Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Hours of Operation

• Moreau Lake State Park operates year-round. Park hours and facility operations (including swimming) are subject to change. Patrons are encouraged to contact the park directly to confirm operating hours before traveling.

  Moreau Lake Access Gates: 8:00am – 3:30pm (weather/season permitting)

  Big Bend Parking Gate: 7:00am – Sunset (weather permitting)

  2026 Swimming Season: May 23rd through September 7th, daily 10:00am – 6:00pm (weather permitting)

  2026 Camping Season: May 18th through November 1st (Loops B & E to close September 7th)

  Nature Center: Open six days a week 10:00am-3:00pm, closed Wednesdays. (subject to change). The nature center is also open for school vacations and at patron requests.

Fees & Rates

Most New York State Parks charge a vehicle use fee to enter the facility. Fees vary by location and season. A list of entry fees and other park use fees is available below. For fees not listed or to verify information, please contact the park directly.

The easy-to-use Empire Pass card is $80- and your key to all-season enjoyment with unlimited day-use entry at most facilities operated by State Parks and the State Dept. of Environmental Conservation including forests, beaches, trails and more. Purchase online or contact your favorite park for more information. Learn more about our Admission Programs including the Empire Pass.

• Camping and Cabin/Cottage Rentals
• Reservations are made through Reserve America 1-800-456-2267 or online at newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com
  

   
  *Reservations are strongly recommended for weekend stays*

• Campsite Rentals
• Campsite

  $20.00 per night weekday rate (Sun-Thurs)

  $24.00 per night weekend rate (Fri-Sat)

  +$7.25 Reservation Fee or $1.25 Walk-in Charge

  *Additional $5.00/night for non-NYS residents

  Group Campsite

  $75.00 per night weekday rate (Sunday - Thursday)

  $95.00 per night weekend rate (Friday - Saturday)

  +$7.25 Reservation Fee

  Camping Timeframes 2026

  Loops A, C, D, F, G, Group Campsite: open 05/18/2026 – 11/01/2026

  Loops B & E: open 05/18/2026 – 09/06/2026

  Reservations are made through Reserve America 1-800-456-2267 or online at newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com

• Vehicle Entrance Fee

• 5/2/2026 - 5/22/2026: $6.00 per car (collected weekends & holidays)
  5/23/2026 - 9/7/2026: $8.00 per car (collected daily)
  9/8/2026 - 10/12/2026: $6.00 per car (collected weekends & holidays)

• Cottages

• Lakeshore Cottage: (6-person cottage)
  5/02/2025 - 5/22/2025: $400 per week
  5/23/2025 - 6/05/2025: $575 per week
  6/06/2025 - 7/10/2025: $800 per week
  7/11/2025 - 8/28/2025: $1,000 per week
  8/29/2025: Closed for season
  
  Campground Cottage: (4-person cottage)
  5/02/2025 - 5/22/2025: $400 per week
  5/23/2025 - 7/10/2025: $525 per week
  7/11/2025 - 9/04/2025: $650 per week
  9/05/2025 - 10/16/2025: $400 per week

  +$7.25 Reservation Fee
   Additional $25.00/week on all cabin & cottage rentals for non-NYS residents
• Cabins

• Sunset Cabin: (4-person cabin)
  5/02 - 5/22 - $328 per week
  5/23 - 7/10: $453 per week
  7/11 - 9/04: $578 per week
  9/05 - 10/16: $328 per week

  
  Fishermen Cabin/Moose Cabin*/Pine Tree Cabin (4-person cabin)

  5/01 - 5/21: $328 per week
  5/22 - 7/09: $453 per week
  7/10 - 9/03: $578 per week
  9/04 - 10/15: $328 per week
  10/16 - 11/29: $141 per week (3 nights, Thursday - Sunday)
  

  *Moose Cabin is pet friendly.

  Bear Cabin/Eagle Cabin*/Deer Cabin (6-person cabin)

  5/01 - 5/21: $403 per week
  5/22 - 7/09: $478 per week
  7/10 - 9/03: $603 per week
  9/04 - 10/15: $403 per week
  10/16 - 11/29: $201 per weekend (3 nights, Thursday - Sunday)

  *Eagle Cabin is pet friendly.

• Environmental Education Program Fees
• General Programs / Guided Hikes: No fee for the 2026 year,

  Special Programs & School Groups: $3.00 per student

  Guided Kayak Program: $15.00 per rental* (no fee if you bring your own boat) *must be 18 or older to rent

• Permits
• Metal Detecting Permit: $10.00 seasonal permit (09/02/2025 - 05/22/2026)

  Boat Storage Permit: $95.00 seasonal permit (04/15/2026 - 11/01/2026)

  Equestrian Permit: No Fee

• Cabins
• No Pets (unless otherwise noted)/No Smoking/No Tents allowed
  Additional $25/week on all cabin & cottage rentals for non-NYS residents
• Snowshoe Rental
• $5.00 up to 4-hour rental
  $10.00 up to 8-hour rental
• Pavilion & Canvas Tent Rentals
• Reservations are made through Reserve America 1-800-456-2267 or online at newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com
  
  
  Fernwood Pavilion: $150.00 per day (sits up to 120 people)
  Palmertown Pavilion: $150.00 per day (sits up to 60 people)
  20x30 Canvas Tent: $100.00 per day (sits up to 60 people)

Maps

New! Download this park's digital map to your iOS Apple and Android device.

• Moreau Lake State Park Trail Map

Firewood source maps show a 50-mile radius from which untreated firewood may be moved to this campground. For more information see firewood restrictions.

• Firewood Source Map (pdf)

• Google Earth file (kmz)
• Day Use Map (pdf)
• Big Bend Preserve Trail Map (pdf)
• Trail Map (pdf)
• Camping Loop Map (pdf)
• Moreau Lake Hunting Map 2025-26 (pdf)

Moreau Lake State Park's Nature Center features live animals, seasonal exhibits, wildlife mounts and hands-on activities. The environmental educators offer year-round education programs for the public, school groups, youth organizations, and clubs here at the nature center or we can come to you!

Listed below are the topics we typically offer to field trip groups year-round*. Additional programs can be designed to meet your group's specific interests.

Nature Center

Students will sit in our nature center where they will get to observe taxidermy animals native to Moreau Lake State Park. A park educator will go over some general facts about New York State's native wildlife.

Beaver Walk

Students will go on a walk to our very own beaver lodge where we will check out signs of beaver activity. At the lodge, a park educator will talk about the beaver's lifestyles and behaviors.

Turtles and Snakes

A park educator will teach about our very own live turtles and snakes that live in our nature center. Most of which are native to NY state and Moreau Lake. We will discuss the various kinds of turtles and snakes we have and their behaviors and lifestyles.

Tree I.D.

Students will go on a short walk on our Nature Trail near the nature center. On our walk, a park educator will point out some common trees we have at Moreau Lake and how to identify them.

Native vs. Invasive

What does native and invasive mean? Which plants are native to Moreau and which ones are invasive? Learn all this and more from a park educator while you get to observe some native plants we are growing in our flowerbeds.

 Maple Syrup (February-April)*

A park educator will teach the basics of making maple syrup. How to identify maple trees, how to tap a tree, and the entire process of turning sap into a delicious maple syrup.

General Nature Walk

Students will go on a nature hike led by a park educator. On the way we may see some different critters and animal signs that the educator will point out.

 Leave No Trace

We will discuss the 7 Leave No Trace Principles on how to reduce our carbon footprint and be respectful to mother nature when we are camping and hiking.

 Recycling/Zero Waste/Composting

An educator will discuss the basics of recycling: what it is, why we do it, and what we can and can't recycle. We will also be discussing zero waste: what it is, why to practice it, and how to start.

We can also teach students about the basics of composting: what composting is, why it is important and what you can and can't compost.

10 Essentials of Hiking/ Hiking Safety

We will discuss the 10 essentials to pack when you are going hiking. We will also discuss the importance of ethical and safe hiking.

 Fishing and Ice Fishing

A park educator will provide a tutorial on fishing and discuss our lake's fish species. All equipment will be supplied.

To schedule a field trip or outreach program in your classroom you can fill out this "Field Trip Inquiry" form and we will get back to you as soon as possible. 

Please email mlsp.education@parks.ny.gov or call 518-793-0511 with any questions.

Clsses last between 30-45 minutes depending on what the teacher wants to focus on. We can and usually do multiple classes in one field trip.

Classes cost $3 per child, chaperones pay entry fee to the park, and teachers do not have to pay. Bus fee is $35.

The Connect Kids to Parks Grant Program is designed to connect New York school age children (pre-K through grade 12) with nature, outdoor recreation, and history by reimbursing *eligible costs for field trips to eligible locations.

Key BCA Criteria:

- Migratory concentration site

- Diverse species concentration site

- Species at risk site

The Moreau Lake BCA is within Moreau Lake State Park. Moreau Lake BCA is a stopover site for Neotropical migratory songbirds especially forest dwelling migrants during both spring and fall migrations. The site supports a diversity of birds associated with upland forest. It is also a significant wintering site for the state and federally threatened Bald Eagle and regularly supports state threatened Pied-billed Grebe (possible breeder) and Northern Harrier (spring and fall migration); and state species of special concern Cooper's Hawk (possible breeder) and Red-shouldered Hawk (probable breeder).

Download a copy of the BCA map.

Attention Hunters: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (i.e., "bird flu") has recently been detected in New York State in a variety of waterfowl species. Although the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH) has stated that avian influenza rarely spreads to humans, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is encouraging hunters to take extra precautions while processing harvested waterfowl. For more information on best practices for hunters to minimize risk of exposure, please read NYSDEC Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza - What Hunters Need to Know (leaves State Parks website).

For general information on Avian Influenza, please see: Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine - Avian Influenza Fact Sheet (leaves State Parks website).

For additional updates on Avian Influenza, including current updates, see NYSDEC - Animal Diseases (leaves State Parks website) and NYSDOH - Questions and Answers about Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) (leaves State Parks website).

Deer hunting is permitted in a limited area in season. Moreau Lake State Park follows the dates of the New York State hunting seasons.

• Application for Moreau Lake's Hunting Season Parking Pass (top part of application needs to be returned to park office)
• Moreau Lake Hunting Map

Hunting is not permitted within 500 feet of any building, road, playground, or parking lot, and all trails are considered safety zones where hunting is not allowed.