Best Lakes for Kayaking Near Syracuse
New York
7 kayaking lakes within driving distance of Syracuse, New York, ranked by water quality and kayaking-specific filters. Filtered for grade A, B, or C water quality, public access, and ideal paddling size (30-3,000 acres).
A moderate cluster of 7 graded lakes lies within reach of Syracuse, averaging a grade of B. Deruyter Reservoir (A) is the cleanest of the set.
Filtered for kayaking, the nearby-lake list narrows further. kayaking-specific signals — fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion — interact with the LakeGrade rubric in different ways depending on the use case.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deruyter Reservoir | Madison | A | 20.6 mi | 17.6 ft | - |
| 2 | Tuscarora Lake | Madison | A | 23.4 mi | 20.5 ft | - |
| 3 | Bradley Brook Reservoir | Madison | A | 28.7 mi | 20.7 ft | - |
| 4 | Lake Moraine | Madison | A | 34.5 mi | 20.3 ft | - |
| 5 | Upper Little York Lake | Cortland | B | 23.8 mi | 11 ft | - |
| 6 | Hatch Lake | Madison | B | 27.9 mi | 13.4 ft | - |
| 7 | Kasoag Lake | Oswego | C | 31.5 mi | 8.1 ft | - |
Other activities near Syracuse
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.