Greetings and Welcome to the Finger Lakes!

This is Lake Country. Comprised of 8,300 square miles* and 14 counties in the heart of the Empire State, the Finger Lakes has 11 finger-shaped lakes plus numerous other lakes--both large and small--including Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes. All of these lakes provide scores of recreational opportunities from boating to wind surfing to underwater diving. The rolling, forested hills, the highest of which is just under 3,000 feet (1,000 meters), provide hundreds of miles of hiking, excellent cross-country and downhill skiing, and a painter's palette of autumn colors ideal for leaf peeping.

Carved thousands of years ago by glaciers, the stream-filled valleys of the Finger Lakes have countless gorges, including the Genesee River Gorge, one of the largest in the eastern United States, and nearly 750 waterfalls, including Taughannock Falls, the highest falls east of the Mississippi River. More than 100 miles of the Erie Canal spans the Finger Lakes and links boaters, bikers, and hikers to the entire 524-mile New York State Canal System.

And when you're done hiking, biking, birding, boating, ballooning, skiing, visiting a garden, or just enjoying the view, there are spas, museums, theatres, shops, fine restaurants, and nearly 100 wineries.

Come meet the friendly, knowledgeable New Yorkers who call the Finger Lakes home. Visit us soon and come back often.

Best wishes,

Ronda Roaring

P.S. This Web site has about 700 pages. Take the time to surf it, using the keyword search at the top left. You'll find lots of great information here.

WHAT'S NEW

June 2009

The pages on Mark Twain State Park and Soaring Eagles Golf Course, Seneca Lake State Park, Catharine Valley Trail, Bonavista State Park Golf Course, Cayuga Lake State Park, Dean's Cove State Marine Park, Lodi Point State Marine Park, Sampson State Park, Two Rivers State Park, and Keuka Lake State Park have all been expanded with more information and more photos.

The Wallpaper page has been redone with dozens of beautiful new photos of the Finger Lakes you can use as wallpaper on your monitor. 

July 2009

The pages on Ganondagan State Historic Site and Watkins Glen, Long Point, Clark Reservation, Chimney Bluffs, Beechwood, Fair Haven Beach, Green Lakes, Clark Reservation, Hamlin Beach, Canandaigua Lake, Conesus Lake, and Fillmore Glen state parks have been expanded with more information and photos.

A page was created for the Old Erie Canal State Historic Park, Springbrook Greens State Golf Course, and disc golf.

August 2009

UPDATES

Many pages have been updated in minor ways. Major updates and expansions have been made to Pinnacle State Park, Honeoye Lake State Boat Launch, Harriet Hollister Spencer Memorial Recreation Area, and Stony Brook State Park.

NEW PAGES

Indian Hills State Golf Course, Staying on a Farm, Streamflow Conditions, For Seniors Only.

NEW SECTION

An entire new section on the 13 rivers in the Finger Lakes has been started. The following rivers are done: Canisteo, Cohocton, Cowanesque, Susquehanna, and Tioga.

September 2009

The following rivers have been done: Chemung, Oneida, Otselic, Seneca, West, Genesee

If you enjoy bike riding, why not ride from Genesee Valley Park in Rochester all the way to the Lake Ontario shore and back along the Genesee River. It's an easy (relatively flat) and scenic ride of about 20 mi./32 km. Here's the ride guide.

October 2009

A page has been added on Howland Island. The island is surrounded by the Seneca River and the Erie Canal. The trip around the island is about 9 mi./14.4 km. The island is great for hiking, biking, cross-country skiiing, horseback riding, and especially birding.

The Seneca River page has been updated (already) to add information and a photo on the Richmond Aqueduct.

Many pages have been updated, including the For Dogs Only page. The U-Pick page has been updated--again.

The Tioughnioga River is done. This means the completion of the Rivers section on the 13 rivers in the Finger Lakes region. The Tioughnioga is divided into the East Branch and the West Branch, and each branch has its own page.

Coleman Lake in the Town of Danby in Tompkins County has been added to the Lakes section.

November 2009

The page for Tracy and Mud lakes and Gatehouse Pond in the Town of Tully in Onondaga County has been added.

The list of breweries in the Finger Lakes has been updated.

The Haudenosanee page has been expanded to list more things to do and places to go to enjoy Haudenosanee culture and to learn about Haudenosanee history.

More books have been added to the bookstore of Finger Lakes authors and books about the Finger Lakes.

December 2009

Continuing with information on the little lakes in the Finger Lakes Region, information is now up on Crooked, Goodale, Upper and Lower Little York, and Tully lakes.

The ice skating page has been greatly expanded and updated.

Also updated: For Dogs Only, Arts & Crafts, Wedding Photographers

Learn the Legend of Taughannock Falls.

The postcard page has 12 new photos. Send someone a postcard from the Finger Lakes today!

January 2010

A new page was created listing artists' retreats and colonies in the Finger Lakes and a new page called "Winter in Taughannock Falls State Park."

*U.S. Census Bureau (The Finger Lakes makes up approximately 17.6 percent of the land mass in the State of New York, which has 47,200 square miles.)

Updated 12 January 2010