🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Finger Lakes Icon — Marine park on Canandaigua Lake — one of the most beautiful Finger Lakes, whose Seneca name means “the chosen spot”
Canandaigua Lake State Marine Park provides boat access to Canandaigua Lake — one of the most stunning of the 11 Finger Lakes. Its Seneca name “Kanandarque” means “the chosen spot” — and it’s easy to see why. At 15.5 miles long and 276 feet deep, Canandaigua is the fourth largest Finger Lake. The lake holds special significance for the Seneca Nation — the Seneca creation story tells of their people emerging from a hill on Canandaigua’s south shore (Bare Hill / Genundewah). The 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua — signed between the US and the Six Nations — is still honored annually.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Ontario County, NY |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Lake | 15.5mi, 276ft — “The Chosen Spot”! |
| Treaty | 1794 Canandaigua — still honored! |
About Canandaigua
Canandaigua Lake State Marine Park provides boating access to Canandaigua Lake — the westernmost of the major Finger Lakes. The Seneca Nation considers Canandaigua sacred; according to oral tradition, the Seneca people were created on a hill overlooking the lake. The word “Canandaigua” means “The Chosen Spot.” In 1794, the Canandaigua Treaty between the Seneca and the United States was signed here — one of the oldest treaties still in effect.
Things to Do
Boating on the sacred Seneca lake, fishing for lake trout and bass, swimming, visiting the wineries along the lake, and learning about the 1794 Canandaigua Treaty — the foundational agreement between the Seneca Nation and the United States.
Insider Tips
Treaty site: The 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua between the US and Six Nations (Haudenosaunee/Iroquois) is the oldest active treaty — the US still sends treaty cloth annually. Pro tip: Canandaigua means “The Chosen Spot” in Seneca. Iroquois Confederacy: The Haudenosaunee (People of the Longhouse) created one of history’s great democratic confederacies — influencing the US Constitution.
Best Time to Visit
Summer: Lake swimming and boating. Fall: Lakeside wine trail. Spring: Treaty anniversary events. Winter: Ice fishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the Iroquois influence the Constitution?
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy (Iroquois League of Six Nations) operated a representative government for centuries before European contact — with a constitution (Great Law of Peace), checks and balances, and individual rights. Benjamin Franklin explicitly cited the Iroquois model. The 1988 US Senate Resolution 331 formally acknowledged the Haudenosaunee’s influence on the Constitution — a recognition that took 200 years.
Make it a road trip: Pair a visit with Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park (a short drive away) or Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park (a short drive away).
🛶 Visit Canandaigua Lake Marine Park
“The Chosen Spot” — Seneca creation, 1794 Treaty still honored!
Wildlife & Nature
Canandaigua Lake State Marine Park — on Canandaigua Lake — provides marina access to one of the most scenic Finger Lakes. The Seneca Nation considers the lake sacred — “The Chosen Spot.” Bald eagles hunt over the water. Osprey dive for lake trout. Common mergansers fish in groups. Rainbow trout and lake trout provide premier fishing.
Nearby Attractions
Canandaigua — adjacent — has Sonnenberg Gardens, downtown shops, and the New York Wine & Culinary Center. Bristol Mountain — 10 miles south — has skiing. Naples — 15 miles south — has grape pie.
Park Location
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