Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Hours of Operation

• Day Use: Open All Year.
• 2017 Swimming Season: 6/22 - 8/20, Thursday-Sunday (closed Monday-Wednesday), 12 PM - 6:00 PM
  
  **Water shoes are recommended due to sharp zebra mussels**
  
• Concessionaire Phone Number: (716) 386-5838
• Launch: Seasonal; Open 24 hours.
• Marina: Open 5/20-10/9
• Picnic Pavilion: Available 5/1-10/10, 7 am - 10 pm.

Fees & Rates

Most New York State Parks charge a vehicle use fee to enter the facility. Fees vary by location and season. A list of entry fees and other park use fees is available below. For fees not listed or to verify information, please contact the park directly.

The Empire Pass -- whether a card for $80 or a vehicle-affixed decal for $65 -- is your key to all-season enjoyment with unlimited day-use entry at most facilities operated by State Parks and the State Dept. of Environmental Conservation including forests, beaches, trails and more. Apply online or contact your favorite park for more information. Learn more about our Admission Programs including the Empire Pass.

• Vehicle Use

• $7.00 When beach is open
  $6.00 all other times
  
  2017 Collection Times:
  6 AM – 6 PM Weekends & Holidays
  8 AM – 4 PM Monday - Wednesday
  8 AM – 6 PM Thursday & Friday

• Non-Profit Bus Fee
• $35
• Commercial Bus Fee
• $75
• Facility Rental
• Picnic Pavilion - $100
  Gazebo - $35
  
• Marina
• Slip rental: $31 - $46 per foot
  Overnight transient rental: $15- $24/ day
  Holiday or Weekend Surcharge: $3
  Out of State Surcharge: $5
  
  Trailer storage is not available
  
  

Maps

New! Download this park's digital map to your iOS Apple and Android device.

• Long Point State Park Trail Map

• Trail Map (pdf)

Highlights of Long Point State Park:

• Lake Chautauqua is 1,308 feet above sea level, making it one of the highest navigable bodies of water in North America. You can navigate this water from the public boat launch at Bemus Point.
• The tallest Cucumber Magnolia in New York State is located at Long Point State Park standing at 115.5 feet. Cucumber Magnolias are one of the largest and cold-hardiest magnolias.
• Chautauqua Lake is recognized as in Important Bird Area by New York Audubon, an organization which recognizes places that are vital to birds and other biodiversity. In the fall, hundreds of birds, including ducks, swans, geese, and loons, stop at Chautauqua Lake during their migration.
• Bring your rod & reel! Chautauqua Lake is home to a large fish population, including walleye, small- and largemouth bass, yellow and white perch, crappie, and muskellunge.

What will you see? Plan your visit today!

Look and listen for these birds at our Park:

• American Goldfinch
• Bufflehead
• House Finch
• Northern Flicker
• Osprey
• Pied-billed Grebe
• Tundra Swan

Everyone is a Steward: Be a Long Point State Park Hero!

• Know the rules and concerns for the area you'll be visiting.
• Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
• Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.
• Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience. Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
• Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them. Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
• Use extra caution when using headphones. You may not be able to hear warnings.
• Don't litter. Hike and camp on established, durable trails and campsites.
• Be careful with your fire.

For more information, please read our Trail Tips!

When you enter or leave Lake Chautauqua:

• Clean and remove all visible plants, animals, fish and mud from your boat, trailer and other equipment and dispose of it in a suitable trash container or on dry land.
• Drain water from bilge, live wells, ballast tanks and any other locations with water before leaving the launch. Disinfect when possible.
• Dry your boat, trailer and all equipment completely. At least 5 days of drying time is recommended. Drying times vary depending on weather and material.

Ask a Naturalist!

Q: What is a muskellunge?

A: The muskellunge is the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae. Sometime interbreeding between different pike species can make individual muskellunge hard to identify. There are three recognized subspecies of muskellunge, one of which is the Chautauqua muskellunge.

Q: Why do walleyes’ eyes shine?

A: Walleye’s eyes reflect light, making them easy to spot at night. This "eye shine" is the result of a layer in the eyes called the tapetum lucidum, which allows the fish to see well in low-light conditions.

Q: How do muskellunge and walleye get into the lake?

A: Management and culture of muskellunge began on the waters of Chautauqua Lake. The first efforts occurred in 1888 in the south basin. In 1904, operations moved to Bemus Point where the first permanent hatchery building was constructed. In 1973, all fish production was moved across the lake to Prendergast Point where there was more space for ponds and better access to spring water. The Prendergast Hatchery stocks Chautauqua Lake with muskellunge and walleye every year.

Fun Facts!

• A paddlefish was caught off Bemus Point on July 15th 1872. Paddlefish live in the river systems of the Midwest, so it was surmised that this fish migrated under flood conditions into the lake from the Ohio River via the Allegheny, Conewango and Chadakoin rivers.
• Pike are predatory and also cannibalistic. Sometimes they prey upon smaller members of their own species.
• The Kidneyshell, a rare freshwater mussel, was noted along the shoreline of Chautauqua Lake in 2008. We can help support the growth and survival of kidneyshell mussels by keeping the park clean. When we litter in the park, water runoff eventually carries that waste into the lake. Protect the lake’s water quality by keeping garbage out of the lake!
• In addition to the rare native kidneyshell mussel, Chautauqua Lake is also home to the zebra mussel, an invasive species which threatens native mussels and the lake ecosystem overall. 
• Long Point is a moraine made by glacial retreat. Moraines are ridges or mounds of glacial deposits, the rocks and dirt that are left behind by melting ice. These deposits are comprised primarily of boulders, gravel, sand and clay.