Conesus Lake

Location - Livingston County, Ontario County Surrounding Communities - Conesus, Livonia, Geneseo, Lakeville, Mount Morris Maps - Google Map, Google Earth, Multi GPS - Northern outlet (N 42.83431 / W 77.70441), Southern inlet (N 42.72315 / W 77.71411) Size - Area: 3,420 acres, Length: 9 miles, Max width: 1.5 Miles, Max depth: 65 feet, Volume: 43 billion gallons. Water Quality - Fair (in decline) Elevation  - 818 feet Directions - East Lake Rd. runs along the East side of Conesus Lake West Lake Rd. (Rt.256) runs along the west side. Rt. 20A skims to North end offering access to both roads and Vitale Park. See below for specific directions to public access points along the lake.

Description With the Seneca name meaning "Always Beautiful,"  you won't get any arguments from the thousands of cottage owners and boaters who enjoy this Finger Lake daily. Conesus is a prime example of how recreation, development and agriculture cling to the shores, making Conesus Lake a favorite vacation destination for the neighboring Greater Rochester Area. With 4 public boat launch sites and a few private marinas, watercraft speckle the lakes blue-green waters. The lake's relatively shallow depths cater well to swimmers, though fishing is the sport of choice, with not just a wide variety of species, but also plenty of access to prime locations. Capped on the north end with the hugely popular Vitale Park (formerly Sand Point), the east and west shores are packed tightly with cottages and year-round homes. Past the cottages is plenty of farmland, leaving little in the way of undeveloped or natural areas. It is this over-development of the Conesus Lake watershed that leads to its dwindling water quality. Nutrient-rich runoff in recent years have yielded problematic aquatic plant and algae growth far above average, especially at the northern and southern ends of the lake. On the southern end is the 1,120 acre Conesus Inlet Fish and Wildlife Management area, a natural setting that serves many purposes. This flat floodplain with upland rolling hills keeps development away from the inlet, helping to preserve water quality, maintain fish (especially pike) spawning locations, provides an important stop-over for migrating birds and habitat for native waterfowl and protects area wildlife. It's also an excellent fishing and hunting spot. Without this last natural area, Conesus would struggle to hold on to native species. Although Conesus Lake has a significant number of deep gullies and waterfalls in its watershed, they seem to all be on private property.

Accessibility Vitale Park (Sand Point). The Town of Livonia hosts this well-developed and very beautiful community park at the northern end of the lake at the outlet. A recent expansion has more than doubled the land and has turned this small town park into a great stop for those passing through. Summer concerts are featured at the Gazebo on Sunday nights. Directions:  North end of the lake.  Just east of where Rt. 15 meets 20A Google Directions. Pets: not allowed, there are plans to build a designated pet play area. Admission: none Parking: 40 cars Handicap accessibility: yes Accommodations: Restrooms, benches, picnic tables, playground, gardens, fishing, docks, walking trails, pavilions, grills. Food vendors are located up and down Rt. 20A.  Hand Boat Launch. No swimming. Contact: Town of Livonia: 585-346-3710 Pebble Beach. Adjacent to Vitale Park, this isn't really a pebble-covered beach, well, not anymore. It's now a DEC hand and car-top boat launch site at the lake outlet. It's also used for fishing. Directions:  North end of the lake. West of Vitale Park, on Pebble Beach Rd. Google Directions. Pets: unknown Admission: none Parking: 50 cars Handicap accessibility: yes Accommodations: Fishing, food vendors are located up and down Rt. 20A.  Hand Boat Launch. No swimming. Contact: DEC: 518-402-8920:  fwfish@gw.dec.state.ny.us   Conesus Lake Public Boat Launch. This state facility is the only public boat launch with a concrete ramp for your trailer. Directions:  East shore. near the village of Livonia, on East Lake Rd. Google Directions. Pets: yes, on leash Admission: $6 Parking: 70 cars, 45 trailers Handicap accessibility: yes Accommodations:  Picnic tables, restrooms, payphone, fishing.  No swimming. Hand and Trailer Boat Launch. Contact: NYS Parks: 585-493-3600 Conesus Inlet Fish and Wildlife Management Area.  With 1,120 acres of land, spanning both flat wetland habitats and upland hills, this area is home to many fish (including pike), dear, foxes, rabbits, pheasants, waterfowl and others. The DEC has invested significantly in the area, building marshes and ponds to supplement natural areas lost to development. The saturation of species in this area is evidence of its success. Not only is this a popular fishing and trapping location, but the small trails cater well to hikers, photography and bird enthusiasts. Several small trails wind throughout the area, a few scenic overlooks offer a great opportunity for watching wildlife. A parking area at the north end give great access to fishermen. A hand launch site is also available at this location. Map Directions:  On the south end of the lake with parking areas on Directions to the Northern Lot, Parking for Western Trail. There are many turnoff areas alongside West and East Lake Rd. Pets: unknown Admission: none Parking: 40+ cars Handicap accessibility: yes Accommodations: Fishing, hunting, trapping, hiking, trails, permit stations.  Hand Boat Launch. No swimming. Contact: DEC Region 8: 585-226-2466 Long Point Park. Geneseo hosts this small park at Long Point. Formerly a traditional amusement park, complete with rides and games, it is now a typical community park offering an excellent view of the lake and more importantly, public swimming! Directions:  On the west shore, where West Lake Rd. intersects Long Point Rd. Pets: unknown Admission: none Parking: 30+ cars Handicap accessibility: yes Accommodations: Picnic tables, grills, pavilion, restrooms,  Swimming (lifeguards available). Contact: Village of Geneseo: 585-243-0722

Interesting Facts... Fish: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Chain Pickerel, Rock Bass, Tiger Muskies, Walleyes, Yellow Perch, Bluegills, Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Brown Bullhead and Northern Pike Western-most: Conesus Lake is the western-most of the Finger Lakes, but geographically and geologically speaking, Silver Lake, although far less dramatic in size, was formed along with the Finger Lakes, is much further west. Ring of Fire (7/3 at dark): In celebration of Independence Day, the cottages and homes around the lake light up bonfires, flares and fireworks the night before.

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