Finger Lakes
Eleven long, narrow lakes carved when Pleistocene ice sheets deepened north-flowing river valleys in central New York. Seneca and Cayuga, the two largest, each exceed 400 feet deep and moderate the local climate enough to support New York's largest wine region. Lake trout fishing, state parks, and gorge trails at Watkins Glen and Taughannock anchor recreation.
| Lake | County | Clarity | Depth | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owasco Lake Platform | Cayuga | 11 ft | - | 0 |
| Seneca Lake Platform | Seneca | 11.5 ft | - | 0 |
| Honeoye Lake | Ontario | 9.7 ft | - | 0 |
| Seneca Lake | Yates | 10.3 ft | - | 0 |
| Cayuga Lake | Tompkins | 7.4 ft | - | 0 |
| Conesus Lake | Livingston | 10.7 ft | - | 0 |
| Duck Lake | Cayuga | 4.3 ft | - | 0 |
| Lake Como | Cayuga | 9.4 ft | - | 0 |
| Otisco Lake | Onondaga | 5.2 ft | - | 0 |
| Canandaigua Lake | Ontario | 17.6 ft | - | 0 |
| Hemlock Lake | Livingston | 12.5 ft | - | 0 |
| Crooked Lake | Onondaga | 12.6 ft | - | 0 |
| Keuka Lake | Yates | 23.6 ft | - | 0 |
| Skaneateles Lake | Onondaga | 27.4 ft | - | 0 |
| Lamoka Lake | Schuyler | 9.7 ft | - | 0 |
| Waneta Lake | Schuyler | 4.3 ft | - | 0 |
| Canadice Lake | Ontario | 18.8 ft | - | 0 |
| Owasco Lake | Cayuga | 11 ft | - | 0 |
| Jamesville Reservoir | Onondaga | 5.3 ft | - | 0 |
Ways to pick a Finger Lakes lake
Cleanest water
- Owasco Lake Platform — 11 ft clarity
- Seneca Lake Platform — 11.5 ft clarity
- Honeoye Lake — 9.7 ft clarity
- Seneca Lake — 10.3 ft clarity
Cleanest Lakes in Finger Lakes
Other Lake Regions
Plan a trip in New York
New York's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at New York's top lakes, each with its readings
Cleanest lakes within 50 miles of Syracuse
Cleanest lakes within 50 miles of Rochester
Cleanest lakes within 50 miles of Albany
Frequently Asked Questions
The Finger Lakes area has 19 lakes with water-quality records from state and federal monitoring. 19 of them have a clarity reading and 0 have documented fish species.
Cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Finger Lakes are on the map below with live availability. A lake with low nutrient and algae readings is the better swim and cabin pick when water quality is part of the trip.
The lakes with the lowest nutrient and algae readings lead the table above. Each lake page shows its own phosphorus, chlorophyll-a and clarity readings beside the EPA condition class; none of it is a same-day swim clearance.
Where to stay near Finger Lakes
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Finger Lakes — then explore the interactive map to find a place to stay close to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Finger Lakes
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.