Enjoy the water at a public access site in New York

If you’re looking to get out and play on the water this summer, New York’s many public spots to fish, swim, boat and recreate are a great start. In 2017, Chesapeake Bay Program partners added three new sites where you can enjoy the water in New York. Learn a little more about them below.

Crumhorm Site (Otsego County)

Crumhorm Lake just got a lot easier for boaters to access. The site features a new gravel ramp and dock to support trailered boats. The Susquehanna River flows into Crumhorm Lake, and visitors can enjoy abundant fishing all year round (including ice fishing!).

Goodyear Lake Site (Otsego County)

The Susquehanna River flows into Goodyear Lake, a man-made, well-known recreational area for fishing, swimming and boating. Residents and paddlers alike now have a new launch site in which they can access the water, which is ADA-accessible.

Windsor Boat Access Site (Broome County)

Anglers and paddlers can now access the Susquehanna River off of Main Street in Windsor, New York. The site includes a small parking lot and soft boat launch for paddle craft. Funded by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, the access site will be maintained by the town of Windsor.

There are now 1,292 public access sites across the Chesapeake Bay watershed that allow for boating, fishing, swimming and other recreational activities, 39 of which are in New York. Public access sites are maintained by a variety of partners, including local, state and federal agencies as well as nongovernmental organizations. That’s why it is vital to establish strong partnerships and initiatives among all partners in order to provide more opportunities to access the water.

Increasing public access to open space and waterways creates a shared sense of responsibility to protect these important natural environments. Through the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, our partners have committed to increasing public access as part of a larger effort to engage communities in our conservation work. The number of public access sites in the watershed is on track to reach 1,439 by 2025. Since tracking began in 2010, our partners have opened 153 sites, meeting 51 percent of our goal to open 300 new sites over the next decade.

Find a public access site near you.