South Lake Swimming Area
Hunter, New York · North/South Lake Campground
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $22/night
- SEASON
- Spring
About South Lake Swimming Area
South Lake is one of two connected lakes (with North Lake) inside the NYS DEC-run North-South Lake Campground and Day Use Area in the Catskill Forest Preserve near Haines Falls, NY. The DEC maintains an official, designated swimming beach at South Lake alongside a separate one at North Lake, making this swimming hole one of the most-visited developed places to swim in the Catskill Park.
The lakes sit on a Catskill escarpment at roughly 2,250 feet elevation, about 1,700 feet above the valley floor, an area historically dubbed 'America's First Wilderness' and painted extensively by Hudson River School artists including Thomas Cole. The site also held the historic Catskill Mountain House and Hotel Kaaterskill resorts before their 20th-century decline.
Swimming at South Lake Swimming Area
Swimming is in an open, developed lake beach setting rather than a wild or secluded spot: a maintained sand beach with a designated swim zone, no lifeguard supervision, and DEC-patrolled rules requiring swimmers to enter the water only from the designated beach area. It suits families and campers looking for calm, accessible lake swimming rather than adventurous wild swimming.
How to get to this swimming hole
Access is via County Route 18 from Haines Falls, NY. From the south, take I-87 Exit 20, then Routes 32, 32A, and 23A west; from the north, take I-87 Exit 21 to Route 23 to Route 9W, then Route 23A west, to reach the campground/day-use area on County Route 18.
The hike in
The South Lake swim beach is reached by a short walk directly from the adjacent day-use parking lot/changing rooms to the designated beach; no trail hike is needed to get in the water. (Note: well-known hiking trails such as the Escarpment Trail and the route to Kaaterskill Falls also start from this same campground complex, but they are separate excursions, not required to reach the swimming area.)
Drive-up/walk-up access with an accessible beach access route per DEC.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Designated sand-beach swim zone at a shallow, developed lake (avg. lake depth ~5.6 ft) is workable for kids, but DEC provides no lifeguard at either beach and requires swimmers to stay within the marked beach area only, so adult supervision is needed rather than relying on staff.
Parking
Paid, ~$10/vehicle day-use fee (May-Oct), on top of camping fees for overnight guests ($22-$27/night)
Day-use parking is at the South Lake beach area within the North-South Lake Campground complex; exact lot capacity not published in sources found.
Restrooms
Yes
Flush toilets and hot showers at shower buildings distributed across the campground (Loops 1, 3, 4, 6, 7); separate changing rooms at both the North Lake and South Lake day-use/beach areas.
Hours
Campground/day-use season runs May 15 through October 25; no separate daily open/close time was found, but swimming itself is prohibited from 30 minutes before sunset until 30 minutes after sunrise.
On the water
Restrictions: Motorized boats are prohibited on both North and South Lake; only human-powered/paddle craft are permitted.
A paved boat launch ramp for privately-owned non-motorized craft exists at North Lake's day-use area.
Rentals nearby
Rowboats, canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and paddle boats
On-site at the South Lake and North Lake day-use beach areas inside the campground
Backstory
The North Lake beach was constructed in 1936; the South Lake day-use beach was completed in 1984. In the 1970s the dam between the two lakes was removed and rebuilt at the South Lake outlet, effectively joining them into one larger water body. The surrounding area was visited by naturalist John Bartram in 1753, became a major subject for Hudson River School painters, and was once home to the historic Catskill Mountain House resort (demolished 1963).
South Lake Swimming Area: FAQ
Does South Lake Swimming Area charge a fee?
DEC lists a camping fee of $22/night ($27 for out-of-state residents) for the campground; Wikipedia additionally notes a day-use fee of about $10 per vehicle from May through October for the day-use/swimming area.
Is South Lake Swimming Area kid friendly?
Designated sand-beach swim zone at a shallow, developed lake (avg. lake depth ~5.6 ft) is workable for kids, but DEC provides no lifeguard at either beach and requires swimmers to stay within the marked beach area only, so adult supervision is needed rather than relying on staff.
Do I need to hike to reach South Lake Swimming Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for South Lake Swimming Area?
Day-use parking is at the South Lake beach area within the North-South Lake Campground complex; exact lot capacity not published in sources found.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to South Lake Swimming Area?
A paved boat launch ramp for privately-owned non-motorized craft exists at North Lake's day-use area.
When is the best time to visit South Lake Swimming Area?
Late spring through fall, within the official operating season of May 15 to October 25.
What are the rules at South Lake Swimming Area?
Swimming is unsupervised (no lifeguards); visitors must access the water only from the designated beach area(s); swimming is prohibited from 30 minutes before sunset until 30 minutes after sunrise; motorized boats are prohibited on the lakes.
