Description
Hamlin
Beach is a favorite recreational spot for thousands of
Rochesterians. Its large guarded beach, excellent fishing
access, hundreds of campsites and numerous trails offer a
full day's worth of activities.
For Monroe County and surrounding
area residents, Hamlin Beach offers a few attractions that other
area parks just can't. The large, developed beach gives
visitors an opportunity to swim in cleaner, guarded waters
that are rarely closed due to contamination. Although officially only a few
sections of beach are open for swimming during the summer,
the expansive sandy shore is always available for
sunbathing, sandcastles, strolling and relaxing. On sunny,
hot days the beach is usually packed, even with all
available sections opened, but there is plenty more to do
along this lakefront park.
Another thing Hamlin Beach offers that
other Monroe County parks don't, are the developed
camping facilities. There are 264 electric sites, with restrooms, hot
showers, a laundromat, hiking trails, a convenience store and recreation
hall. Book well ahead of time to ensure a decent location.
Enclosed picnic shelters are a hot-spot
for parties and weddings, while smaller get-togethers crowd
around the shaded picnic tables and grills. For those who
leave their BBQ supplies at home, or need to cool off a bit,
two snack bars offer up various chips, cold drinks and
ice-cream.
The eastern-most end features a less
crowded wooded nature trail along Yanty Creek in the Yanty
Marsh. This well-developed trail is a great opportunity to
spot wildlife or to escape the crowds. One could then walk
the lakeside trail past the pavilions, fishing pier and
swimming beaches to the west end of the park. Open fields
along gently rolling hills overlook unguarded beaches and
pristine views of the lake. The landscaping on this side is
excellent, and it is no surprise there's often a wedding or
other large event going on. You will also find this spot
ideal for throwing a football or baseball around.
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History
Like many other upstate parks, plenty of evidence of the
Civilian Conservation Corp's handiwork is apparent with
their characteristic stone-work on barriers and pavilions.
Their work on the park spanned 6 years and was responsible
for 6 buildings and the reclamation of swampland on the
eastern end.
During Word War II, the site was used as a
POW camp, housing up to 336 prisoners by 1946. The camp
served as a labor hub, providing cheap, much-needed workers
to local farms and food processing plants in the Hamlin
area. The camp was dismantled when the war was over.
The site became a state park in 1938 and
development began to expand it even further. The Lake
Ontario State Parkway was extended through the park,
drastically increasing the influx of visitors. The parking
lot was expanded to handle the capacity, and the campgrounds
were built.
During the 70's, the park, specifically
the beach, was suffering from large amounts of erosion from
storms. State and Federal funding was provided and the
beaches were rebuilt and jetties were added to help prevent
further damage. Development on the Yanty Creek Nature trail
began as well. It is now a mile-long trail with educational
markers along the way. |