Boat big or boat home

Lake Champlain, the Adirondacks' largest lake, is the perfect place to launch your boat of choice - whether you like to paddle, sail, or motor. Surrounded by towering mountains, rocky cliffs, and rolling fields, the waters of Lake Champlain offer outstanding views of New York and Vermont, as well as limitless activities such as fishing, ice fishing, swimming, and exploring. We have opportunities to enjoy a scenic boat tour, or bring your canoe or kayak and depart from one of the many public launches. Lake Champlain is a boater's paradise with expansive waterways, sheltered bays, sandy shores, and secluded places to lower anchor. Boating on Lake Champlain is the perfect way to experience what a large Adirondack lake — and one of the largest in the nation — has to offer. 

Known for its wide variety of geological features, lakeshore habitats, and great fishing, Lake Champlain is navigable by many different types of vessels, including sailboats, cruisers, fishing boats, and ferries!

The Narrows

Known as "The Narrows", the slender stretch of water just north of Westport is a hotspot for boaters on Lake Champlain. Heading there yourself? You'll love this interpretive guide to "The Narrows" outlining its Indigenous territorial boundaries, shipwreck sites, ancient geology, and more.

Click here to see the guide!

Lake Champlain facts

• Lake Champlain is 125 miles long and covers 435 square miles of surface area
• The widest section of Lake Champlain is 14 miles
• The average depth of Lake Champlain is 64 feet 
• The deepest spot in Lake Champlain is 400 feet, located just north of Westport, New York
• The shorelines in Vermont, New York, and Quebec total 587 miles
• More than ninety species of fish call the lake home
• Champ lives here!

Get in on the action

There are many water sports to enjoy your summer on the lake. We're always ready to jump into the fun and try activities such as tubing, water skiing, kite surfing, stand up paddleboarding, and wind surfing, or relax with a panoramic paddle in one of the lake's many sheltered bays. Many local marinas provide rentals of all the gear that visitors and residents need and want. Browse listings of Lake Champlain boat launches and marinas, all including maps, to help you learn more about the great boating offerings the area has.

Activities on shore

One of the best parts about staying on the lake are the many activities available on the waterfront. Play on the beach or bask in the sunshine with a scenic lunch or dinner at one of the many lakeside restaurants dotting the shore. We even have restaurants accessible by boat. Everyone is always welcomed by friendly faces and Adirondack hospitality.

Leave No Trace and Love Your ADK

The magic of the Adirondacks is the result of previous generations taking a long view and protecting the mountains, lakes, and rivers within the Blue Line. That tradition continues today as we support and encourage everyone to practice Leave No Trace ethics, which help protect the lands and waters of the Adirondacks.