Green Lakes State Park — Attraction in Town of Manlius

This place is utter disorganized chaos. Yes the lake is beautiful and that’s the only reason for the 2 stars. The experience is zero stars. We got there before the beach opened and many people didn’t know what it opened at 11. No signs or info. Lifeguards yelling to get out of the water. When the beach opened it wasn’t even half of the guarded off swimming area. It was crammed with no room to actually swim. The lifeguards were yelling non stop too. No goggles, no touching each other, no this no that. There was a lot of contradiction going on and no lifeguard seemed to know what they were doing. Yet the group blasting music on the beach at top volume for the whole place to hear was never told anything. It was so crazy busy that is was impossible to stay 6 feet from people. You were bumping people in the water left and right. The water wasn’t anywhere near clear anymore with all the upturn from the crowds. Pointless. We decided to rent some kayaks. After waiting for 20 min in line while 2 people stood around and 1 person was helping everyone. Papers flying everywhere, people literally begging to pay and asking who to pay just so they can get out of there. It was a mess. We were told the wait was an hour for a 30 min rental. I asked why since there was 5 kayaks that had been on shore for at least 45 min now. No response. We decided against it. For the next 45 min that we were there those kayaks remained on shore and others added to them… We took a walk around the lake and there were people swimming next to no swimming signs and crowds walking on the delicate reefs. This was extremely upsetting since no was was enforcing the signs. This park was a total disaster. I really hope that they can get things organized to preserve the lake and make it an enjoyable experience. Would...

Green Lakes is a fantastic l NY State Park located in Fayetteville, NY. The park is most known for its two glacial lakes that are surrounded by forest. As the name implies these lakes are green giving them a gorgeous and magical appearance. Both Round and Green Lakes are meromictic lakes, which means that there is no fall and spring mixing of surface and bottom waters. These lakes are quite rare and are a site to behold. The best way to enjoy Green Lake is to walk around the hiking path that surrounds the lake. It is a 3 mile loop hike. In the summer you can also go to the beach and swim in the lake. Kayaks are available for rental. You cannot bring in your own boats to this lake; you can only rent. Besides seeing the lakes the park offers a well maintained 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones. The course makes use of the surrounding hilly landscape and has many interesting and challenging holes. If you’re planning on playing the golf course you will want to make a tee time ahead of time. If you’re interested in camping here Green Lakes offers nearly 150 campsites and has cabins available for rental. To book a site here you will need to use the park’s website. It’s easily one of the best ways to enjoy the park. There are a ton of things to do at this unique state park. Golfing, camping, hiking, walking, bird watching, picnicking, and swimming are just a few of the activities offered here. There is an admission charge for the park, but if you have an Empire Pass you can get in free of charge. Overall, this is a one of a kind NY State Park that offers something for...

One of my favorite places to hit the beach. Although the water in the main swimming area is fairly shallow, it is mostly clear, and it tends to be fairly warm in season. There are two deeper swimming areas — one for swimming laps and one with a diving board. Not every area is open at all times, so call ahead if something is particularly important to you. This beach gets busy on hot weekends and the holidays, but on weekday evenings or chillier days, it has a more secluded feel. There is a huge sandy area for building castles, and the beach house is adequate for changing although there are not any inside showers. There are small outdoor showers at a different places around the beach, but they are not always adequate for cleaning up after sand play.

Picnic areas are plentiful, and they have standard grills and lots of picnic tables, several per grill. There is also a concession stand. If you like hiking, the trails around the lakes offer gorgeous views and a fun walk without any hilly areas. I have also enjoyed camping here. There are two areas, one with shady plots and the other in the sun. I recommend the shady area as having a more wilderness feel. The campground area has a building with showers and bathrooms that are generally very clean, even at busy times.

Although I have not personally used them, this state park also has a restaurant, a golf course, boat rentals, and cabin rentals. If you hope to rent a cabin start planning early. They...