Golden Beach Campground
Raquette Lake, New York · on Raquette Lake · Sargent Pond
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $8
- SEASON
- May
About Golden Beach Campground
Golden Beach Campground is a New York State DEC campground on the eastern shore of Raquette Lake in the Adirondacks, built around one of the largest natural sand beaches in the region. The beach and lake form a designated swimming hole within the 200-plus-site campground, reachable directly off NY-28, and Raquette Lake itself is a classic Adirondack lake to swim in.
The campground sits on Raquette Lake, the largest natural lake in the Adirondacks at 5,935 acres with 99 miles of shoreline, in the Central Adirondacks near Blue Mountain Lake. It borders Sargent Ponds Wild Forest and is near Pigeon Lake Wilderness, Blue Ridge Wilderness, and Moose River Plains Wild Forest.
Swimming at Golden Beach Campground
The swim area is a large, gently sloping sandy beach (roughly 800 feet behind the campsites plus another 400 feet of adjacent waterfront) with wide, shallow water described in a first-hand magazine account as good for 'wobbly waders' and young children, plus scattered boulders along the shoreline and waterfowl on the water.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located directly on NY Route 28 at Raquette Lake, adjacent to the Golden Beach Campground entrance.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up beach: the sand swim area sits directly behind/adjacent to the campground's day-use picnic area off NY-28, reachable from day-use parking without a hiking trail.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
First-hand Adirondack Life account describes wide, shallow, gently sloping sand entry good for 'wobbly waders' and young children, with scattered boulders along shore and waterfowl to watch; no lifeguard presence or absence was confirmed in any source found, so supervise accordingly.
Parking
Paid, $8 day-use fee reported (Adirondack Life); Empire Passport also accepted for day-use area (cnyhiking.com)
Day visitors access a designated day-use picnic/beach area off NY-28 that requires the day-use fee or Empire Passport; no source broke out a separate parking-only charge or described lot size, so this likely functions as a combined entrance/parking fee rather than a metered lot.
Restrooms
Yes
Flush toilets and a hot-shower/bathhouse building serve the campground and beach area (per iloveny.com and campadk.com); exact restroom location relative to the day-use beach itself was not separately specified.
Hours
Campground and beach operate seasonally, roughly mid-May through early September (per campadk.com); no specific daily opening/closing hours for the day-use area were found in sources checked.
On the water
NY tourism listing (iloveny.com) states 'motorboats, rowboats and canoes are allowed' on Raquette Lake, and campadk.com lists 'paddling' as a featured lake activity alongside boating and swimming, which strongly implies kayaks/paddleboards are also fine on this large public lake, but no source explicitly named kayak or paddleboard, so they are omitted from the confirmed list rather than assumed. A boat launch with dock is present at the beach (iloveny.com, campadk.com).
Rentals nearby
Canoe and kayak rentals (plus retail paddlesports gear)
Old Forge, NY (2839/2855 NY-28), roughly 17 miles from Golden Beach Campground via NY-28; the website does not confirm whether they deliver rental boats directly to Raquette Lake, so treat as a regional outfitter rather than an on-site vendor.
Golden Beach Campground: FAQ
Does Golden Beach Campground charge a fee?
Day-use fee reported at $8; day visitors can also use the Empire Passport at the campground's day-use picnic area (per cnyhiking.com and Adirondack Life).
Is Golden Beach Campground kid friendly?
First-hand Adirondack Life account describes wide, shallow, gently sloping sand entry good for 'wobbly waders' and young children, with scattered boulders along shore and waterfowl to watch; no lifeguard presence or absence was confirmed in any source found, so supervise accordingly.
Do I need to hike to reach Golden Beach Campground?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Golden Beach Campground?
Day visitors access a designated day-use picnic/beach area off NY-28 that requires the day-use fee or Empire Passport; no source broke out a separate parking-only charge or described lot size, so this likely functions as a combined entrance/parking fee rather than a metered lot.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Golden Beach Campground?
NY tourism listing (iloveny.com) states 'motorboats, rowboats and canoes are allowed' on Raquette Lake, and campadk.com lists 'paddling' as a featured lake activity alongside boating and swimming, which strongly implies kayaks/paddleboards are also fine on this large public lake, but no source explicitly named kayak or paddleboard, so they are omitted from the confirmed list rather than assumed. A boat launch with dock is present at the beach (iloveny.com, campadk.com).
When is the best time to visit Golden Beach Campground?
Campground operates seasonally from mid-May through early September; swimming is most popular in July and August.
What water body is Golden Beach Campground on?
Golden Beach Campground is on Raquette Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
