Cayuga Lake State Park
RV Guide
Introduction
Cayuga Lake State Park is a 141-acre state park and campground in Seneca County, New York. Gentle lawns slope down from the shady campground to the western shoreline of Cayuga Lake and its swimming beach (lifeguards on duty in peak season). From their setting at the top of the grassy slope, the campsites and cabins all offer exceptional lake views.
Cayuga Lake State Park is a fantastic spot for a range of outdoor recreational pursuits, such as swimming, boating, picnicking, beach volleyball, ice fishing, and cross-country skiing. Campers will have access to a boat launch area, boat dock, children’s playground, and playing field.
Fishing enthusiasts will have much to look forward to – the shallow waters of the lake are perfect for catching largemouth bass, carp, and bullheads. The deeper water is good for northern pike, smallmouth bass, landlocked salmon, and lake trout.
The campground is suitable for both tent campers and RVs. Facilities include an RV dump station, recycling station, picnic tables, and some sites with electricity.
RV Rentals in Cayuga Lake State Park
Transportation
Driving
Cayuga Lake State Park is located on the western shore at the northern end of Cayuga Lake in Seneca Falls, New York. The entrance to the park can be found along Route 89 which splits the park into two. This route involves passing under a tunnel beneath the highway to get to the park. Most of the roads within the park are paved, but campers should watch out for any low-hanging branches. There is a speed limit of 10 miles per hour.
Parking
Parking is available at various points within the park, such as at the park office and boat launch area. You can park your vehicles in the campground if you’re staying overnight. Once you’ve set up camp, you can get around on foot, bike or boat.
Public Transportation
Campgrounds and parking in Cayuga Lake State Park
Campsites in Cayuga Lake State Park
Reservations camping
East Camp
East Camp offers campsites for tents and RVs and trailers up to 40 feet in length. There may be space for bigger rigs, so its recommended to call ahead and check. There are some campsites with 30amp electric hookups.
The three loops – Muskie, Smelt, and Sturgeon are set around a central restroom, bath house, recycling center, and a dumpster. East Camp is pet-friendly, but campers can bring a maximum of two pets who should be kept on a leash at all times.
There are 14 cabins available to rent in Cayuga Lake State Park. Each cabin sleeps four or six people in one room with a twin or double bed and bunk beds. Each cabin has an open porch. One cabin is a lot larger than the others with five rooms in total, including three bedrooms. Just in case you are looking for a change of scenery from your RV rental.
West Camp
West Camp offers non-electric back-in campsites for tents and RVs and trailers up to 40 feet in length. There may be space for bigger rigs, so its recommended to call ahead and check.
The loops are all named after fish – pickerel, salmon, bass, carp, minnow, sunfish, pike, and trout. Inside West Camp’s loops you’ll find restrooms, a bath house, dumpster, overflow parking, a dumping station, and a children’s playground.
West Camp is pet-friendly, but campers can bring a maximum of two pets who should be kept on a leash at all times.
Pete’s Area/Group Camp
Pete’s Area is a paved group campsite at Cayuga Lake State Park. It offers a restroom only. There are still great views of the lake from this group site and since there's only one, book early to get the space if you have a large group.
Seasonal activities in Cayuga Lake State Park
In-Season
Fishing
Located on the western banks of Cayuga Lake, fishing is a popular activity in Cayuga Lake State Park. The water is pretty shallow near the shore, making for excellent angling opportunities.
Try your luck fishing for largemouth bass, bullheads, and carp. In deeper water, you’ll find smallmouth bass, northern pike, lake trout, and landlocked salmon. Please note that you may require a valid fishing license to fish in the park.
Boating
Cayuga Lake is a fantastic spot for visitors seeking water recreation. Campers can look forward to all manner of water sports here, from power boating and canoeing, to kayaking, water skiing, and tubing.
Cayuga Lake State Park has a boat launch area and boat harbor on-site. Please make sure that you have all the required boating documentation if you plan on launching your watercraft here.
Swimming
One of the main attractions at Cayuga Lake State Park is the swimming beach. Swimming here is unsupervised unless you are visiting during the peak season so make sure to use caution if there is no lifeguard on duty.
After a dip in the lake, relax on the small beach or on the adjacent sun lawn. There's also a playground for the kids near the beach area. This entire area is very easily accessible from all the campgrounds.
Off-Season
Picnics
There are several picnic areas spread throughout Cayuga Lake State Park, making this state park a popular destination. Most of them are scattered along the western banks of Cayuga Lake while others are set further back, closer to East Camp. Two accessible picnic shelters or pavilions are available and can be reserved online in advance.
Winter Sports
There are plenty of cross-country ski centers to choose from in the Finger Lakes region. Cayuga Lake State Park is one of the more popular destinations for winter sport activities when it's covered in a blanket of snow in the winter months.
Visitors can enjoy sledding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the park. Equipment is not provided; visitors should bring their own.
Ice Fishing
Cayuga Lake is popular as a fishing destination all year round – ice fishing is popular here too but you’ll have to bring your own equipment and fish at your own risk.
Try your luck fishing through the ice at the northern end of the lake for the best results; there is limited ice fishing available at the southern end of the lake. Fish species to be caught in winter include panfish, pickerel, and northern pike. Please note that you may require a valid fishing license to fish in the park.
