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Canopus Lake

Kent, New York — Putnam County.

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112Surface acres
1Public access sites
2.7 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID {75ae3fe8-4d95-46bc-ae55-ae3b7f486985}, 2 mapped parts).

Location & fast facts

Where Canopus Lake is in New York

The red circle marks Canopus Lake.

Fast facts

About Canopus Lake

  • County: Putnam
  • Town: Kent
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 83 mi from Albany and 161 mi from Syracuse, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in New York

Official NYSDEC pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 1 public trailer launch listed (see access)
  • Fishing. Largemouth bass and Chain pickerel
  • Swimming. 1 public beach or swim spot on the map (details)
  • Walking. 2.7 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 5 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Eurasian watermilfoil, Variable-leaf watermilfoil and Curly-leaf pondweed recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.
  • No lifeguard listed. None of our sources lists a staffed lifeguard. Swim at your own risk and watch children closely.
  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Official fishing data (NYSDEC)

Fish species listed by NYSDEC for this recommended fishing water: Largemouth bass, Chain pickerel.

Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds and Fish Stocking Lists (2011 on) on data.ny.gov, records for Canopus Lake (Putnam County). NYSDEC page.

Lake map

Canopus Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Clarence Fahnestock Park Campsite (campground)Canopus Lake Boat Launch (Boat launch)1Canopus Beach (Beach)2½ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchBeachShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Canopus Lake Boat Launch
    Boat launch · Kent
  2. 2Canopus Beach
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID {75ae3fe8-4d95-46bc-ae55-ae3b7f486985}, plus 1 more mapped parts), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: NYSDEC boat launch sites (data.ny.gov) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

2.7 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 70%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North and south shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 2.7 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Canopus Lake shoreline, mostly along the north and south shores. They follow about 70% of the shore, so you can walk most of the way around but not a full loop.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Canopus Lake Boat Launch, 300 ft from a shoreline trail (NYSDEC boat launch data).

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Canopus Lake

We found 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Canopus Lake, 4 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

All campgrounds & RV parks in New York

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (41.4586, -73.8339). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Canopus Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Canopus Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    1 public access site listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Canopus Lake Boat LaunchKentNYSOPRHPBoat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating41.4571, -73.8319

    NYSDEC boat launch sites (data.ny.gov) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Public beaches

    On OpenStreetMap: 1 beach or swimming spot on the shore of Canopus Lake not marked private, residents-only or members-only.

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Canopus BeachBeachAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions

    Beaches: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), within about 150 m (500 ft) of the lake outline. A mapped beach is not a guarantee that swimming is allowed, supervised or safe; some town beaches need a resident sticker even when the map doesn't say so. Check posted rules and water-quality advisories before you swim.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Canopus Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Canopus Lake

    How big is Canopus Lake?

    Canopus Lake covers about 112 acres in Kent, New York (Putnam County).

    What fish are in Canopus Lake?

    NYSDEC fishing and stocking data lists Largemouth bass and Chain pickerel.

    Is there a public boat launch on Canopus Lake?

    Yes. 1 public trailer launch is listed: Canopus Lake Boat Launch. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Can you swim in Canopus Lake?

    OpenStreetMap shows 1 public beach or swimming spot on the shore. None of our sources lists a lifeguard, so swim at your own risk and follow posted rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Canopus Lake?

    Yes. We list 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 4 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Canopus Lake?

    Canopus Lake touches Kent in Putnam County, New York.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Canopus Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All New York lakes & ponds · All waters in Kent