Lake Tiorati Beach

Southfields, New York · on Lake Tiorati · Harriman State Park

Verified · 4 independent sources

WATER: lake
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: $10 per vehicle
SEASON: May

About Lake Tiorati Beach

Lake Tiorati Beach is an official, lifeguard-era public swimming beach on the north shore of 292-acre Lake Tiorati inside Harriman State Park, New York, operated by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. It is one of only two designated swimming beaches in the park and charges a seasonal per-vehicle entrance fee.

Lake Tiorati is a man-made lake (created by dredging swampland and building a concrete dam) sitting at about 1,030 feet elevation within the forested interior of Harriman State Park in the New York-New Jersey Highlands. The park surrounds the lake with roughly 200 miles of hiking trails, including a section of the Appalachian Trail, and campsites are located near the beach at the lake's north end.

Swimming at Lake Tiorati Beach

Swimming is at a designated, official sand beach at the lake's north end, described by outside sources as heavily used. The lake supports largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, bullhead, and perch, indicating a still, vegetated freshwater lake environment typical of a managed reservoir beach rather than a wild swimming hole.

How to get to this swimming hole

Reached via Exit 16 on the Palisades Interstate Parkway using Tiorati Brook Road, via Arden Valley Road from NY-17, or via Seven Lakes Drive from Exit 18 on the PIP or from Sloatsburg; the beach address is 2300 Seven Lakes Drive, Southfields, NY 10975. Access roads close seasonally from December through April.

Parking: On-site vehicle parking at the beach lot, subject to the vehicle entrance fee during the summer season; a separate 'Hiker Parking Lots' PDF from the park covers nearby trailhead lots.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up designated beach with its own parking lot immediately adjacent to the sand - no trail walk-in is required to swim. (Harriman State Park has ~200 miles of trails, including the Appalachian Trail, nearby for those who want to hike separately, but none of that is on the way to the swim beach.)

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

Good for kids

Official, lifeguarded sand beach designated specifically for swimming (one of only two in Harriman State Park), so entry is at a supervised, managed shoreline rather than an unsupervised wild spot. Specific water depth/slope at the swim line isn't documented, so parents should still watch young kids near the drop-off.

Parking

Paid, $10/vehicle (cash or credit) on fee days, Memorial Day-Labor Day; free outside the fee season, or covered by an Empire Pass ($80/yr)

On-site beach parking lot directly at Lake Tiorati Beach, 2300 Seven Lakes Drive, Southfields NY. Separate 'Hiker Parking Lots' exist elsewhere in Harriman State Park for trail access but are not needed to reach this beach.

Restrooms

Yes

Showers and restrooms/changing facilities on site during the summer beach season (roughly Memorial Day-Labor Day). No facilities or running water are available October-April; nearest off-season facilities are at Lake Silvermine.

Hours

2026 beach season: weekends/holidays only late May-mid June (10:00 AM-5:45 PM); daily mid June-mid August (weekdays 10:00 AM-5:45 PM, weekends/holidays 11:00 AM-6:45 PM); weekends/holidays only late August through Labor Day (11:00 AM-6:45 PM); closed after Labor Day (9/7/26) until Memorial Day 2027. Park itself is open dawn to dusk year-round; office hours 8:00-12:00 and 1:00-3:30 daily.

On the water

KayaksCanoesRowboats

Restrictions: Non-motorized craft only. Boats do not launch from the swim beach itself - there is a separate restricted-access boat launch at the lake's southeast corner. A PIPC boat sticker permit (~$35) or a Sterling Forest/Tiorati/Island Pond launch key (~$20) is required, and boating season runs April 1-November 30.

No mention found of paddleboards specifically or of any motorized/electric-motor allowance; only rowboats, kayaks, and canoes are named in official/aggregator sources.

Backstory

The lake's name derives from an Algonquian word meaning 'blue like sky.' In 1983, the body of murdered arms dealer George M. Perry was found floating in Lake Tiorati.

Lake Tiorati Beach: FAQ

Does Lake Tiorati Beach charge a fee?

$10 per vehicle, cash or credit, on select dates during peak season (Memorial Day through Labor Day); an Empire Pass ($80/year) provides unlimited access to most NY state parks including this one.

Is Lake Tiorati Beach kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Lake Tiorati Beach?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Lake Tiorati Beach?

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Lake Tiorati Beach?

No mention found of paddleboards specifically or of any motorized/electric-motor allowance; only rowboats, kayaks, and canoes are named in official/aggregator sources.

When is the best time to visit Lake Tiorati Beach?

2026 beach season: weekends/holidays only in late May-mid June (10:00 AM-5:45 PM); daily mid June-mid August (weekdays 10:00 AM-5:45 PM, weekends/holidays 11:00 AM-6:45 PM); weekends/holidays only late August through Labor Day (11:00 AM-6:45 PM); closed after Labor Day (9/7/26) until Memorial Day 2027.

What are the rules at Lake Tiorati Beach?

Buses are no longer accepted at this facility. Swimming hours are restricted to posted beach operating hours (see best_season/hours), even though the park itself is open dawn to dusk year-round. Park office hours are 8:00 AM-12:00 PM and 1:00 PM-3:30 PM daily.

What water body is Lake Tiorati Beach on?

Lake Tiorati Beach is on Lake Tiorati, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.