Green Lakes Beach

The swimming beach at Green Lakes State Park is a sand beach at the north end of Green Lake, a short walk from the main parking lots. In 2026 it was open from May 23 to September 7, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. There is no separate beach fee, but NYS Parks charges $10 per vehicle from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. Swimming is allowed only at the beach, and pets are not allowed on the guarded beach.

When the Beach Is Open

NYS Parks sets the beach season each year. For 2026 the park listed the beach open from May 23 to September 7, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. Outside those dates the park page reads "closed for the season," and there is no swimming. Check the park page before you go; NYS Parks can close a beach for weather or water quality.

What It Costs

There is no fee to use the beach itself. The cost is parking: from Memorial Day weekend (May 23) through Labor Day (September 7) in 2026, NYS Parks charged $10 per vehicle and $35 per bus, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. An $80 Empire Pass covers day-use vehicle entry at most state parks for the season. See hours and fees.

How the Beach Was Built

Green Lake's beach is not natural. The State Parks blog says a Civilian Conservation Corps company of Spanish-American War veterans moved tons of sand from Oneida Lake to create it, part of the work that built the park in the 1930s. See history.

Facilities

• Bathhouses. The map shows a West Bathhouse and an East Bathhouse with a community room. The West Beach bathhouse, finished in 2023, has year-round restrooms, two family restrooms, changing stalls and a wheelchair charging station, according to NYS Parks.
• Playground. A new playground opened in 2023 beside the beach, with accessible surfacing from the sand. See picnic areas and playground.
• Boat rentals. Kayaks and rowboats rent from the dock on Green Lake in summer. See boat rentals.
• Food. NYS Parks lists food among the park's amenities. The Yards Grille at the golf clubhouse is open daily in season.

Accessibility

NYS Parks lists the swimming beach as accessible. Thanks to a grant from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, a Hippocampe beach and all-terrain wheelchair is available free, first come, first served, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Ask the lifeguards on the beach.

Beach Rules

• Swim only at the beach, and only when it is open. There is no swimming elsewhere in Green Lake or in Round Lake.
• No pets on the guarded beach. NYS Parks keeps pets off guarded beaches, playgrounds and buildings. Service animals are exempt.
• No fishing in the swimming area. Fishing is allowed elsewhere on Green Lake.
• No private boats. No outside boats, kayaks or canoes on either lake.

Water Quality

NYS Parks posts beach water quality results on its website, linked from the park page. If you are planning a trip around a swim, check that page and the park page on the morning you go.

Tips

• Arrive early on hot weekends. The beach is near the main entrance and the most used part of the park.
• Pair it with the lake trail. The Green Lake Trail starts from the beach and loops 1.9 miles around the lake.
• Camping nearby. The Pine Woods Camping Area is a short walk up from the west shore. See camping.