HONEOYE LAKE

Length: 4.5 miles
Depth: 30 feet
County & Towns: Ontario County, Town of Richmond

The second smallest of the Finger Lakes at just 4.5 miles long, the shores of Honeoye Lake are bordered by the towns of Richmond, Canadice, and Honeoye.

THINGS TO DO – ON HONEOYE LAKE

Honeoye Lake Boat Launch State Park is available on the east side, towards the south end of the lake, and is open from May to November. Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area, located on Canadice Hill south of the lake, overlooks Honeoye Lake.There are two boat launch sites and one marina on Honeoye Lake.

Find out more in our Honeoye Lake Boating Guide.

Fishing

Honeoye is a highly regarded fishing lake. For notes and tips on fishing Honeoye Lake, see our fishing guide.

On the north end of the lake is Sandy Bottom Park, which includes a life-guarded beach, two playgrounds, and multiple pavilions. There is also a boat launch that is available from May 15 to Labor Day.

THINGS TO DO – AROUND HONEOYE LAKE

Address: 6455 Co Rd 36, Honeoye, NY 14471
Near Honeoye Lake’s southern end is Muller Field Station, a hands-on nature laboratory and environmental field-based classroom for students of Finger Lakes Community College. College and university students, local K-12 students and their teachers, community members, environmental organizations and agencies are all welcome visitors to the Station. 

Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area

Address: 6775 Canadice Hill Road, Springwater, NY 14560
Website: https://parks.ny.gov
Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area, located on Canadice Hill south of the lake, overlooks Honeoye Lake. Popular recreational activities also include boating, tubing, water skiing, wake boarding, and other water sports. In the winter, the water freezes quickly and maintains its solid surface throughout the season, at which time the lake is used for ice fishing, skating, and ice boating. On a clear day you can see the city or Rochester and Lake Ontario to the North. Overlook Road (a seasonal road) leading into the park from the parking lot, passes by a view of the length of Honeoye Lake. Check out their website for up to date information and the Trail Map before you go.

 

The Ring of Fire tradition is annually celebrated Labor Day weekend by area residents. Flares are lit around the lakeshore to signify summer’s end and to recognize the wealth of the Finger Lakes harvest.

HISTORY OF HONEOYE LAKE

The hamlet of Honeoye was first inhabited thousands of years ago by the Point Peninsula Indians, followed by the Seneca of the Iroquois nation. During the American Revolution, American troops built a small garrison there known as Fort Cummings in order to drive the Seneca from the frontier. The Indians had allied with the British, thereby attacking American settlers living in the area. As a result, George Washington ordered the destruction of the Seneca villages, crops, and people.

After the War, some of these soldiers chose to return and resettle in western New York because of its fertile soil. In the mid-19th century, this area had numerous abolitionists, feminists, and other progressive activists. Stations of the Underground Railroad were founded in western New York to help convey escaped slaves to freedom in Canada.

Honeoye remained a largely agricultural community until the early part of the 20th century, when many wealthy people from Rochester, New York took interest in Honeoye Lake as a resort area. Its relatively shallow depth gave it warmer temperatures than the Great Lakes.

RELATED PAGES

LINKS & MORE