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Copake Lake, New York, USA

Copake Lake, the largest lake in Columbia County, New York, offers a wide range of activities both on the water and off water through all four seasons. Inhabited many years ago by Mohican Indians, the Indian name “Copake” means “Snake Pond.” Many Mohican villages were established in this Hudson Valley area due to its easy access to water and great food supply in the lush woodlands. Lucky…
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    • All About Copake Lake, NY

    Lake Locations: USA - US Mid-Atlantic Region - New York - Hudson Valley Region, NY -

    Copake Lake, the largest lake in Columbia County, New York, offers a wide range of activities both on the water and off water through all four seasons.

    Inhabited many years ago by Mohican Indians, the Indian name “Copake” means “Snake Pond.” Many Mohican villages were established in this Hudson Valley area due to its easy access to water and great food supply in the lush woodlands. Lucky visitors to Copake Lake may still find an artifact of those days such as an arrowhead, spear or ax.

    Copake Lake boasts two marinas where visitors can rent boats and kayaks for daily rates. Water skiing and jet skis are also main attractions on the waters of Copake Lake. With numerous cottages and seasonal vacation rentals available, visitors to Copake Lake will have a wide range of accommodations available to them.

    Copake Lake also offers a wide range of outdoor activities available to visitors and residents alike. In addition to beaches, swimming, and boating, the area around Copake Lake offers hiking trails, picnic areas, scenic views with waterfalls, and biking. In the fall during hunting season, deer and turkey hunting are allowed with a valid New York State hunting license. During the frozen days of winter, visitors enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, as well as downhill skiing just 15 minutes away from Copake Lake.

    For the avid golfer, the Copake Country Club is open to the public. Golfers enjoy vista views as they play their rounds. During the cooler days of fall, the vibrant hues of changing leaves provide a new backdrop from which to enjoy the golf course.

    For a more tranquil time, anglers will want to be on the lake as the morning mists begin to rise off Copake Lake. Abundant fish will make for an exciting outing as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, white perch, yellow perch and pickerel fight for a taste of your bait. For year round fishing, bundle up and bring your gear for ice fishing.

    Copake Lake is located in an area rich in American history. History enthusiasts will want to visit the Olana State Historic Site with its “Castle” designed by Frederich Edwin Church, a renowned artist from the Hudson River area. Claremont State Historic Site is the home of the Livingston Family whose most popular family member, Robert R. Livingston Jr., is remembered for drafting the Declaration of Independence, administering the oath of office to George Washington, negotiating the Louisiana Purchase, and developing steamboat technology with Robert Fulton. The Iron Works Museum, located within Taconic State Park, exhibits an iron foundry that was established in 1845 and contains original tools of that time period.

    As the sun slowly sets on water of Copake Lake, gather your friends and family on the deck of your cottage, lakeside dock, or pontoon and reflect on the great time you had during the day at Copake Lake – a lake for all seasons.

    Things to Do at Copake Lake

    These are some activities in the Copake Lake, NY area visitors can enjoy:

    • Vacation Rentals
    • Fishing
    • Ice Fishing
    • Boating
    • Swimming
    • Beach
    • Kayaking
    • Jet Skiing
    • Water Skiing
    • Golf
    • Picnicking
    • Hiking
    • Biking
    • Downhill Skiing
    • Cross-Country Skiing
    • Snowmobiling
    • Hunting
    • Waterfall
    • Wildlife Viewing
    • Birding
    • State Park
    • Museum

    What Kind of Fish Are in Copake Lake?

    Copake Lake has been known to have the following fish species:

    • Bass
    • Black Bass
    • Black Crappie
    • Bluegill
    • Crappie
    • Largemouth Bass
    • Perch
    • Pickerel
    • Pike
    • Smallmouth Bass
    • Sunfish
    • White Perch
    • Yellow Perch
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    Find Places to Stay at Copake Lake

    If you’re considering a Copake Lake lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

    Note: These are affiliate links and we may earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase. Read our full disclosure policy here.

    More Sites to Book a Copake Lake Vacation

    Our interactive Copake Lake lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

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    Copake Lake Statistics & Helpful Links

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    Lake Type: Natural Freshwater Lake, Dammed

    Water Level Control: Columbia County

    Surface Area: 410 acres

    Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 715 feet

    Average Depth: 16 feet

    Maximum Depth: 30 feet

    Copake Lake Map
    Local Weather Forecast

    We strive to keep information on LakeLubbers as accurate as possible. If you’ve found something here that needs updating, please touch base by filling out our Content Correction form.

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