One of the most peaceful, relaxing, and beautiful spots in the Finger Lake region of New York that you should visit is the Keuka Lake. This lake is very well known as an excellent fishing spot, and it even hosts a great variety of them such as yellow perch, trout, landlocked salmon, and even bass. Swimming is also a very popular activity due to the very clean and pristine water in this lake. It is also a spectacular area to enjoy hiking and taking in magnificent nature views.

The Keuka Lake is surrounded by the cities of Penn Yan, North End, South End, Branchport, and Hammonsport. On our travels there, we found a parking lot area at the Indian Pines Park (the address is 69 Old Pines Trail, Penn Yan, NY 14527.) There are little tables in the area and a well maintained playground as well. This would be a great spot by the lake to visit if you have a family, or want to do a day trip picnic. The park even has a small swimming area available when the lifeguards are on duty during the summer season.

After we parked, and made our way down to the lake, we were so impressed at how calm, clear, and clean the water was. It was actually possible to see right through it to the beautiful small rocks and sand below. We visited the Finger Lakes in October, and we had the opportunity to enjoy this park by ourselves, and luckily with mild and warm weather as well.

This area seemed to be a wonderful spot for birds to enjoy, and we spotted many Canadian Geese out on the water. If they were in the process of migration, I could see why they would want to make a stop at this extraordinary place.

To provide you all a little history of the lake the word Keuka is derived from the native Seneca and Iroquois languages, and it means “canoe landing” and “lake with an elbow” which does make sense, since the lake itself it Y shaped. It is 19.6 miles in length (about 31.5 km) and its maximum depth is 187 feet (about 57 meters.) It is the 3rd largest of the Finger Lakes, and the 11th largest lake in New York state.

If you are traveling to the Northeastern areas of the United States during the autumn season, I highly recommend bringing a variety of different clothes including light jackets, long shirts and pants. While we may not get snow in early autumn, the weather can fluctuate from warm days to colder nights. Since we were staying in a cabin locally (in Watkins Glen), we did have many space heaters to keep warm, and there was a really nice large fire pit in a clearing by our cabin if we wanted to go outdoors in the evening.

If you are traveling to or reside in the Finger Lake region of New York, I highly recommend visiting the Keuka Lake. It is such a beautiful and peaceful spot, and would be an excellent day trip area to check out too. (If you do make the journey to this lake, a fun historical area I recommend stopping at is the Birkett Mills Pancake Griddle which was once the largest in the world! It is a nice area to walk around and see more of the village of Penn Yan too.) Birkett Mills Pancake Griddle

Let me know in the comments if you have ever traveled here, and what you thought of it. I hope that you have a wonderful day, and remember to click the like and subscribe button!

If you are planning a trip to the New York area, and are interested in hiking or viewing spectacular waterfalls, a book that I would highly recommend and also own myself is “Hiking Waterfalls New York.” This literature reviews a variety of hikes, from the famous Niagara Falls, to even more less known hikes, but spots that you will not want to miss! At the beginning of the book, I really like that the author categorized the trails from her favorites, best waterfalls for fall foliage, best gorge hikes, roadside waterfalls, best historical falls, and even waterfalls that may draw in more crowds versus less crowded waterfalls. There is also a very nice map that lays out where the locations of them are, and that can be an amazing tool when you are planning your trip. This is great so that you know how far of a distance you can expect to travel from where you are lodging, and you can really make the most out of your time and itinerary. With each hike and waterfall listed there is a full color photo, trail distance, difficulty, and even information about the actual surface that the trail is made out of in addition to so much more!

For more information regarding this book, check out the Amazon Affiliate link below.

https://amzn.to/3vfpl1N

-Additional Related Articles

https://www.visitfingerlakes.com/plan-your-trip/finger-lakes-facts/keuka-lake/

https://www.villageofpennyan.com/parks.html

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NortheastAllie

For generations, my family has lived in the Philadelphia area, and my writing reflects these influences. This blog explores perspectives on life, encouragement, travel, health, and local living.

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