Things To Do

GREAT SACANDAGA LAKE

THE GREAT SACANDAGA LAKE

One of 44 scenic lakes in Fulton County, Great Sacandaga Lake is a year-round must-do. 125 miles of undiscovered shoreline and water sport opportunity tucked in the Adirondacks, Great Sacandaga Lake is the region’s best kept secret. With plenty of boating, fishing, dining, and lodging, you can easily spend multiple days enjoying one of the most serene, beautiful spots in the Adirondacks.

Spring at Sacandaga is a hiking and camping hotspot. Or take on the Sacandaga Ride, a 110-mile road trip through some of the best natural grandeur around, with plenty of quaint dining, covered bridges, historic places and shopping opportunities along the way.

Summertime brings the sunseekers to Sacandaga, where miles of beaches and tranquil waters attract water sport aficionados from all over. Pair kayaks, personal watercraft, sailboats and motorboats big and small with fishing, sunbathing, vibrant Farmer’s Markets, manicured golf courses, and exhilarating cycling and you’ve got a vacation to remember.

Home of the “Sacandaga Pike” a world record Norhern Pike near Benedict Bay 52.5” long, weighing over 46 lbs. In addition to northern pike, anglers should be on the lookout for brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, splake, pickerel and more.

The Great Sacandaga Lake is a manmade reservoir, created in 1930 when the newly constructed Conklingville Dam closed its valves and filled the valley with 38 billion cubic feet of water. The seed for damming the Sacandaga River was planted in 1874 when the New York State Canal Commission suggested that the “creation of reservoirs on the head-waters of the Hudson would allow control over its seasonal flow and prevent flooding of downstream communities.”

In the 1960s the Sacandaga Reservoir’s name was changed to the Great Sacandaga Lake in order to promote tourism. Today, the Great Sacandaga Lake and surrounding region is once again a Mecca to travelers seeking outdoor recreation. The New York DEC maintains four boat launches on the lake and the nearby DEC campsite on the Sacandaga River has 143 campsites. Canoeing and kayaking, boating and sailing, fishing and swimming are just a few of the activities offered here in abundance.

STATISTICS
Surface Area: 42 Square miles
Shoreline: 125 miles
Maximum Width: 5 miles
Water Capacity: 37.75 billion cubic feet
Length: 29 miles (
Average Depth: 40′
Maximum Depth: 65′-90′ at the Conklingville Dam.
Protected By the Adirondack Park Agency and the Hudson River Black River Regulating District

Harnessing Nature, Building the Great Sacandaga, In 2017, the Great Sacandaga Lake Advisory Council (GSLAC) released the documentary Harnessing Nature: Building the Great Sacandaga, which chronicles the creation of the Great Sacandaga Lake, New York State’s largest reservoir.

The film illustrates the history of the Sacandaga Valley, the reasons for the creation of the reservoir, and the impact on valley residents. In keeping with the original intent that this film be used for educational purposes, the GSLAC has made an abridged, 56-minute version of this film available to the public.

Harnessing Nature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlZiXHy3Jn4