Bowman Lake State Park

This article is about Bowman Lake State Park, New York. For Bowman Lake, Glacier National Park (U.S.), see Bowman Lake (Montana).

Bowman Lake State Park
Bowman Lake State Park is located in New York
Bowman Lake State Park
Location of Bowman Lake State Park within New York State
TypeState park
Location745 Bliven Sherman Road
Oxford, New York[1]
Nearest cityOxford, New York
Coordinates42°31′N 75°41′W / 42.52°N 75.69°W / 42.52; -75.69
Area653 acres (2.64 km2)[2]
Created1966 (1966)[3]
Operated byNew York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Visitors69,037 (in 2020)[4]
OpenAll year
Camp sites188
WebsiteBowman Lake State Park

Bowman Lake State Park is a 653-acre (2.64 km2) state park located in Chenango County, New York.[2] The park is located in the Town of McDonough, north of the community of East McDonough.

History

The land that was to become Bowman Lake State Park was originally part of the region's reforestation lands, which were acquired by the state beginning in 1929. Under the management of the New York Conservation Department, 200 campsites were established around Bowman Lake in 1962, in addition to a day use area, sand beach, and boat launch. The property was transferred to the State Parks and Recreation Commission in 1966 to be operated as a state park.[3]

Park description

Bowman Lake State Park features one of the largest campgrounds in central New York, containing 188 campsites for tents and trailers, as well as several rustic cabins.[5] The park's facilities also include a boat launch, a beach, picnic tables, and a nature center. Trails are available for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.[1] The Finger Lakes Trail also passes through the park.[5]

The park's namesake lake is 35 acres (0.14 km2) in size and is annually stocked with trout; two additional ponds of similar size are also found within the park, offering opportunities for fishing and ice fishing.[5] A variety of wildlife, including 103 species of birds, may be viewed at the park.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Bowman Lake State Park". NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Section O: Environmental Conservation and Recreation, Table O-9". 2014 New York State Statistical Yearbook (PDF). The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government. 2014. p. 671. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 16, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  3. ^ a b McDonough Unit Management Plan (PDF) (Report). NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. 1999. pp. 4–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 5, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  4. ^ "State Park Annual Attendance Figures by Facility: Beginning 2003". Data.ny.gov. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Keene, Ben (2013). "Bowman Lake State Park". Camping New York: A Comprehensive Guide to Public Tent and RV Campgrounds. Globe Pequot. pp. 47–48. ISBN 978-0762780914. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  6. ^ "Bowman Lake State Park". NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Retrieved September 9, 2015.


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