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 | Grade | Clarity | Depth | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owasco Lake Platform | Cayuga | A | 11 ft | - | 0 |
| Seneca Lake Platform | Seneca | A | 11.5 ft | - | 0 |
| Honeoye Lake | Ontario | NR | 9.7 ft | - | 0 |
| Seneca Lake | Yates | NR | 10.3 ft | - | 0 |
| Cayuga Lake | Tompkins | NR | 7.4 ft | - | 0 |
| Conesus Lake | Livingston | NR | 10.7 ft | - | 0 |
| Duck Lake | Cayuga | NR | 4.3 ft | - | 0 |
| Lake Como | Cayuga | NR | 9.4 ft | - | 0 |
| Otisco Lake | Onondaga | NR | 5.2 ft | - | 0 |
| Canandaigua Lake | Ontario | NR | 17.6 ft | - | 0 |
| Hemlock Lake | Livingston | NR | 12.5 ft | - | 0 |
| Crooked Lake | Onondaga | NR | 12.6 ft | - | 0 |
| Keuka Lake | Yates | NR | 23.6 ft | - | 0 |
| Skaneateles Lake | Onondaga | NR | 27.4 ft | - | 0 |
| Lamoka Lake | Schuyler | NR | 9.7 ft | - | 0 |
| Waneta Lake | Schuyler | NR | 4.3 ft | - | 0 |
| Canadice Lake | Ontario | NR | 18.8 ft | - | 0 |
| Owasco Lake | Cayuga | NR | 11 ft | - | 0 |
| Jamesville Reservoir | Onondaga | NR | 5.3 ft | - | 0 |
Top-Rated Lakes in Finger Lakes
Cayuga County · Grade A · 11 ft clarity
Seneca County · Grade A · 11.5 ft clarity
Ontario County · Not rated · 9.7 ft clarity
Yates County · Not rated · 10.3 ft clarity
Tompkins County · Not rated · 7.4 ft clarity
Livingston County · Not rated · 10.7 ft clarity
Other Lake Regions
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New York's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked A–F
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at New York's top lakes, each with its grade
Best-graded lakes within 50 miles of Syracuse
Best-graded lakes within 50 miles of Rochester
Best-graded lakes within 50 miles of Albany
Where to stay near Finger Lakes
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.