The Largest Lakes in New York State

5. Cayuga Lake - 67

Cayuga Lake is the fifth largest lake in New York, with a surface area of about 67 square miles (172 square kilometers). It is one of the eleven Finger Lakes that are located in the Finger Lakes Region in the central part of the state. Cayuga Lake has a maximum length of 38 miles (61 km), a maximum width of 3.5 miles (5.6 km) and a maximum depth of 435 miles (133 meters). It is the longest of the Finger Lakes, being slightly longer then the larger Seneca Lake. There is also Frontenac Island, which sits near the town of Union Springs on the eastern side of the lake and is one of only two islands found in the Finger Lakes.

The Cayuga Lake has numerous villages around it, with the most notable being the city of Ithaca on the lake's southern end. Ithaca is the location of the ivy league school of Cornell University. The northern end of the lake is also home to the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, which is there to help protect the site as it is an important stopover for migrating birds. The southern end is the location of Allan H. Treman State Marine Park, a popular destination do recreational boating, fishing and bird watching. Cayuga Lake is also part of the American Viticultural Area (AVA), as the Cayuga Lake AVA. The area serves as a wine region, currently having more than a dozen wineries.

4. Seneca Lake - 68

Seneca Lake is the fourth largest lake in New York, with a surface area of about 68 square miles (176 square kilometers). It is also one of the eleven Finger Lakes. Seneca Lake has a maximum length of 38 miles (61 km), a maximum width of 1.86 miles (2.99 km) and a maximum depth of 618 miles (188 meters). Seneca Lake is the largest of the Finger Lakes and is also one of the deepest lakes in the United States. The northern end of the lake is home to the city of Geneva, most well known for being the home of Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

The southern end of the lake is the location of the town of Watkins Glen, which is famous for its waterfalls and auto racing. Seneca Lake is also noted for being the 'lake trout capital of the world' and is host to the annual National Lake Trout Derby. The lake is also home to the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), that uses the lake to test sonar equipment due to the depth and ease of access the lake provides. Seneca Lake, like Cayuga Lake is also home to around 50 wineries as part of the Seneca Lake AVA, although the first major winery around the lake goes back to the Seneca Lake Wine Company in 1866.

3. Oneida Lake - 80

Oneida Lake is the third largest lake in New York and is the largest lake that is completely within the state. The lake has a surface area of about 80 square miles (207 square kilometers). Oneida Lake has a maximum length of 21 miles (34 km), a maximum width of 1.86 miles (2.99 km) and a maximum depth of 618 miles (188 meters). Oneida is found northeast of the city of Syracuse and is sometimes called the thumb of the Finger Lakes, despite not being a part of them. There are a total of six islands in Oneida Lake, with the only notable one being Frenchman Island, which was formerly a resort destination but today only houses the Frenchman Lighthouse.

The Oneida Lake covers parts of six counties and sixty-nine different communities and is popular during the winter for snowmobiling and ice fishing. There are two state parks in Oneida Lake, with the first being Frenchman Island State Park, which can only be reached by boat and had to be closed for many years. Verona Beach State Park is located on the eastern side of the Lake in the city of Verona. The park is known for its many outdoor actives, including hunting, fishing, mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding.

2. Lake Ontario - 7340

Lake Ontario is the second largest lake in New York and one of the five Great Lakes. It has a surface area of 7,340 square miles (19,000 square kilometers). Lake Ontario also has a maximum length of 193 miles (311 km), a maximum width of 53 miles (85 km) and a maximum depth of 802 miles (244 meters). The south and eastern portions of Lake Ontario are surrounded by New York.

Lake Ontario is best known for its importance in shipping since it serves as the outlet of the Great Lakes into the Atlantic Ocean by way of the St. Lawrence River. There are more than 10 towns around Lake Ontario, but the most notable is the city of Rochester. Rochester is the third largest city in the state and is known for its many orchards that grow apples, peaches and other fruits. Of the islands on Lake Ontario, there are several that fall into the boundaries of New York. New York also has a total of 18 different state parks that have some variety of border with the lake.

1. Lake Erie - 9910

Lake Eire is the largest lake in New York and is also one of the Great Lakes. It has a surface area of 9,910 square miles (25,667 square kilometers). Lake Erie also has a maximum length of 241 miles (388 km), a maximum width of 57 miles (92 km) and a maximum depth of 210 miles (64 meters). The southern and easternmost portions of Lake Ontario touch New York, as well as Pennsylvania and Ohio. The most important New York city sitting on Lake Erie is Buffalo, which has the second most people in the state and is located on the eastern end of the lake. Of the 31 islands that Lake Erie has Bird Island is the only one that is found in New York. There is plenty of economic activities that takes place around the lake, like commercial fishing and agriculture. Tourists also flock to the region around Lake Erie to experience the public parks, biking, water sports, fishing and many other activities.