Best Lakes for Boating Near Albany
New York
30 boating lakes within driving distance of Albany, New York, ranked by water quality and boating-specific filters. Filtered for at least 100 acres and public access. The largest lakes with boat-worthy water are listed first.
Albany sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 30 measured lakes within reach. Ashley Lake carries the lowest nutrient and algae readings of the cluster.
The boating-specific ranking layered on top of the readings is what produces the list below: a lake with clean readings that does not also support the boating use case is less useful than a decent one that does.
| # | Lake | County | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashley Lake | Berkshire | 35.6 mi | - | - |
| 2 | Buckley-Dunton Lake | Berkshire | 39.5 mi | - | - |
| 3 | Snyders Lake | Rensselaer | 6.2 mi | - | - |
| 4 | Burden Lake | Rensselaer | 10.4 mi | 14.8 ft | - |
| 5 | Nassau Lake | Rensselaer | 11.1 mi | - | - |
| 6 | Glass Lake | Rensselaer | 11.6 mi | - | - |
| 7 | Colonie Reservoir | Saratoga | 11.9 mi | - | - |
| 8 | Crooked Lake | Rensselaer | 12.1 mi | - | - |
| 9 | Thompsons Lake | Albany | 14.5 mi | - | - |
| 10 | Tackawasick Lake | Rensselaer | 14.6 mi | - | - |
| 11 | Kinderhook Lake | Columbia | 14.8 mi | 6.1 ft | - |
| 12 | Alcove Reservoir | Albany | 15 mi | - | - |
| 13 | Warners Lake | Albany | 16.5 mi | - | - |
| 14 | Tomhannock Reservoir | Rensselaer | 17 mi | - | - |
| 15 | Basic Creek Reservoir | Albany | 17.6 mi | - | - |
| 16 | Long Pond | Rensselaer | 18.5 mi | - | - |
| 17 | Duane Lake | Schenectady | 19.3 mi | 3.8 ft | - |
| 18 | Round Lake | Saratoga | 19.6 mi | - | - |
| 19 | Mariaville Lake | Schenectady | 22.5 mi | - | - |
| 20 | Sleepy Hollow Lake | Greene | 24.9 mi | 5.9 ft | - |
| 21 | Onota Lake | Berkshire | 27.3 mi | - | - |
| 22 | Richmond Pond | Berkshire | 27.4 mi | - | - |
| 23 | Lake Lonely | Saratoga | 27.9 mi | - | - |
| 24 | Pontoosuc Lake | Berkshire | 28.1 mi | - | - |
| 25 | The Vlaie | Schoharie | 29.1 mi | - | - |
| 26 | Cheshire Reservoir | Berkshire | 29.9 mi | - | - |
| 27 | Cheshire Reservoir | Berkshire | 30.5 mi | - | - |
| 28 | Galway Lake | Saratoga | 30.7 mi | 10.7 ft | - |
| 29 | Stockbridge Bowl | Berkshire | 31.4 mi | - | - |
| 30 | Woods Pond | Berkshire | 33.5 mi | - | - |
Other activities near Albany
Where to stay near Albany
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Albany — book a place close to the best-rated lakes in the area.
Top-rated places to stay near Albany
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Albany?
Get lake water-quality updates plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Albany — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.