Blue Mountain Lake
Blue Mountain Lake, New York · on Blue Mountain Lake
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Blue Mountain Lake
Blue Mountain Lake is a 1,334-acre natural lake in the central Adirondacks of Hamilton County, New York, and the swimming hole here is a small, official, lifeguard-supervised public beach on its eastern shore in the hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake. The lake sits at about 1,790 feet elevation, making its public beach one of the highest-elevation swimming beaches in the Adirondacks.
The beach sits along NYS Route 28 in the hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake, directly across the road from the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts and near the local fire department, within the Town of Indian Lake. The lake itself is a scenic Adirondack lake with 10 islands (including Long Island and Osprey Island) and 8.5 miles of shoreline, historically a 19th-century vacation destination and home to the nearby Adirondack Museum (now Adirondack Experience).
Swimming at Blue Mountain Lake
Swimming happens off a small designated town beach with a swimming dock, described by a first-hand source as a 'teeny tiny' beach with a partial sand-and-grass shoreline. It is a lifeguard-supervised, casual lake swim area suited to families and casual visitors rather than a long-distance or open-water swim destination; specific water depth was not documented in available sources.
How to get to this swimming hole
The public beach is located directly on NYS Route 28 in the hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake, on the lake's eastern shore, across the road from the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up town beach directly on NYS Route 28 in the hamlet of Blue Mountain Lake, across from the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts; no hike is required to reach the water.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Red Cross-certified lifeguard on duty 11am-5pm daily in summer and there's a dedicated swimming dock and partial sand/grass shoreline, which favors families. However a first-hand source (seeswim.com) describes it as a 'teeny tiny' town beach with a 'very small swim area,' meaning it can feel crowded, and no source documented water depth, slope, or bottom conditions at the swim area, and there is no lifeguard outside posted hours.
Restrooms
Yes
Public restrooms/changing area at the beach and also across NYS Route 28 (confirmed independently by both the ROOST tourism listing and seeswim.com).
Hours
Beach/lifeguard hours: 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., 7 days/week in summer (per ROOST tourism authority listing).
On the water
Wikipedia notes that beyond shoreline/hamlet access points, the lake has fee access at two (unnamed) private marina launches in the village of Blue Mountain Lake, and states boat rentals are available on the lake; no specific rules (e.g., no-wake, electric-only) for Blue Mountain Lake were found. This general lake-wide access is distinct from the small designated swim beach itself, which is a swimming-only area with a dock rather than a boat launch.
Rentals nearby
Kayak, canoe, and paddleboard rentals (half-day, full-day, multi-day, and overnight options) plus guided paddling tours and shuttle service
148 NY Route 28, Inlet, NY 13360 -- roughly 8-10 miles north of Blue Mountain Lake · Daily, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
What regulars say
One recent visitor describes the site as a 'teeny tiny' town beach with a 'very small swim area' and a partial sand and grass shoreline, noting it is nonetheless popular and 'a fun place to spend the day.' Little additional candid visitor commentary about this exact beach has surfaced beyond that first-hand account.
Backstory
The hamlet developed as a vacation destination from the mid-19th century; the Prospect House hotel (built 1881) on the lake was the first hotel in the world with electric light in every room. The Adirondack Museum (now Adirondack Experience) overlooks the lake's eastern shore near the beach.
Blue Mountain Lake: FAQ
Does Blue Mountain Lake charge a fee?
No admission fee was mentioned in sources; it is described as a public town beach.
Is Blue Mountain Lake kid friendly?
Red Cross-certified lifeguard on duty 11am-5pm daily in summer and there's a dedicated swimming dock and partial sand/grass shoreline, which favors families. However a first-hand source (seeswim.com) describes it as a 'teeny tiny' town beach with a 'very small swim area,' meaning it can feel crowded, and no source documented water depth, slope, or bottom conditions at the swim area, and there is no lifeguard outside posted hours.
Do I need to hike to reach Blue Mountain Lake?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Blue Mountain Lake?
No source found documents parking arrangements, capacity, or cost for this beach; the site sits directly on NYS Route 28 in the hamlet, so on-street/lot parking likely exists nearby but this was not confirmed in any source.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Blue Mountain Lake?
Wikipedia notes that beyond shoreline/hamlet access points, the lake has fee access at two (unnamed) private marina launches in the village of Blue Mountain Lake, and states boat rentals are available on the lake; no specific rules (e.g., no-wake, electric-only) for Blue Mountain Lake were found. This general lake-wide access is distinct from the small designated swim beach itself, which is a swimming-only area with a dock rather than a boat launch.
When is the best time to visit Blue Mountain Lake?
Summer, corresponding to the beach's staffed lifeguard hours.
What are the rules at Blue Mountain Lake?
Lifeguard (Red Cross-certified) on duty during posted summer hours of 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., 7 days a week, per the regional tourism authority's listing.
What water body is Blue Mountain Lake on?
Blue Mountain Lake is on Blue Mountain Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
