Overview
Oneida Lake, located ten miles north of Syracuse in Oneida and Oswego Counties, is the largest lake lying wholly within New York State. Oneida Lake is a relatively shallow natural lake with an average depth of 22 feet. It is a remnant of Lake Iroquois, a huge body of water that formed nearly 12,000 years ago when, as the ice age ended, a glacier dammed the St. Lawrence River flooding much of Central New York. It is named for the Iroquois Nation Oneida Tribe. The Oneidas called the lake "Tsioqui" or "white water", a reference to the wave action on the lake on windy days.
Excellent fishing, sailing, boating, ice fishing and snowmobiling can be found in or around the lake. Public and private boat launches, marinas and dockage, boat rentals, gas, bait, tackle, fishing derbies, ice fishing shanty rentals and guides available.
Boat launch access on the South Shore - off Route 31, one mile east of the hamlet of Bridgeport. Concrete ramp. 100 cars and trailers.
Physical Features: Elevation: 370 feet Area: 50,894 acres Shoreline Length: 77.2 miles Length: 21 miles Maximum Width: 5.5 miles Maximum Depth: 55 feet Mean Depth: 22.3 feet Towns: Cicero, Constantia, Lenox, Sullivan, West Monroe, Vienna