Sandy Island Beach State Park (South)

Size: 229-acre area
Owned/Managed: New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Description: One of two beaches encompassing 229-acre State Park, including this southern beach where visitors can park their car and walk to the beach. Certified lifeguards are on duty at this part of the park mid-May until Labor Day. There is a concession stand, bathrooms, and changing areas for your convenience. Sandy Island Beach State Park also offers accessible picnic areas and shelters for rent.
Location: Pulaski, Oswego County
When to visit/Directions: Sandy Island Beach State Park’s southern beach is open year round from 8am until sunset. Take Interstate-81 to exit 37. Travel west on Route 15. Cross State Route 3 and continue west. Parking is available for a small fee in the visitor lot.

For more information, please visit the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website.

To learn more about the many trails and boat routes in the area, see below. These trails and boat routes are in order from North to South on the map.

North and South Sandy Ponds

Map marker: 3, Blue
Boat route length: Varies by boater
Current: Weak
Type of boat: Both ponds are open to motorboats. However, only non-motorized car-top boats are permitted to launch from Sandy Island Beach State Park
Route description: Both South and North Sandy Ponds can be accessed from the Sandy Island Beach State Park car-top boat launch site located on the narrow channel connecting the two ponds. From the boat launch, travel south under the small Route 15 bridge to access South Sandy Pond. The same narrow, marshy channel when taken north will lead you to North Sandy Pond. While both ponds offer great fishing and paddling opportunities, South Sandy Pond receives less motorboat traffic.
How to get there: Take County Route 15 west to Sandy Island Beach State Park. Immediately after passing by the entrance booth, take a right and park in the parking area to the right. The boat launch is located near the southeast corner of the parking area. A parking fee is charged at the launch.