Lake Taghkanic State Park is an expansive area with a pavillion, large beach, water activities, boat rentals, picnic tables, tent, trailer and RVcampsites; hiking, biking, crosscounty and snowmobile trails; short and long term rental cottages yearround. The park area is about a mile off the Taconic Highway in a relatively secluded area of Columbia County in New York State. Beautiful spot for a day visit or cabin rental for a summer vacation with the family. read more

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Updated Review: For the beach area only Yinz already know I love this campground. This past weekend I returned just for the lake for a Fat Beach Swim with my plus size hiking group and it was soooo fun! I snagged parking right by the lake, it was super clean, and the crowds were lovely. I felt super comfortable as a Black woman and as a fat person. Very diverse beachgoers. Our crew - over 20 of us! - set up tents, beach umbrellas, tables, coolers, etc. and all of our stuff was safe while we swam. Lifeguards and rangers were unobtrusive. The roped off area went back to a good 7 ft deep so it was easy to wade or actually swim. Bathrooms were very clean and I heard good reports about the concession stand. Tips: -$10 to enter -There was a Statie checkpoint set up as soon as I pulled in at 2pm. Seatbelts and sobriety so don't get caught lacking. -the sand and exposure gets hot hot hot so bring flip flops, sunglasses, and a hat. Enjoy yourself!! read more

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So gorgeous! Such a lovely place to visit even if it is snowing, raining etc. Good spot to bring a dog on a small nature hike. Right now it kind of looks shut down and unwelcoming, but if you get past the crazy signs you find yourself in beautiful spots. read more

The good was the beach is nice and relaxing the bad is the rules are ridiculous u can't wear goggles or floatys for kids like crazy

Great for family vacation. Swimming, fishing, hiking! Stayed in Cottage 170 -- here's some pictures read more

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Great to swim and f you can find a spot away from crowds. Good public facilities (restroom, showers, changing areas, water fountains) and snack shops. We went on a 90 degree weekend day and it was PACKED. We were lucky to get a boat rental ($10 per hour per boat with $40 refundable deposit) and find a swimming spot away from the crowded beach. read more

Lake Taghkanic State Park - Very crowded beach on a peek weekend day. Lifeguards on duty and swimming area clearly marked. - Parks Near Me - Ancram, New York

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Was supposed to spend Fourth of July here with friends. Instead we drove up to a campsite infested by moths - literally thousands of moths. We are avid campers and able to withstand harsh conditions and have in the past. This experience was something out of the Bible. After less than 24 hours we couldn't take it and packed up. When checking out, the high schoolers who run the show said "it's a campsite sorry". To top it off, we listened to Latinx music til about 2am as well as barking dogs and hysterical babies, and the camp store was closed. What happened to the LTSP we used to love? Sincerely, disappointed campers. read more

If you say Orchard Beach is better than this...please entertain me now. Aside from heading to our two fave Long Island beaches, all I've been wanting to do this summer is find a creek, cool off, swim in it and take what nature has to offer. But considering the scorching weather we're having, most upstate NY creeks are either dried out for the summer or time has run its course. In spite of that, we set our sights on lakes which we're totally into for row boating. And since we got the ball rolling already at an upstate NY campground, Taghkanic is a breath of fresh air. For one, the "beach" here is also corralled- but there's a lot of breathing room in the sand area. But let me spell out more details: (1) if you're unsure about the grounds, head to the 'Taghkanic State Park Office' for info. And if it's row or pedal boating you're after- Boat Rental section is way down to the left of the lake- just follow the paved path. (2) It's a $40 (refundable) deposit- and we held on to our boat for 2hrs- @ $10/per hr. We rowed further out into the lake, found a quaint patch of land and parked our boat in the coziest nook. Between splashing out in the lake, enjoying our lunch and catching the breeze- it was Nature in its purest form. (3) The woodsy area where we were at- loops around and somehow leads to the original paved path by the boat rental. (4) The fleet isn't big and it's a first come, first serve basis. (5) Not sure about opening days and times- but worth checking Taghkanic's website before planning your trip. (6) $10 Vehicle entrance fee. (7) Row boats are roomy holding 4 people (maybe 2 more?) Pedal boats- 4. I'm all over this Taghkanic Lake because it's so open! While this may not be the typical swimming hole, row boating to the nearest grassy area made it that much cozier- plus water is crystal clear! There's a lot to be said for drifting on a lake and we had such a blast up in these neck of the woods.....literally. read more

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Stepping into Lake Taghkanic is a treasure. It all started with one of our friends telling us about it when we had a get-together. It was a great experience. The park itself is huge with a big lake being the main attention, along with other outdoor activities such as playgrounds, boat riding (kayaks), trails, and cabins as a plus. There is only one pavilion that can be used for a party. For an alternative, there are big fields where someone can bring their own outdoor tent. In our case, we used the field. Charcoal grills are provided. Snacks are offered as well at the concession stand along with drinks. There are enough parking spots to fill in, but do be prepared to do a lot of walking when it's full. This is a great traveling spot to stop at, especially in June or July weather to enjoy nature. read more

Beautiful Park, Well maintained overall, Lifeguards and boating attendance have a bit of an attitude with enforcing the rules instead of trying to explain its for safety try to explain they are enforcing state regulation rules and it all depends on the guard on duty for the day as you can get a different story by another attendant on a different day. Park rangers seem cool while inter acting with park visitors. Picnic areas near beach seem fairly clean but bring a wagon as it's a long walk to load up supplies for a barbaque to the parking lot. Bring your own trash out seems to be working but BBQ pits are over flowing with Charcoal ashes. Seems like a nice place to Camp for a couple of days but entrance fees can be annoying especially when NY state taxes are so high to maintain parks like this. Wish New York State had a park like this along the Atlantic Ocean. read more

What a clean beautiful beach. I can not believe it took me this long to visit here, but it will be my go to every summer. Concession stand and decent bathrooms as well. The grounds are beautifully kept. A good place for family picnics also read more

Nice, clean, well-managed campground. Quiet hours are enforced. AMEN! I finally got sleep at a campground. No amplified music. Very quiet. The platform spots are a bit close to each other and no real privacy. We had a trailer site, although I have no clue how a trailer would fit there. Enough room for a 4-person tent. Lots of slopes on this campground. Walking distance to a beautiful lake, and Hudson village nearby for kayaking and fancy lattes. Also, lots of cute farms. Buy your wood there. The campsite has overpriced crappy wood. Bathrooms are very clean, unisex with shower and toilet in one private room read more

Lake Taghkanic State Park - Campground T5. - Parks Near Me - Ancram, New York

Beautiful lake campground with clean facilities. Cant ask for then that. Especially for the price. read more

Lake Taghkanic State Park - Leaf peeping in the campground - Parks Near Me - Ancram, New York

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Great park, fantastic lake with great beaches and plenty of picnic tables. I love to go here all the way up until Labor Day weekend. Nice people and friendly staff. Very clean and great facilities. read more

Went for a weekend camping trip a few weeks ago and had a great time! We had a large group of 11 people, so we booked two adjacent ground level campsites which were actually quite isolated from any neighbors (pro tip: use the campsite map strategically!). This turned out to be a huge plus since we had a ton of space to park our cars and didn't have to worry about our group disturbing others nearby. Each site comes with a fire pit and good amount of space for tents and "other" recreational activities. Bathrooms were nearby, very clean, and well-designed. I was impressed by how there were four separate private stalls with their own showers. The public lake was a bit far from the camping area, which was slightly annoying. I also wish there were more areas for swimming/water activities since the one lifeguarded section of the beach was rather small, and as many people pointed out previously, this can get pretty crowded. That being said, since it's a public lake, really not a huge issue. The beach itself was adequate, there were volleyball courts and some shady areas in the grass behind the sand, though I wish there was more shade. Location of the state park is great, less than two hours from NYC and close to Bash Bish Falls on the Massachusetts border (a fun day trip!) as well as some other small NY villages. Would definitely recommend Lake Taghkanic for your next camping trip! read more

Awesome getaway from the city! Booked on www.reserveamerica.com for Labor Day weekend and paid $145 per night (2-night minimum), for a cabin with 4 bedrooms that sleeps up to 8 people, fire place, kitchen with fridge and stove. It also has a toilet, and cold running water. Showers are external and shared with other cabins, but clean enough in camping standards (obviously bring flip flops!). The lake is 2 hours away from NYC by car, and fairly easy to get to. Make sure you bring a map or print your directions because cell phone reception on the way there is a bit choppy. Once you're there, cell phones work pretty well surprisingly! The cabin itself was fairly clean... just a bit dusty and smelled like chicken shit, but after pouring a couple cans of Clorox and Lysol around the place was fresh as new! The beach was a bit crowded with lots of kids, but again it was Labor Day Weekend, so I knew what I was getting into. The only thing I didn't like is that they only have 2 life guards at the beach, and we weren't able to take advantage of the whole beach, which is quite long. In any case, this is a great trip to get away from the city, and chill with your friends or family! read more

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Amazing hikes especially off season. Just be aware of ticks in marshy area and follow the trail. Do not swim in areas off of main beach as it is quite rocky underneath water and it will s easy the get tangled up. Picnic area is family friendly and packed during the summer. read more

Went for a weekend camping trip. Some on here have written that the beach gets filled on certain weekends. Of course it does! Its not a private beach. Others wrote their campsite was out in the open and not wooded enough. Well plan better! You have the campsite map. pick a campsite further away from others. Period. And finally, some have written how too many city people flock to the park giving it an inner city vibe, again, its meant for all to enjoy, not just locals. Its a State Park! The people I saw were all family people enjoying themselves in a respectful way. Now for a GOOD clear review! PROS: Very Clean Lake. Very clean bathrooms. Extreme hiking right in front of your site. Lovely playground. Good Kayaking/boating. Close to supermarket. Great for families. Great for groups. Quiet hours are respected! Close enough to the NY area. Beach is well maintained. CONS: Nothing that stands out! Just poor food choices at the beach front concession stand. Both locals and city dwellers can be seen enjoying themselves! Can't say anything about the lifeguards as I did not go swimming. Great Choice! read more

Beautiful scenery, and lake. During the week peaceful, and quiet. Weekends r jam packed. Lots of picnic tables for picnics. Love it.

Beautiful state park. Camped here for a couple nights had a great time. Beach is nice, however it is a drive from the campground area, although parking is not a problem. Not all campsites have water spigots. Also the staff I interacted with had limited knowledge on the hiking trails. read more

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It's an ok place to take the family. It's a state park with a beach and it's nice. My wife and kids like it there. They really dig it. On the other hand, I cannot swim so I chill on the beach. I tend to see things a little different though. There should be a dress code or something. I know it's a beach and all but DAMN...people dress like they do not give a f*ck at all. It's a family spot ya'll...it aint Miami Beach. Every night, I'm sure there's a lot of parents answering those "why the boobs were poppin out" questions. I know I'm far from Taye Diggs but guys, if you're over 50 & allergic to P90X, please wear a t-shirt. I mean damn man... If you can get past that, it's family fun. read more

I love this place but this year the lifeguards seem on a total power trip. Young guys who flip our over little kids dipping their toes in the water.... And then they begin blowing their whistles like little cheerleaders. Kind of embarrassing really. No sense of discernment on when to "enforce the rule of law" and when to just smile a bit. Not sure I'll be back this year. read more

I went on June 14th weekend. It was nice and quiet Thursday night then packed over the weekend. I could hear the guy next to me snoring all night. DO NOT camp near the bathrooms. They are lit up like a runway at night and you will need an eye mask to sleep at night. The pull in tent locations are wooden decks. So you cannot stake your tent unless you bring a ton if extra cord or a hammer and nails. Bathrooms were small and primitive. No changing area out of the shower and only 1 hook outside the door. read more

Wonderful park for a family vacation, very well-managed, beautiful, great beach, lake, cabins and campsites were all great.

An early fishing trip yielded some excellent results, as we took the boat out onto the lake. The water was crystal clear, and reflected the morning sky like a sheet of glass. While I have yet to camp here, I have every intention to. For the fishing, view and serenity alone, I'll be back. read more

Lake Taghkanic State Park - Fishing out on the lake. - Parks Near Me - Ancram, New York

i thoroughly enjoy coming here, whether with family, friends or even solo, its a beautiful place to catch some sun, swimming and boating. Ive been on the paddle boats with 3 other friends before. What a great experience... You're not supposed to jump out of the paddle boat, but whats a quick dip when your scorched?! read more

Lake Taghkanic State Park - Lovely scenery - Parks Near Me - Ancram, New York

First time here and can't wait to go back!!Between the lake, manmade beach, great views, boat rentals and trails, we had a great but exhausting day. Can't wait to go back though. We are considering renting one of their cottages for the next time. The only downside...there are only a couple garbage cans in the entire outdoor campground so be prepared for that. read more

I visited last summer and I meant to write a review. All I have to say is that the place is truly BEAUTIFUL, the pictures do no justice! there are plenty of picnic tables, and grills. Its really family friendly. lots of families with small kids. It is peaceful. It is worth the drive you wont be disappointed! the only draw back is that there are no garbage cans, you have to take your garbage with you. read more

The manager of the lifeguards and beach sections is awful. There are 5 beach sections but even on the busiest of Sundays they have never had all sections open. Very difficult to watch kids when they keep closing sections and forcing kids to move farther and farther away. Considering every person pays $8 to enter the park, so it isn't free, or even cheap, they need to stop being so CHEAP! read more

To make a long story short, the camping area is very cramped and my site (G4 I think) was rocky and on an incline about 45 degrees, which makes it impossible to set up tents. I could barely find places to park my car in my lot because of how cramped the sites were. The sites have absolutely no wooded privacy; everything is out in the open. If you are looking for a camping experience in the woods, this is not the place for you. When I asked to change sites I was only offered what they call "Platform sites" which are basically ugly wooden decks you set up your tent on that you need rope to hold them down (which I did not have). I had to pick up my stuff and split. This place is a joke. Stay away read more

Great state park and beach on the lake. The water is clean with small fish in it. The beach is clean because you must "carry in, carry out" any garbage so bring plastic bags with you. Sometimes they supply them but they can run out. Parking is $8.00 per car or $65 for the season. (2011) There is a concession stand with food, snacks, drinks and beer, or bring your own food. There are two beaches - go toward rhe right as you enter and there are no steps to the beach, easier for handicaps. There are picnic areas, boats to rent, volleyball and great views of the mountains and lake. read more

The lake was huge, we didn't even see half of it. We fished for a couple hours and didn't catch anything, but it is a nice campground and I would go back again. If you let the Summer rush pass and go in the fall, there's not that many people at all. The camp is well maintained, you don't have to worry about bears, and each site has their own garbage cans. Some of the sites are small and tightly knit next to others with little privacy, but there are sites that are a little more secluded, although the bathroom may be a bit farther than you may like. read more

This is a great spot to fish or kayak. The one beach that is open is ok for kids. The beach and surrounding picnic areas become packed with too much of an urban vibe on weekends. Go when the beach is closed or at least on weekdays to avoid loud citidiots. read more

Although the park seems to be some place where you would go to be secluded, there is more to it than meets the eye. It has multiple hiking routes, as well as being a center to several fun areas that people can go to have a good time. There are stores around the park - so you never run out of food- as well as a beach! You can fish almost anywhere around the lake, and rent boats for the day. I found that during times, the lake gets very calm, and is perfect to kayak around. The park is also very manual-transportation friendly. Meaning, you can walk, boat, or bike nearly everywhere. In reading this, I hope you will realize why I enjoy to be in this beauty of a National Park. read more

Went camping here just last weekend.1st time camping.Had a great time.group of three families and had site g14-16. Very close to showers/bathroom & water supply.Not very crowed area.Not much privacy but that worked for us b/c we were in a group.Group rented a kayak paddle boat & rowboat.Enjoyed our time in the lake. Beach area was nice also. Concession stand by the beach area and a camp store by the camp site. Little pricey but if you left anything behind they have it. Definitely a must!!! read more

This place is wonderful! I've been going for 6 years straight! First, I'll talk about the campsites. If you're looking for serious privacy, this is not the place for you. I got over my privacy needs very quickly when I discovered the beauty of the platform! They are not ugly! They are sooooooo functional! High, dry, clean and level. Pitch your tent, use the railing for your guy lines or hang your towels. The platforms are big enough for a tent and a camp kitchen. Tip: use bungee cords to secure tent to platform. The bathrooms are quite clean! There are even private, full lockable bathrooms. The campground even has a rec room with electrical outlets. The beach is just beautiful. Of course it's crowded on holiday weekends, but what beautiful beach isn't? This park has invested in some very fine playground equipment. When it is not crowded on non-holiday weekends, the parking lot near the campground is completely empty. This makes for a lovely summer scootering slope for the kids. There is also a cool CCC built water tower to climb. The staff there are also very nice. For those of you who are slightly phobic, I have often seen the police cruising through the campground making their regular rounds. Quiet hours are strictly enforced. read more

Visited today for the first time. Very family friendly, Nice accommodations, and only $8 to get in! The lake was very clean, and lifeguards are are really attentive. They have concession with some food and drinks, and some beers. They could definitely spruce up the choices a little, and service was extremely slow, but it worked for us. The park is a carry in, carry out park (with the exception of stuff Purchased there). I was a little surprised to see the amount of garbage lying around. All in all, we will be back! read more

Great park. Beautiful sandy beach. My kids love it here. Can rent boats for $10/hour, up to $40/day.

I have been camping here since I have been a kid in my young teens and have always loved this campsite but I must say it has gone down some, the water tower is now just a tower that needs to be cleaned out! and they should reopen the east end for campers they have made some improvements with some of the bathrooms but need to clean the fire place in the rec center the last storm me and my friends tried to ride out in the rec center was a disaster the place loaded down with smoke! They need to clean out the chimney so people can still have fires in them. I tried to rent one of their cottages one weekend and it smelled like dead fish almost got sick of the smell the placed looked clean until you really started to look around the screens kept nothing out and the conch they gave you to use looked so dirty I would rather sit on a log outside! When it rained the entire wall looked like a water fall I know it seems like I hate this place but if you stick to the cabins and the platform sites I think you will enjoy this park as much as I have in the last 35 years. read more

A very nice place to spend time with family and friends. There's lots of things to do from swimming, boating(row boat or pedal boat) available for rent, kayaking, fishing, hiking, camping, grilling. The view is very nice, we were there this past weekend not plan to have a picnic but it turn out perfect for all of us! Just be prepared to bring extra garbage bags to take out your garbage after! It's $8.00 per carload so one can enjoy taking the family and friends for just one fee! There's bathroom on each side of WEST BEACH, concession stand is available on the left side as you enter the parking lot and playground is available on the right side of the beach! read more