Avoid Swimming In This Dangerous East Coast Lake

Many of the loveliest and most worthwhile freshwater lakes on the East Coast are found in New York. After all, the Empire State is home to the beautiful Finger Lakes, world-famous Lake Champlain, and some gorgeous coastlines along Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Add the many enchanting lakes in the Adirondacks, the Catskills, and the Hudson River Valley, and you get a superb collection that rivals any other state in the country. Even better, many of New York's prettiest lakes also feature excellent beaches that make for a fun day of swimming. 

But not every notable lake in New York is a good choice for a swimming trip, even if they seem welcoming. A great example of this is the infamous Onondaga Lake. On the surface, Onondaga Lake looks like a perfect place to spend a relaxing afternoon. The lake's blue waters and surrounding green parkland seem perfectly inviting at first. Plus, the lake's proximity to the city of Syracuse would, in most cases, make it a convenient outdoor destination not too far from civilization. 

Unfortunately, the lake's charming exterior hides a darker reality. Nearly a century of industrial pollution from sewage discharge and nearby chemical plants has long made the lake far too contaminated for safe swimming. And while recent cleanup efforts have made significant progress in restoring the lake's waters to safe levels, Onondaga Lake remains one of the most dangerous lakes for swimming in the United States. 

Pollution affects many of America's natural spaces, and even famous national parks aren't immune. For example, four of California's top national parks also rank as the four worst national parks for air quality. But nowhere is the tragic legacy of pollution more evident than the once-gorgeous Onondaga Lake. Throughout the 19th century, Onondaga Lake was one of the top outdoor destinations in the Syracuse region. The lake's many beaches were popular for swimming, and the surrounding parks contained amusement parks that drew countless visitors. 

Unfortunately, industrial development would soon take a terrible toll on the lake. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, chemical companies like the Solvay Process Company and Allied Chemical Corp built several chemical processing plants along the lake's north shore. Industrial discharge from these plants quickly filled the lake with dangerous chemicals, mercury, and other heavy metals. By 1940, water quality was so bad that officials banned all swimming.

It wasn't until the 1970s that cleanup efforts began to take off. Decades of work from the Environmental Protection Agency and the eventual establishment of a Superfund Site have since made significant progress in improving the lake's water quality. Today, Onondaga Lake is the cleanest it's been in perhaps 100 years. Some reports suggest the lake may even be clean enough to bring back public beaches. However, water quality issues persist, and some environmental groups don't believe that Lake Onondaga is quite safe enough for swimming yet. So while public officials and environmental activists make counterclaims about the lake's safety, you may want to err on the side of caution and skip Lake Onondaga on your next swimming trip.

Efforts to improve Lake Onondaga's water quality are ongoing. The good news is that environmental regulators are now much more optimistic about the safety of swimming in the lake than in the past, and local officials have begun looking into restoring public swimming beaches along the once-popular lake. So while it's prudent to avoid swimming there at the moment, you may be able to visit an official Lake Onondaga beach in the not-too-distant future. 

In the meantime, Lake Onondaga's dangerous water quality does not fully diminish its potential as a great tourist destination. Even without any designated swimming areas, Onondaga Lake Park is a great place for a relaxing day in the fresh air. As the "Central Park of Central New York," Onondaga Lake Park offers several fun amenities and outdoor activities for all types of visitors. The park includes more than 8 miles of green spaces complete with a playground, a skatepark, dog parks, and even pickleball courts. Hikers, bikers, and anyone looking for a pleasant walk can take advantage of the park's excellent trails, including the accessible and family-friendly Shoreline Walking Trail.

Onondaga Lake's proximity to Central New York and the Finger Lakes makes it a great starting point for other, more swimmable New York lakes. Just 40 minutes away from Onondaga Lake Park is the beautiful (and much cleaner) Oneida Lake. If you're up for a swim, Oneida Lake's Sylvan Beach is the perfect spot for a lakeside vacation. While the rehabilitation of Onondaga Lake is one of America's best environmental success stories, as water quality improvement efforts remain ongoing, Onondaga Lake warrants a "look but don't touch" approach for now.