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Van Keuren Lake

Coordinates: 42.32563°N 77.17775°W

Elevation: 1067 feet/325.2 meters

Vam Keuren Lake in Birdseye Hollow State Forest in Steuben County, New York, USA.

Location

Van Keuren Lake is located on the west side of Round Lake Road in the Steuben County town of Bath just north of the Village of Savona and south of the Hamlet of Sonora.

Physical Features

Van Keuren Lake is an irregularly shaped glacial lake 6.5 acres in size. It is surrounding on its west side by woods and farmland on the east.

Access

Access is from the Sanford Lake Day Use Area of Birdseye Hollow State Forest (3,446 acres), the entrance to which is on the west side of Round Lake Road. This access road leads to both Sanford and Van Keuren lakes.

To get to Van Keuren Lake, you will need to walk through the steep woods on the right side of the access road about 100 ft./30.4 m. to the shore of the lake. The woods is dry and overgrown in some parts with the non-native Japanese honeysuckle bush and multiflora rose. The lake shore is mucky and overgrown with wetland vegetation. There are no paths to the lake, and locals stated that they knew of no one who went there.

Round Lake is on the east side of Round Lake Road, has public access, and a path.

The easiest access the Sanford Lake in Steuben County, New York is by way of the gravel road off Round Lake Road next to this sign. Sgn says: Sanford Lake Day Use Area

Camping

Wilderness camping is permitted at the Sanford Lake Day Use Area at designated campsites by permit only. Portable toilets are provided, but there is no running water or other amenities.

Boating

Boats, except those powered by gasoline motors, are permitted on the lake, however, there is really no access to the lake for boats

Swimming

Although swimming is permitted in theory, there is no beach and access to the water would have to be through the muck at the shore.

Biking

The roads in and around the forest are mostly gravel. They are appropriate for mountain bikes and some hybrid bikes, however, in dry weather, road dust may be a problem. State Route 226, off of which Round Lake Road (paved) runs, is good for touring and has paved shoulders. Touring bikes coming from the direction of Savona to the Sanford Lake campground should have no trouble with roads.

Mountain biking is also permitted on the multiple use trail through the forest. Trail map (pdf)

Hiking

The Finger Lakes Trail runs through Birdseye Hollow State Forest. It doesn't run next to the lake or campground but is within hiking distance of the lake. Trail map (pdf) See also map

Horseback Riding

Horseback riding is permitted on the multiple use trail in the forest. Trail map (pdf)

Winter Activities

There is a specific snowmobile trail in the forest and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are permitted on the multiple-use trail in the forest.

Wildlife

Because Steuben is a large and relatively undeveloped county, it has abundant wildlife, including black bears. The forest is part of a self-guided, forest stewardship demonstration tour. The tour brochure discusses how the forest is being managed and what types of wildlife you can expect to encounter.

Photography

Photography is good in the area and especially around Sanford Lake. The lake is picturesque and there are plenty of native wildflowers to photograph. Photographing birds is a little difficult as the trees are rather tall and the understory is good.

Parks, Forests and Wildlife Management Areas

Birdseye Hollow State Forest is next to Moss Hill State Forest (1,815 acres). Nearby, too, is Birdseye Hollow Park on Birdseye Hollow Road in the Town of Bradford (north of Van Keuren Lake). The day-use park has a 68.5-acre pond, a picnic area, a pavilion, and a playground. It is managed jointly by the state and the county. The Finger Lakes Trail runs through the park.