First New State Park Swim Facility in 20 Years Complete

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of the Lake Sophia swimming facility and bathhouse pavilion at Sojourner Truth State Park in Ulster County. Featuring a swimming area larger than two Olympic-size swimming pools, Lake Sophia will accommodate hundreds of swimmers a day and help Kingston area residents safely cool off during increasingly hot summer months. The new swim area of Sojourner Truth State Park will be open daily from 10a.m. – 6p.m. through Labor Day weekend.

“A trailblazing facility named for a trailblazing woman, Lake Sophia is an important and affordable recreation resource that will help New York families stay cool and active during the summer months,” Governor Hochul said. “Thanks to the voter supported Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, we are creating new opportunities for Hudson Valley residents ‘Get Offline, Get Outside’ and prioritize their wellbeing. The Lake Sophia swim area project is a major investment in community wellness and climate resilience, and an exciting addition to the New York State Park system.

The first new swimming facility to open at a state park in more than 20 years, Lake Sophia offers visitors a one-of-a-kind experience. Its spring-fed quarry waters feature an almost tropical turquoise color creating a unique visual aesthetic not found at other nearby lakes.

Named in honor of Sojourner Truth’s daughter, Sophia, the lake is located on the western side of the park and features a 12,000-square-foot swim crib with an in-pool ramp and ADA-compliant gangway. Designed with accessibility at its core, the facility provides a safe and welcoming environment for those learning to swim and visitors of all abilities. For more experienced swimmers, an additional 16,000-square-foot guarded deep-water swim area is available, fed by the same visually stunning spring waters.

Adjacent to the designated swim area is a new bathhouse pavilion featuring public restrooms, showers, a first aid station, and lifeguard facilities, enhancing the visiting experience with the amenities and safety infrastructure expected at a modern public swimming destination.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Kathy Moser said, “I am excited to welcome visitors to New York State Parks' first new swimming facility in more than 20 years and applaud our staff’s hard work to prepare Lake Sophia for you to visit this summer. From the very beginning, Lake Sophia was designed with accessibility, safety and community in mind. Its accessible features, stunning setting and location in the Kingston area will help ensure that all New Yorker’s can enjoy the benefits of outdoor recreation and create lasting summer memories. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued support and am looking forward to unveiling other accessible amenities at Sojourner Truth State Park in the future.”

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s leadership, DEC, Parks, and our many partners are putting Bond Act funds to work and connecting more New Yorkers with ways to escape hot summer days. Lake Sophia and Sojourner Truth State Park will provide children and families with safe, affordable opportunities to stay active, learn new skills, and create lifelong memories enjoying the outdoors.”

Palisades Interstate Park Commission Executive Director Joshua Laird said, “The opening of Lake Sophia Beach marks a major milestone in transforming a former stone quarry into a vibrant new state park. As the first new state park swimming facility built in over 20 years, we are proud to support Governor Hochul’s vital NY Swims initiative. This beautiful lake beach also features an accessible entry ramp, ensuring New Yorkers of all abilities can enjoy the water. We thank the Governor for funding this wonderful project, which is the first of many improvements in development at Sojourner Truth State Park. We are additionally grateful to our colleagues at the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation for the dedication and hard work that made Lake Sophia Beach a reality.”

State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “It is a tremendous moment for our community that the first new swimming facility to open at a New York State Park in more than 20 years is Lake Sophia, right here at Sojourner Truth State Park. This extraordinary park is a symbol of inclusion and access to the outdoors for all, and Lake Sophia is a vital new public resource where people can swim, cool off during the summer, and enjoy free access to the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley. This is the kind of investment and local amenity our neighbors deserve, and I’m proud to have helped champion this project. Thank you to Governor Hochul, NYS Parks, and everyone who made this important investment in our community possible.”

Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said, “Lake Sophia is a spectacular new amenity and a true treasure for Ulster County. This stunning and accessible swim area offers families and people of all ages an affordable place to cool off, stay active, and enjoy the outdoors during increasingly hot summer months. I want to thank Governor Hochul for this extraordinary investment in Ulster County, and I look forward to my first swim in Lake Sophia!”

Kingston Mayor Steve Noble said, “We are so fortunate to have the Sojourner Truth State Park right here in our backyard, with its amenities, trails, and spectacular views of the Hudson River. Now Kingston residents and visitors will have the rare opportunity to safely swim in a beautiful spring-fed quarry. I want to thank Governor Hochul, NYS Parks, and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission for their forward-thinking vision for this 500-acre parkland, allowing equitable public access to a true gem of remarkable natural resources.”

Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan said, “Great thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul for her visionary leadership at every stage of development of Sojourner Truth State Park — naming the public space for a local and national hero, and committing funds for park facilities that will welcome people from the Hudson Valley and beyond, including the fantastic swimming area at Lake Sophia. Local residents who grew up in Kingston often get a twinkle in their eye when they recall swimming furtively in the quarry ponds. Now they and others can return with family and friends and relish the joy of swimming in a beautiful natural setting. Scenic Hudson is pleased to have partnered with State Parks and the city in purchasing the 520-acre former industrial landscape, cleaning up contamination, and building the waterfront pavilion and trail along the Hudson. Together we transformed a derelict property into a magnificent world-class park for enjoyment today and in generations to come.”

Sixth Generation Descendant of Sojourner Truth, Barbara Allen said, “I am deeply honored by the decision to name the new lakefront area Lake Sophia in recognition of my ancestor, Sophia, daughter of Sojourner Truth. Sophia’s story is a vital part of Sojourner Truth’s legacy of courage and devotion to family. When Sojourner Truth risked everything to walk away from slavery with her daughter, she secured the future of generations, including my own. Sophia becomes my great great great grandmother, and seeing her name honored in this beautiful space is profoundly meaningful to me and my family. I am grateful to New York for recognizing her place in history.”

Part of a larger project to establish permanent visitor facilities at Sojourner Truth State Park, much of the park's development has been funded by the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act. Investments from the Bond Act total $68.1 million with an additional $7.5 million supported by State Parks capital fund.

In addition to the Lake Sophia swimming area and bathhouse pavilion, the improvements underway include a new entrance off route 32, restoration of existing historic structures, miles of hiking trails, community gathering spaces, maintenance facilities, and administrative buildings. Construction of these park improvements are expected to be completed in 2027. Renderings can be found here.

The completion of the Lake Sophia project highlights Governor Hochul’s commitment to expand equitable access to swimming and outdoor recreation and addresses the Governor’s 2024 State of the State promises to close equity gaps and increase access to summer recreation opportunities for disadvantaged communities. Approximately half of Sojourner Truth State Park is in a Low to Moderate Income area as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and 17.9 percent of the people in the location’s zip code are below the census-defined poverty level. With support from the NY SWIMS program, residents from high-need neighborhoods surrounding the park now have access to a state-of-the-art swimming facility and crucial open space.

Complementing the “Get Offline, Get Outside” initiative, Lake Sophia provides a new and affordable opportunity for families to put down their electronic devices, connect with the community, and enjoy mental and physical health benefits of spending time outdoors. The initiative encourages New Yorker’s to take advantage of state parks, trails, beaches, pools and historic sites while promoting a healthy lifestyle for young people and families.

The first state park located in the City of Kingston and the Town of Ulster, Sojourner Truth State Park is one of the newest additions to the New York State Park system. Named for the 19th century African American abolitionist and suffragist Sojourner Truth, the park offers spectacular views of the Hudson River, historic industrial ruins and remnants of the region’s brickmaking and quarrying industries, as well as diverse natural habitat areas including woods, wetlands, steep cliffs, and ridgelines. Located along the Empire State Trail, the park provides ample opportunities for walking, hiking, and biking.

Sojourner Truth was born Isabella Baumfree (Bomefree), enslaved among Dutch people in Ulster County. A dynamic abolitionist, suffragist, and human rights advocate, she “walked away by daylight,” freeing herself from slavery one year before legal enslavement ended in New York. Her accomplishments and vital contributions to American history are recognized with the namesake park and installation of a bronze statue at Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, created by the sculptor Vinnie Bagwell. The elevation of her story is a key example of State Parks’ Our Whole History (OWH) initiative which seeks to reveal and share historically underrepresented stories of ordinary and extraordinary people across New York State.

About New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 86 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call (518) 474-0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

About Palisades Interstate Park Commission

Formed in 1900, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) is the nation’s first bi-state partnership established to protect and conserve natural lands. PIPC operates Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey and the Palisades Region of New York State Parks. Its early work helped inspire the emerging fields of environmental stewardship and education, pioneered the goal of exposing children to nature through its group campgrounds, and served as a model for the early growth of the national park system.

New York’s Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act 

On November 8, 2022, New York voters overwhelmingly approved the $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act. State agencies, local governments, and partners will be able to access funding to protect water quality, help communities adapt to climate change, improve resiliency, and create green jobs. Bond Act funding will support new and expanded projects across the state to safeguard drinking water sources, reduce pollution, and protect communities and natural resources from climate change. Progress on implementing funding continues, with New York State committing more than $1.5 billion, or 30 percent, of Bond Act funds to date. For more information and to sign up for progress updates, go to the Environmental Bond Act webpage.