Lake Sophia: A New Swimming Spot with a Big History

What Is Lake Sophia?

Lake Sophia is a new place where people can go swimming. It will open at 10 a.m. on Friday.

Here are some simple facts about it:

• It is built inside part of an old quarry (a place where people dug up rocks) that gets its water from natural springs.
• The water is a pretty cornflower-blue color.
• The water stretches for hundreds of feet between two places called Kingston and the town of Ulster.
• There are limestone cliffs (rocks made of a soft stone) around part of it.
• For many years, people swam there even though it was not allowed.

How the State Made It Safe and Fun

The state parks office started working last summer to turn the old quarry into a safe swimming hole that everyone can use.

The quarry has two side-by-side swimming areas:

• A floating “swim crib” that is 12,000 square feet in size and only 4 feet deep—good for wading.
• A free-swim area that is 15,000 square feet and up to 20 feet deep.
• Lifeguards will watch both areas to keep people safe.

The Land’s Long Story

The area was not always a park. Here is what happened over time:

1. It was first a brickyard (where bricks were made).
2. Then it became limestone quarries with kilns and cement-making buildings.
3. It was empty for many decades.
4. A developer bought it and wanted to build 2,000 homes, but did nothing for 15 years.
5. A nature-loving group called Scenic Hudson bought the land in 2019.
6. Scenic Hudson sold it to the state in 2022.

New Improvements and Big Money

After the state got the land, they added nice things like:

• New paved trails (smooth paths to walk on).
• A pavilion by the river (a shelter to sit under).

Last year, the state said they would spend a lot of money:

• $68 million comes from something called the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act (a public fund to help nature and communities).
• The park already gets 50,000 visitors a year.
• The people behind the plan hope even more visitors will come.

Important: The $68 million is a major upgrade for the park and comes from a special environmental fund approved by voters.

How Many People Can Swim?

The two swimming areas together can hold 480 people at one time.

• This number is not about how many bodies fit.
• It is set so that sunscreen and bug spray from swimmers will not mess up the clean water.

Important: The 480-person limit protects the water’s purity, not just for space reasons.

The Park’s Name and History

The bigger park is called Sojourner Truth State Park.

• It is named after Sojourner Truth, a famous person who fought to end slavery and lived nearby in the Hudson Valley.
• The state and local leaders are adding her story into the park.
• The new swimming hole is named Lake Sophia after Sojourner Truth’s daughter.

Summary

Lake Sophia is a new, safe swimming spot opening Friday at 10 a.m. inside an old spring-fed quarry between Kingston and Ulster. The state turned it into a park with two swim areas watched by lifeguards. The land was once a brickyard and quarry, sat empty, then was bought by the state in 2022 after Scenic Hudson stepped in. With $68 million from an environmental bond act, the park is getting big upgrades and hopes to welcome more than its current 50,000 yearly visitors. Up to 480 swimmers can enjoy the water without hurting its cleanliness. The swim hole honors Sojourner Truth’s daughter, while the park celebrates Truth herself.

FAQ

1. When does Lake Sophia open?
It opens at 10 a.m. on Friday.

2. Why can only 480 people swim at once?
That number keeps the water clean, since sunscreen and bug spray from more people could lower water quality.

3. Who was Sojourner Truth?
She was a well-known abolitionist (someone who worked to end slavery) who lived in the Hudson Valley, and the state park is named after her.

4. Where did the $68 million come from?
It comes from the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, a public environmental funding program.