If you are visiting Watertown, or if you are here to stay for a while, you should visit some of the area’s beautiful lakes. In this post, learn about the ten best lakes that you can visit in less than an hour’s drive from Watertown.
Each lake has something special to offer everyone who loves lakes and all of the fun things we can do at an on the lake. So, enjoy this article and be sure to visit as many of these lakes as you can.
Before we get started, I should mention that there are many more lakes in this area – far more than I could write about in just one article. However, I picked what many would agree are the best area lakes, which I think are all great for different reasons.
Every lake listed below has at least one point of public access that I have personally visited and consider easy for most people to access. There are several lakes and ponds in Jefferson County that do not have public access, or have access points that are not well-maintained, but I did not include those here.
Plus, there is at least one free way to access all of these lakes, as all of them have public boat launches. So, enjoy!
Sixberry Lake
Sixberry Lake is located about 30 minutes north of Watertown in Redwood, New York. There is a public boat launch and a place where many people like to fish from shore.
This is a great lake for boating and fishing. It’s a relatively small, deep lake that is surrounded by mostly private property, which means it’s pretty quiet.
Plus, it’s just beautiful. During the summer you are sure to hear loons in the evening, which is spectacular.
I’ve met people at the lake who have had good luck fishing from shore, but I have not had any luck catching big fish myself, despite hours of trying! Some people say they’ve caught landlocked salmon and even walleye here.
Lake Ontario
One of the best parts about living in the Watertown area, or just visiting for a while, is being so close to one of the world’s largest lakes, Lake Ontario. It is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, and is absolutely worth visiting.
There are many public places to access Lake Ontario within a short drive from Watertown. For example, if you love history, you might like visiting the Sackets Harbor Battlefield, which is right on the shores of Lake Ontario.
Alternatively, you could visit Wescott Beach State Park or Southwick Beach State Park for camping, boating, fishing, picnicking, and other outdoor recreational opportunities at and around Lake Ontario.
Payne Lake
Payne Lake is a small, beautiful lake that borders Pulpit Rock State Forest. There is no park at the lake, but there is a public boat launch located in Theresa, NY, with plenty of parking.
Lots of people enjoy fishing, canoeing, and kayaking at Payne Lake, which is about 35 minutes from Watertown, and also use it to access by boat the state forest that you can see across the lake.
Fishing is probably one of the most popular things to do at the lake, and it’s fun to fish from the shore and from a boat. Ice fishing is popular here during the coldest late winter times, but be sure to consult experts for instruction about how to do it safely.
Butterfield Lake
Butterfield Lake in Redwood, New York, is a relatively large, deep lake that is part of the Indian River Lakes system. This is a picturesque lake surrounded by beautiful woods and wildlife, but only about 30 minutes from downtown Watertown.
Public access to this lake includes a public boat launch with lots of parking, as well as a long, well-maintained dock for fishing and securing small watercraft. In addition, Butterfield Lake can be viewed from the Redwood Hill Preserve, which is maintained by the Indian River Lakes Conservancy.
Red Lake
If you are looking for a beautiful small lake for boating and good fishing, as well as spotting wildlife such as birds, you will love Red Lake. This lake is best accessed from the narrow public boat launch in Theresa, NY – there really isn’t much space at the boat launch for doing anything else except for launching your boat.
However, it is a beautiful lake tucked back in the woods, accessed by a scenic road. There are cliffs on the shore of the lake opposite the boat launch that are beautiful to see, and you can access the Indian River by boat directly from this lake.
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is a small, deep mountain lake in a picture-pretty setting. Plus, the name “Lake of the Woods” reminds one of a fairy-tale, which might be one of the reasons that I like this lake so much.
There is a small bench at the shore of this lake at the public boat launch, along with a large parking lot, but generally, this lake is best for boating and fishing.
Before you visit this lake, be sure to check the weather forecast. While it was beautiful during my first visit, as soon as we left, a huge thunderstorm hit and it was pretty harrowing to drive up the windy road back to the highway from this lake.
Millsite Lake
Millsite Lake, about 30 minutes from Watertown, is interesting because it is very deep, which means it has cold water at the bottom and the type of fish that thrive there. The fish that love this deep, cold water are Atlantic Salmon and Lake Trout, which can both be found in this lake.
Disclosure: I have only tried and failed to catch these species here, but others have succeeded. My only fish caught was a tiny Pumpkinseed.
There is a small public boat launch that is surrounded on both sides by reeds and grass, so it is not the best place to fish from shore. Thus, this is also a lake that is best enjoyed by boat.
Black Lake
Are you looking for a huge freshwater lake where you can swim, boat, fish, and picnic? Black Lake, about 50 minutes from Watertown, fits this description perfectly.
This is a very popular lake, especially in the summertime. There is a lot to do at Black Lake, and there are a few different public access spots, including the Lonesome Bay State Forest, the Eel Weir State Park, and the Black Lake Public Boat Launch.
Lake Bonaparte
If you love mountains, you will love this cool mountain lake nestled in the Adirondacks. It’s about 55 minutes from Watertown, and you could see a black bear or, if you are super lucky, a moose.
The lake was named after the brother of the famous Napoleon Bonaparte, so if you love history, you will enjoy learning about that connection. The public boat launch is technically located in the Sand Bay State Forest.
Fishing from the shore at this lake is not very productive, as the lake is very shallow near the boat launch. However, lots of people enjoy boating at this beautiful lake.
Bonaparte’s Cave State Forest is nearby, but there is no access to Bonaparte Lake from that forest (but you might like Green Pond, if you like hiking).
Star Lake
At the beginning of this article, I said that every lake was less than an hour from Watertown. This lake is just a tad further away, at 1 hr 6 minutes.
However, if you love to boat and fish, this Adirondack lake is certainly worth the drive. The state owned public boat launch is a popular place to put in kayaks and other craft that you can carry down.
Conclusion
I hope that you enjoyed this article and that you get the chance to visit and enjoy these lakes as much as I have. This is truly a very special part of New York, and the lakes are a key part of what the region has to offer in the form of natural beauty.
If you have any questions about something that you have read, be sure to leave a comment.
Thanks for reading today!