Lake Sophia officially opens at Sojourner Truth State Park in Kingston
Spring-fed quarry lake is the state’s first swimming area in over 20 years
While locals – and some officials present at Friday’s opening ceremonies – remember sneaking onto the property to take a dip at the former quarry lake, now everyone has a chance.
After 10am on July 17, 2026, following opening presentations and a ribbon cutting, the first official swimmers took to Lake Sophia – including the Mayor of Kingston, Steve Noble, who may or may not have been the one referenced above, and does indeed have a killer cannonball.
The turquoise-tinted site features a 12,000-square-foot swim crib with an in-pool ramp and ADA-compliant gangway for easy access for all, as well as a16,000-square-foot guarded deep-water swim area; the total swimming area is larger than two Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to officials. The area includes new bathhouse with restrooms, showers and changing stalls (but there are no lockers). There’s also a new park entrance directly off of Route 32 in Kingston.
Lake Sophia is named for Sojourner Truth’s daughter. Truth, born into slavery in Ulster County in 1797 as Isabella Baumfree, she “walked away by daylight” to free herself, and remained a trailblazing advocate for human rights in the 19th century.
Lake Sophia at Sojourner Truth State Park
100 Sojourner Truth Way, Kingston, NY 12401
Open daily 10am – 6pm now through Labor Day weekend
Cost of admission: $8 per vehicle
