Launch type 
Water type 
Parking Quick Comparison
If you are staying on the mountaintop and want an easy lake paddle, you have four good options - but they are not interchangeable. Use this table to narrow it down, then read the linked guide for the lake you pick. This is a routing page; the full details live on each lake's own guide.
| Lake | Town | Motors | Rentals | Field review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North-South Lake | Haines Falls | None expected (verify) | Seasonal (reported) | Desk-researched / Medium |
| C.D. Lane Park | Maplecrest | None | Seasonal, on site | Desk-researched / Medium |
| Colgate Lake | Jewett | None | Bring your own | Desk-researched / Medium |
| Rip Van Winkle Lake | Tannersville | Unconfirmed | Tanners Boathouse (seasonal) | Desk-researched / Medium |
Best for Rentals (No-Gear Paddles)
If you do not want to haul a boat up the mountain, two lakes stand out. Rip Van Winkle Lake in Tannersville pairs with Tanners Boathouse, a seasonal rental operation that lets you skip the gear logistics entirely - call ahead to confirm the season, hours, and pricing. C.D. Lane Park reports seasonal on-site rentals too, and North-South Lake reports rentals in season. For the wider rental picture, see Rentals and No-Gear Paddles.
Best for Quiet Water
Colgate Lake near Jewett is the quietest of the four: a no-motor lake with a calm, undeveloped feel and no on-site facilities, which is exactly the appeal for paddlers who want stillness over amenities. North-South Lake is larger and more scenic but busier in season, especially around the campground.
Best for Families
C.D. Lane Park in Maplecrest is the most family-friendly pick: a calm, no-motor town-park lake with a beach launch, a swimming beach, restrooms, and seasonal rentals all in one place. North-South Lake also works well for families thanks to its state-campground facilities, with a little more driving and crowds to plan around.
Best for Camping and Day-Use
North-South Lake near Haines Falls is the bigger park-and-campground experience: a scenic mountain lake inside a state campground with day-use facilities and reported seasonal rentals. It is the natural anchor for a Catskills weekend built around lakes and easy paddling.
What to Check Before You Go
These are lakes, so they are calmer than the Hudson - but "calm" is not the same as "supervised," and conditions still matter:
- Rentals and fees: Confirm the season, hours, and pricing directly; several are seasonal and change year to year.
- Motor and boat rules: No-motor and personal-boat rules vary by lake. Confirm on the lake's guide.
- Wind: Open water still catches afternoon gusts, even on a small mountain lake.
- Water temperature: Mountain lakes stay cold into early summer. Dress for the water, not the air.
- Access and parking: Capacity and seasonal access differ; check the individual guide.
See Conditions and Before You Paddle before you head out.
Field-Review Status
Every lake here is currently Desk-researched with Medium confidence. That means the access and amenity details are drawn from public sources and each lake's guide, not yet from an in-person Paddle Greene visit. Each guide lists exactly what still needs field verification. For how we label guides, see How we review and label guides.
Related Guides
- North-South Lake, C.D. Lane Park, Colgate Lake, and Rip Van Winkle Lake - the full guides
- Rentals and No-Gear Paddles
- Beginner kayaking in Greene County
- Planning around wind? See Windy Hudson Backup Paddles - these mountaintop lakes are the calm-water fallback when the Hudson is rough.
Submit an Update
Paddled one of these lakes recently, or rented from Tanners Boathouse or C.D. Lane? Submit a launch update - current rentals, fees, and access notes help the next visitor plan.
How to use this guide: How to use these guides safely · Before you paddle · Conditions · Map · Field review status · Where to Paddle
