Green Lakes State Park

Green Lakes State Park
Green Lake, seen from its eastern shore. The lake's unusual blue-green color is due to annual "whitings" that leave suspended mineral solids in its water. The mineral content of the water also makes the lake meromictic, which is quite rare and which has led to intense scientific study of the lake for nearly a century.
Type	State park
Location	Manlius, New York
Coordinates	43°02′56″N 75°58′23″W / 43.049°N 75.973°W / 43.049; -75.973Coordinates: 43°02′56″N 75°58′23″W / 43.049°N 75.973°W / 43.049; -75.973
Area	1,955 acres (791 ha)
Created	1928 (1928)
Operated by	New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Visitors	1,079,160 (in 2014)
Status	Open year-round
Website	Green Lakes State Park website

Green Lakes State Park is a New York State Park located east of Syracuse in the Town of Manlius. The park is strikingly scenic, and has a "masterpiece" golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones very early in his career. Green Lake itself is perhaps the most studied meromictic lake—one in which layers of water do not mix—in the world. The park preserves the largest stand of old growth forest in Central New York, and Round Lake has been designated as a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The park is centered on two small lakes, Green Lake and Round Lake, which have an unusual blue-green color. These lakes lie at the base of a gorge that is somewhat longer than a mile in length. The lakes and the gorge are remnants of the ice ages, and exemplify some of the unusual geology of upstate New York.

The park's area is 1,955 acres (7.91 km²), and it logs about 800,000 visitors each year. Nearly half the park's area is old-growth forest, which includes many very large specimens of tuliptrees, sugar maples, beech, basswood, hemlocks, and white cedars. One particularly impressive grove of trees, lying immediately to the southwest of Round Lake, has been called the Tuliptree Cathedral.

At its northern end, Green Lake has a sandy swimming beach, lawns for sunbathing, and a building with changing facilities and a concession stand; Green Lake is certainly one of the most popular swimming beaches in Central New York. Adjacent to the beach, there is a boathouse with rowboat and paddleboat rentals in the summer season. Currently, Green Lakes is offering stand up paddle board classes, excursions, and yoga taught by Method 360; privately owned boats and paddle boards are not permitted. The park has an 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, as well as a clubhouse in its southeastern quadrant. Above the western cliffs along Green Lake there are a Frisbee golf course, 137 campsites, and eight cabins for those who prefer a less rustic experience. There are several formal picnic areas throughout the park, including some with picnic shelters that can be reserved for groups.