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Kinderhook Lake

Kinderhook · Chatham, New York — Columbia County.

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345Surface acres
1Public access sites
0.8 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 52848497).

Location & fast facts

Where Kinderhook Lake is in New York

The red circle marks Kinderhook Lake.

Fast facts

About Kinderhook Lake

  • County: Columbia
  • Shore towns: Kinderhook, Chatham
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 15 mi from Albany and 133 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

  • Paddling. 1 public access site, no trailer ramp listed
  • Fishing. Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Yellow perch and Sunfish
  • Walking. 0.8 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 4 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Eurasian watermilfoil, Curly-leaf pondweed and Water chestnut recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • 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: Smallmouth bass, Largemouth bass, Sunfish, Yellow perch, Carp.

Stocked by the state: Tiger muskellunge (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014; 11,800 fish in all, fry included)

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 Kinderhook Lake (Columbia County). NYSDEC page.

Lake map

Kinderhook Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Kinderhook Lake DEC boat launch (Cartop / walk-in)1½ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Cartop / walk-inShoreline trail
  1. 1Kinderhook Lake DEC boat launch
    Cartop / walk-in · Kinderhook

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 52848497), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: NYSDEC boat launch sites (data.ny.gov). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

0.8 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 10%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East and south shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 0.8 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Kinderhook Lake shoreline, mostly along the east and south shores.

Trails along the shore

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 Kinderhook Lake

We found 4 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Kinderhook Lake. 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 (42.4521, -73.6553). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Kinderhook 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 Kinderhook 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.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Kinderhook Lake DEC boat launchKinderhookNYSDECHand Launch15 car—Boating42.4430, -73.6646

    NYSDEC boat launch sites (data.ny.gov)

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

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Kinderhook 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 Kinderhook Lake

    How big is Kinderhook Lake?

    Kinderhook Lake covers about 345 acres in Kinderhook and Chatham, New York (Columbia County).

    What fish are in Kinderhook Lake?

    NYSDEC fishing and stocking data lists Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Yellow perch, Sunfish and Carp.

    Is there a public boat launch on Kinderhook Lake?

    No trailer ramp is listed, but there is 1 public access site for car-top boats or shore access.

    Are there campgrounds near Kinderhook Lake?

    Yes. We list 4 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.

    What towns are on Kinderhook Lake?

    Kinderhook Lake touches Kinderhook and Chatham in Columbia County, New York.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Kinderhook 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 Kinderhook