Part of the Western NY Hub
Long Point is the premier public access point on Chautauqua Lake. Peninsula park between Bemus Point and Maple Springs with beach, launch, and camping.
Long Point State Park Beach & Swimming
Long Point State Park on Lake Chautauqua (located at 4459 NY-430, Bemus Point) offers the following visitor details:
Lifeguard & Beach Hours- When the beach is open for swimming, the 2026 guarded hours (staff and weather permitting) are:
- June 19 – August 16: Thursday through Monday from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- August 15 – September 1: Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- Labor Day Weekend (Sept 5 – Sept 7): Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- Layout: Two large, easily accessible parking lots are located directly near the swimming beach (veer right from the park entrance road).
- Fees: A standard $7 vehicle use fee is collected during peak season operating hours.
- Beach Conditions: The beach area is tranquil, but the shoreline and water entry are shallow and notably rocky.
- Footwear Recommendation: Water shoes are highly recommended due to sharp, invasive zebra mussels scattered along the lakebed.
- Amenities: The park features a modern, clean bathhouse structure.
- Showers & Restrooms: Public restrooms and changing stalls with showers are available for beachgoers. These facilities typically remain open daily from mid-May through mid-October.
- Parking: The property includes dedicated wheelchair-accessible car and van parking spaces onsite.
- Entrances: Main day-use entrance pathways and primary facilities feature accessible entry styling.
- Terrain Note: While the main walkways out to the peninsula are well-maintained, access directly onto the natural sandy/rocky shoreline lacks specialized beach-mat paths or mobility chair ramps.
Boat Launch & Marina at Long Point
The Boat Launch & Marina at Long Point State Park on Lake Chautauqua features the most modern public boat launch on the lake, is a premier 4-lane concrete launch. It features generous trailer parking, seasonal marina slips, marine fuel, kayak/boat rentals, and a small waterfront restaurant.
Marina & Launch Features
- The 4-lane concrete ramp is the most modern on Chautauqua Lake and is open seasonally, 24 hours a day.
- Boat Launch & Parking: The park provides concrete launch ramps with temporary docking. A large, dedicated parking lot accommodates vehicle and trailer parking.
- Marina Slips: Seasonal marina slips are managed directly by the park and are open from May 16 to October 11.
- Fuel & Amenities: An on-site concessionaire operates a fuel dock, marine supplies, offering gas, marine supplies, bait, and groceries, a pump-out station, and a small restaurant.
- Rentals Nearby: Kayak and boat rentals are available on-site through the marina concessions, which also runs a small restaurant and provides a pump-out station or you can find full-service motorized rentals just a short drive away at Chautauqua Marina in Mayville
- Fees: Vehicle entry fees apply during the summer months.For slip availability or current fuel prices, you can reach the park office at (716) 386-2722 or the marina concession directly at (716) 294-1374
Long Point Camping & Cabins
Long Point State Park on Lake Chautauqua is strictly a day-use park, meaning overnight camping and cabins are not permitted on the property. However, the park features a modern boat launch, a marina for seasonal and transient slip rentals, a guarded beach, hiking trails, and picnic pavilions.If you are looking to stay overnight near the park and Lake Chautauqua, several highly-rated campgrounds and cabin rentals are located nearby:
Chautauqua Lake KOA Holiday
Address: 5652 Thum Rd, Dewittville, NY 14728Phone: (716) 386-3804
Website: Chautauqua Lake KOA Holiday
Located in Dewittville (about 4 miles north of Long Point State Park), this resort-style campground offers spacious RV/tent sites with full hookups, rustic cabins, and safari tents. Amenities include a pool, mini-golf, and themed weekends.
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Camp Chautauqua
Address: 3901 NY-394, Mayville, NY 14757Phone: (716) 789-3435
Website: Camp Chautauqua
A family-run lakeside campground situated just a few miles away, offering everything from non-hookup tent sites to full-hookup RV sites with 50-amp power, Wi-Fi, and lake access.
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Chautauqua Gorge Campground
Address: 8054 Hannum Rd, Mayville, NY 14757Phone: (716) 489-8635
Website: Chautauqua Lake KOA Holiday
Located in nearby Mayville, NY, this heavily wooded, 45-acre retreat is situated along Chautauqua Creek and features tent sites, RV spaces, and cabin rentals.
📍 Get Maps DirectionsPrivate Cabin Rentals: Find Chautauqua Lake Cabins rentals just minutes from Long Point State Park.
Hiking Trails & Nature at Long Point
Long Point State Park on Lake Chautauqua is a 320-acre day-use park located on a glacial moraine peninsula that juts into the lake near Bemus Point, New York. The park features gentle, family-friendly hiking trails, sweeping water views, and a rich lakeside environment.
Key Hiking Trails
- The Peninsula Loop Trail (The Tip)A 1-mile flat loop that leads directly out to the narrow tip of Long Point. It provides dramatic, panoramic, lake-level views of Chautauqua Lake. Inland trails wind through a mature, dense hardwood forest featuring large oaks, maples, and beeches. Inland trails wind through a mature, dense hardwood forest featuring large oaks, maples, and beeches.
- Long Point Main Loop 2.3-mile easy trail that takes about 45 to 60 minutes to complete. The trail has an elevation gain of 154 feet, winding through scenic woodlands and old-school singletrack paths.
- Perimeter Loop longer 4.1-mile moderate route that traces the shoreline and passes through historical sections of the former Minturn estate.
Nature and Wildlife
- Glacial Geology: The peninsula itself is a natural lateral moraine formed by a retreating glacier thousands of years ago.
- Thick Woodlands: The mature forest canopy consists of beech, maple, spruce, poplar, and oak trees.
- Birdwatching: Over 120 species of birds have been recorded in the park. Common sightings include the Bufflehead Duck, Tundra Swan, Purple Martin, Spot bald eagles, Osprey, Herons, and various migratory warblers.
- Woodland Animals: Home to white-tailed deer, foxes, wild turkeys, and numerous songbird species.
- Observation: The transition zones where the forest meets the lake provide the best vantage points for wildlife photography.
❄️ Winter Cross-Country Skiing
- When winter arrives, the park transitions from a summer beach destination into a quiet snow sport haven.
- Terrain: The gentle, rolling terrain of the wooded trails and open picnic areas is perfect for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
- Trail Maintenance: Trails are ungroomed but widely used by local enthusiasts, creating natural tracks in the snow.
- Scenery: Skiing along the peninsula offers stark, beautiful views of the frozen lake and snow-draped hardwoods.
Essential Park Logistics
- Hours & Access: The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Day-use only, no overnight camping. It is strictly a day-use park with no overnight camping allowed.
- Trail Navigation: Paths can be poorly marked or obscured by leaf litter in certain wooded sections. It is highly recommended to look at the official NYS Long Point Trail Map before heading out.
- Amenities: The park features a beach, bathhouse, modern 4-lane boat launch, playgrounds, and picnic pavilions. Dogs are welcome on the trails but must be kept on a leash
Fishing & Picnic Areas
Chautauqua Lake features several premier waterside parks that offer a perfect combination of excellent shore fishing access and well-equipped picnic areas.
Top Parks Combining Fishing & Picnicking
- Long Point State Park on Lake Chautauqua (Bemus Point, NY): This 320-acre day-use peninsula provides some of the best shore angling opportunities on the lake, especially for walleye and muskellunge. The park features three reserve-able picnic pavilions, numerous individual picnic tables, charcoal grills, a modern boat launch, and a seasonal swimming beach.
- McCrea Point Park & Public Boat Launch (Jamestown, NY): Located on the southernmost end of the lake at the Chadakoin River outlet, this park is a highly rated spot for catching largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and bluegill. It is fully equipped for families with a large picnic pavilion, standalone picnic tables, grills, and a steamboat-themed playground.
- Lakeside Park (Mayville, NY): Situated at the northern tip of the lake, this park offers an expansive shoreline great for casting lines right from the bank. For day-trippers, it features tons of shade trees, picnic tables, charcoal grills, a guarded swimming beach, and sports facilities.
- Midway State Park (Bemus Point, NY): While known historically as a vintage amusement park, it features free entry to the grounds for picnicking and bank fishing. It offers free daytime visitor docking, plenty of shaded picnic tables, pavilions with grills, and a massive playground.
Secluded & Specialized Fishing Access Sites
- Tom's Point Wildlife Management Area (Stow, NY): A primitive 2/3-mile grass trail through fields leads to a highly productive, secluded shoreline fishing area. Note: This area is managed for wildlife and hunting; it does not offer developed picnic tables or grills.
- Bemus Point Fishing Access Site (Bemus Point, NY): A quick, direct state-managed launch site on the eastern side of the lake narrows, perfect for launching or brief shore casting.
Long Point State Park Hours, Fees & Parking
- Long Point State Park on Lake Chautauqua is open year-round, with the boat launch accessible 24 hours daily. The park charges a $7 vehicle entry fee, which is covered if you have an Empire Pass. The boat launch is included with entry (or waived for marina slip rentals).
- Park Hours General Park: Generally open daily from sunrise to sunset. During peak seasons, the toll booth collects fees from 6 AM to 6 PM on weekends and holidays.
- Beach: Open mid-June through Labor Day (staff/weather permitting). Hours are typically Thursday through Monday, 12 PM to 6 PM.
- Vehicle Entry Fees Standard Vehicle: $7 per day.
- Empire Pass: The $80 Empire Pass provides unlimited vehicle entry to most NY State Parks, including Long Point.
- Boat Launch & Marina Fees Launch Ramp: Included in the $7 daily vehicle entry fee (no separate launch fee is charged).
- Marina Slips: Seasonal and transient slips are available for rent, with pricing dependent on boat size and dates. Renting a slip waives the daily vehicle entry fee.
Directions: Long Point to Bemus Point, Mayville & Jamestown
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