Best Lakes Near Syracuse, NY
32 lakes within 50 miles of Syracuse ranked by water quality grade.
Within reasonable driving distance of Syracuse sit 32 graded lakes — a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend. The average grade across the nearby set is B.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cazenovia Lake | 15.5 mi | Madison | A | - | 0 |
| Skaneateles Lake | 16.9 mi | Onondaga | A | - | 0 |
| Song Lake | 19.3 mi | Cortland | A | - | 0 |
| Deruyter Reservoir | 20.6 mi | Madison | A | - | 0 |
| Tuscarora Lake | 23.4 mi | Madison | A | - | 0 |
| Eaton Reservoir | 26.1 mi | Madison | A | - | 0 |
| Bradley Brook Reservoir | 28.7 mi | Madison | A | - | 0 |
| Lake Moraine | 34.5 mi | Madison | A | - | 0 |
| Chenango Lake | 48.1 mi | Chenango | A | - | 0 |
| Owasco Lake Platform | 22 mi | Cayuga | A | - | 0 |
| Seneca Lake Platform | 42.8 mi | Seneca | A | - | 0 |
| Crooked Lake | 18 mi | Onondaga | B | - | 0 |
| Tully Lake | 18.8 mi | Cortland | B | - | 0 |
| Owasco Lake | 23.6 mi | Cayuga | B | - | 0 |
| Upper Little York Lake | 23.8 mi | Cortland | B | - | 0 |
| Hatch Lake | 27.9 mi | Madison | B | - | 0 |
| Genegantslet Lake | 41.3 mi | Chenango | B | - | 0 |
| Sodus Bay Lake | 44.1 mi | Wayne | B | - | 0 |
| Seneca Lake | 49.3 mi | Yates | B | - | 0 |
| Panther Lake | 22.8 mi | Oswego | C | - | 0 |
| Lake Como | 26.8 mi | Cayuga | C | - | 0 |
| Kasoag Lake | 31.5 mi | Oswego | C | - | 0 |
| Earlville Lake | 35.8 mi | Madison | C | - | 0 |
| Cayuga Lake | 40.6 mi | Tompkins | C | - | 0 |
| Ellis Lake | 42.3 mi | Cortland | C | - | 0 |
| Jamesville Reservoir | 6.5 mi | Onondaga | D | - | 0 |
| Pleasant Lake | 13.6 mi | Oswego | D | - | 0 |
| Otisco Lake | 14.3 mi | Onondaga | D | - | 0 |
| Duck Lake | 28.2 mi | Cayuga | D | - | 0 |
| Sage Pond | 34 mi | Oswego | D | - | 0 |
| Plymouth Reservoir | 40.5 mi | Chenango | D | - | 0 |
| Sodus Bay Lake | 43.2 mi | Wayne | D | - | 0 |
Top-Rated Lakes Near Syracuse
Lakes Near Other Cities
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes are near Syracuse?
There are 32 graded lakes within 50 miles of Syracuse, New York. 11 of these have an A water quality grade (excellent).
What are the best lakes near Syracuse for fishing?
0 lakes near Syracuse 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.