Public Swimming Beach
Caneadea, New York · on Rushford Lake
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Public Swimming Beach
This is the public swimming beach on the south shore of Rushford Lake, a 585-acre reservoir in Allegany County, NY, near the hamlets of Rushford and Caneadea. The beach sits at the intersection of Rush Creek Road and County Road 49 (address given as 8178 County Road 49, Caneadea, NY) and is a seasonal, staffed swimming hole, distinct from Balcom Beach, the fishing/boat-launch site on the lake's north shore.
Rushford Lake is a reservoir in the hills of western New York's Allegany County, formed when Rochester Gas & Electric built the dam in the late 1920s; the lake and surrounding recreational land passed to the Rushford Lake Recreational District, a local governmental body, in 1981. The lake has roughly 5.3 miles of shoreline and reaches about 115 feet deep, with a seasonal winter drawdown of around 40 feet.
Swimming at Public Swimming Beach
Sources describe a small sand beach with a grass lawn fronting a medium-to-small designated swim area, staffed with a lifeguard during posted hours. It reads as a family-oriented, roadside lake beach rather than a backcountry or scenic swimming destination.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located at the intersection of Rush Creek Road and County Road 49, address 8178 County Road 49, Caneadea, NY 14717, on the south shore of Rushford Lake.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up beach at the intersection of Rush Creek Road and County Road 49; no trail or hike is involved. No source gives a specific walk time from a parking area to the sand, but the beach is described as sitting right at this road intersection with a grass lawn frontage, implying a very short (well under 5 min) walk from any vehicle stop.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Lifeguard on duty during posted hours (11am-7pm) at a small sand beach with a grass lawn fronting a medium-to-small designated swim area (seeswim.com); no source specifies the entry slope or depth at the roped swim area itself, so caution is warranted for small children despite the staffed setting.
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms on site at the beach (confirmed via seeswim.com facility tags); exact building type (flush vs vault) not specified in any source.
Hours
2026 season: weekends 11am-7pm May 23-June 28, then daily 11am-7pm June 29 through Labor Day; open on Memorial Day, Juneteenth, July 4th, and Labor Day (per wnywilds.com posted schedule, contact 585-437-2017).
On the water
New York's official tourism listing (iloveny.com) lists kayak/canoe/paddleboard and a public boat launch as lake activities; Wikipedia notes a trailered boat launch at Balcom Beach on the north shore (free for fishing boats) and shore access at the Dam Road area. No source states whether motorized boating near the south-shore swim beach itself is restricted (e.g., no-wake buffer), so specific restrictions are left null rather than assumed.
Rentals nearby
Kayak & SUP rentals, boat/motorboat rentals, plus watercraft sales, service, and a seasonal gas dock; located directly on Rushford Lake.
8917 Willow Rd, Rushford, NY 14777 - on Rushford Lake itself · Sales & service Mon-Sat 9:00am-4:30pm; seasonal gas dock (Memorial Day-Labor Day) Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 10am-2pm.
Pontoon boat rentals, kayak rentals, and paddle boat rentals, plus boat sales/service/storage.
9845 North Shore Road, Cuba, NY 14727 - on Cuba Lake, a different lake roughly 15+ miles from Rushford Lake (regional option, not on this water body). · Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm
Backstory
Rushford Lake was built by Rochester Gas & Electric in the late 1920s as a reservoir, then sold in 1981 to the Rushford Lake Recreational District, a governmental body created that year to manage the lake.
Public Swimming Beach: FAQ
Is Public Swimming Beach kid friendly?
Lifeguard on duty during posted hours (11am-7pm) at a small sand beach with a grass lawn fronting a medium-to-small designated swim area (seeswim.com); no source specifies the entry slope or depth at the roped swim area itself, so caution is warranted for small children despite the staffed setting.
Do I need to hike to reach Public Swimming Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Public Swimming Beach?
No source describes a parking lot, roadside pull-off, or fee for this beach; it sits at the intersection of Rush Creek Road and County Road 49 (address 8178 County Road 49, Caneadea, NY), but parking specifics are unconfirmed.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Public Swimming Beach?
New York's official tourism listing (iloveny.com) lists kayak/canoe/paddleboard and a public boat launch as lake activities; Wikipedia notes a trailered boat launch at Balcom Beach on the north shore (free for fishing boats) and shore access at the Dam Road area. No source states whether motorized boating near the south-shore swim beach itself is restricted (e.g., no-wake buffer), so specific restrictions are left null rather than assumed.
When is the best time to visit Public Swimming Beach?
Summer, roughly Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, matching the posted seasonal operating schedule.
What are the rules at Public Swimming Beach?
Seasonal, staffed beach: open weekends 11am-7pm from late May through late June, then daily 11am-7pm from late June through Labor Day (per 2026 posted schedule), with a lifeguard on duty during posted hours.
What water body is Public Swimming Beach on?
Public Swimming Beach is on Rushford Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
