Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot
Durhamville, New York · on Oneida Lake · Verona Beach State Park
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $7 per vehicle
- SEASON
- May
About Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot
Verona Beach State Park is a 1,735-acre New York state park on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake in Oneida County, near Verona Beach and Sylvan Beach. The swimming hole here is an official, lifeguard-supervised beach on the lake with a bathhouse, concession stand, and splash pad.
The park occupies a large stretch of Oneida Lake's eastern shoreline, with sandy beach frontage backed by shaded picnic areas, a campground, and miles of hiking, horseback, and mountain bike trails through surrounding woodland.
Swimming at Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot
Swimming takes place at a designated, lifeguard-supervised sandy beach roughly three-quarters of a mile long directly on Oneida Lake, a large, shallow, warm-water lake; the beach is set up for general family use with a bathhouse, concession stand, and adjacent splash pad rather than backcountry or informal swimming.
How to get to this swimming hole
Parking: On-site park parking lot accessed via vehicle entrance on NY Route 13; a $7 per-car entrance fee applies during operating hours (8am-6pm in season), or an Empire Pass provides unlimited access.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up park beach; swimming happens directly off the parking-lot-adjacent sandy shore, no hike required. The park separately has about 14 miles of hiking trails (including a Woods and Wetland nature trail) elsewhere in the park, unrelated to reaching the swimming beach.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Official lifeguard-supervised sandy beach roughly three-quarters of a mile long on shallow, warm Oneida Lake, with an adjacent splash pad, bathhouse, and concession stand; set up for general family use rather than backcountry swimming.
Parking
Paid, $7 per vehicle (cars); $35 for buses
On-site park parking lot accessed via the vehicle entrance on NY Route 13; fee applies during operating hours (8am-6pm in season); an Empire Pass ($80/year) covers unlimited day-use entry instead of paying per visit.
Restrooms
Yes
Bathhouse with showers is listed among park facilities near the beach; exact restroom building location not detailed on the official site.
Hours
Day-use grounds and trails open year-round dawn to dusk; the supervised swimming beach itself runs seasonally, 11am-7pm, weekends/holidays only from 5/24-6/14/2026, then daily from 6/19-9/7/2026.
On the water
Restrictions: Park's boat launch is for non-motorized boats only; trailers are not permitted at that launch. (This applies to the park's own launch facility, not necessarily the guarded swimming beach itself, where boats are generally kept separate from swimmers.)
Oneida Lake overall does allow motorized boats and personal watercraft, but those uses are via marinas/launches elsewhere on the lake, not the state park's non-motorized launch.
Rentals nearby
Pontoon boats (10-15 passenger), fishing boats, personal watercraft (SeaDoo jet skis, 1-hour rentals only), single and two-person kayaks, and adult/children paddleboards
812 State Route 49, Cleveland, NY 13042 (Oneida Lake's north shore, near Cleveland/Jewell; roughly 20+ miles by road from Verona Beach State Park, on the opposite side of the lake)
Pontoon boats, kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, water bikes, ski boats, deck boats, and fishing boats
The Cove at Sylvan Beach, on Oneida Lake, about 1.7 miles from Verona Beach State Park; phone (315) 762-5104
What regulars say
Visitor reports: locals listing sandy beaches in the Syracuse area noted Verona Beach as an option expected to be crowded on major summer holidays (one visitor planning a July 4th/5th outing remarked 'I know Green Lakes and Verona Beach will probably be packed'), consistent with it being a popular official supervised beach rather than a secluded spot. No first-hand visitor comments on water clarity were found.
Backstory
The park land was formerly held privately as Nabor's Grove before New York State began acquiring it in 1944; the state purchased 59 parcels (1,355 acres) by 1962, with final acquisitions in 1969-70 bringing the park to its current 1,735 acres.
Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot: FAQ
Does Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot charge a fee?
$7 per vehicle (cars) during the operating season, 8am-6pm; $35 for buses; Empire Pass ($80/year) accepted for unlimited day-use entry.
Is Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot kid friendly?
Official lifeguard-supervised sandy beach roughly three-quarters of a mile long on shallow, warm Oneida Lake, with an adjacent splash pad, bathhouse, and concession stand; set up for general family use rather than backcountry swimming.
Do I need to hike to reach Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot?
On-site park parking lot accessed via the vehicle entrance on NY Route 13; fee applies during operating hours (8am-6pm in season); an Empire Pass ($80/year) covers unlimited day-use entry instead of paying per visit.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot?
Oneida Lake overall does allow motorized boats and personal watercraft, but those uses are via marinas/launches elsewhere on the lake, not the state park's non-motorized launch.
When is the best time to visit Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot?
Late May through early September, matching the official supervised beach season (2026 dates: 5/24-6/14 weekends/holidays, 6/19-9/7 daily).
What are the rules at Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot?
Beach is lifeguard-supervised and only open during posted hours (weekends/holidays 11am-7pm from late May through mid-June, then daily 11am-7pm from mid-June through early September in 2026); pets are prohibited on the guarded beach except service animals; up to two pets allowed in campsites/day-use areas elsewhere in the park if leashed or crated.
What water body is Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot on?
Verona Beach State Park Parking Lot is on Oneida Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
