Greenwood Lake, in numbers.
Greenwood Lake straddles the New York–New Jersey border, running roughly north–south between the Village of Greenwood Lake and the Town of Warwick in Orange County, New York, and West Milford in Passaic County, New Jersey. It is both a natural lake and a reservoir: dammed around 1765 and enlarged again in 1837 to drive water power and feed the canal system. It is the source of the Wanaque River.
The figures.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Surface area | 1,918 acres | NYSDEC |
| Maximum depth | 57 feet | NYSDEC |
| Mean depth | 17 feet | NYSDEC |
| Length | roughly 7 to 9 miles | sources differ — see note |
| Shoreline | about 68.8 miles | NYSDEC |
| Elevation | about 623–630 feet | Wikipedia / NYSDEC |
| States | New York and New Jersey | — |
| Islands | Fox (Pine), Storms and Chapel | Wikipedia |
| Dammed | c. 1765, enlarged 1837 | Wikipedia |
| Outflow | the Wanaque River | Wikipedia |
A note on length: NYSDEC and Wikipedia put the lake at roughly seven miles, while the Greenwood Lake Commission gives about nine. We use the lower, state-agency figure throughout this site. What those miles hold — a deep northern basin, a shallow southern one, and Storms Island roughly where they meet — is set out in The Lake, End to End.
SourcesNYSDEC · Greenwood Lake Commission · Wikipedia
What is near, and how near.
- Sugar LoafN · 20 min
- HarrimanENE · 25 min
- Sterling ForestENE · 15 min
- Ramapo MountainSSE · 25 min
- VernonWNW · 20 min
- High PointWNW · 35 min
- Warwick villageNNW · 15 min
- GoshenN · 25 min
What swims in it.
Walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie and other panfish. Pure-strain and tiger muskellunge are stocked annually. (NYSDEC)
Worth knowing before you plan a trip: NYSDEC records the shoreline of Greenwood Lake as private, with anglers reaching the water through private marinas. Lake access is not a given here — it is the single thing to settle before you book anywhere on this lake.
One license is honored on both sides of the border, and getting a boat on the water is the harder half of the problem. Both are covered in Fishing Greenwood Lake: License and Access.
Getting in the water.
Public swimming is on the New York end: the town beach at Morahan Waterfront Park in the Village of Greenwood Lake, with further public access off Windermere Avenue. On the New Jersey side, water access is mostly private, which is why a house with its own frontage is worth more here than the same house would be on a lake with public beaches.
Our half of the lake is the shallow half. That is a loss for swimmers and an advantage in a kayak: the fetch is short, the ridges come down close, and the boats slow for the weed. The routes, and the hour to go, are in Paddling from the South End. The frontage itself, and the boats in the boathouse, are drawn on The Home.
The lake through the year.
- January
- Deep winter. The lake is at its stillest and the ridges are bare, which opens up long views you simply cannot get in summer. Short daylight — plan to be off the trail by four.
- February
- The coldest, quietest stretch of the year, and the best month for the hot tub. Highlands trails are firm underfoot and almost empty.
- March
- The turn. Ice goes off the water, the lake comes back to life and the first properly mild afternoons arrive. Trails are muddy; boots, not sneakers.
- April
- Green returns to the ridgelines and the valley orchards blossom. Cool water still, but the light is long again and the whole area wakes up.
- May
- Arguably the prettiest month before the crowds. Warm afternoons, cold water, everything in leaf, and the Warwick Valley farms opening back up.
- June
- Swimming weather arrives and the days are at their longest. The lake is busy in the middle of the day and glassy at either end of it.
- July
- Peak summer, peak boat traffic. Early mornings and evenings on the water are the good hours; the middle of the day belongs to everybody else.
- August
- Warmest water of the year. Best month for swimming and paddling, and the one to book earliest if you want a particular weekend.
- September
- Our favorite handover: summer water, autumn air, and the crowds thinning out from the second week. Orchards start their season.
- October
- Peak foliage on the surrounding ridges and the best hiking month of the year. Pick-your-own is in full swing across the Warwick Valley.
- November
- Leaves down, long sightlines, cold clear light on the water. The quietest month before the holidays and one of the most beautiful.
- December
- Firelight weather. Short days, the valley villages at their most festive, and the lake beginning to still for winter.
The four seasonal weekends, and what each one is worth timing a visit around, are gathered under Seasons in Lake Notes.
Be first through the door.
The house is being rebuilt and opens in 2027. Join the list and you’ll hear the day dates open — before it goes anywhere else, and always without booking-site fees.
Or call or text (332) 600-4477.