Jenny Lake | 43.2 mi | Saratoga | B | - | 0 |
| Peck Lake | 46.1 mi | Fulton | B | - | 0 |
| E Caroga Lake | 49 mi | Fulton | B | - | 0 |
| East Caroga Lake | 49.2 mi | Fulton | B | - | 0 |
| Big Bowman Pond | 13.6 mi | Rensselaer | C | - | 0 |
| Forest Lake | 16 mi | Rensselaer | C | - | 0 |
| Round Pond | 16.3 mi | Rensselaer | C | - | 0 |
| Spring Lake | 17 mi | Rensselaer | C | - | 0 |
| Cossayuna Lake | 41.8 mi | Washington | C | - | 0 |
| Sepasco Lake | 48.1 mi | Dutchess | C | - | 0 |
| Lake Forest | 49.4 mi | Warren | C | - | 0 |
| Vosburg Pond | 9.9 mi | Rensselaer | D | - | 0 |
| Kinderhook Lake | 14.8 mi | Columbia | D | - | 0 |
| Duane Lake | 19.3 mi | Schenectady | D | - | 0 |
| Ballston Lake | 20.5 mi | Saratoga | D | - | 0 |
| Sleepy Hollow Lake | 24.9 mi | Greene | D | - | 0 |
| Stissing Pond | 47.3 mi | Dutchess | D | - | 0 |
| Buckingham Lake | 2.7 mi | Albany | F | - | 0 |
Top-Rated Lakes Near Albany
Lakes Near Other Cities
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes are near Albany?
There are 29 graded lakes within 50 miles of Albany, New York. 4 of these have an A water quality grade (excellent).
What are the best lakes near Albany for fishing?
0 lakes near Albany have documented fish species data. The best fishing lakes combine good water quality grades with diverse fish populations. 0 lakes within 50 miles have 5 or more documented fish species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.