Honeoye Lake ( ) is a Finger Lake in Ontario County in western New York state. It is the third largest of the four Finger Lakes in the county, and second smallest in all. Most of the lake is within the town of Richmond but a smaller southwestern part is in the town of Canadice. The hamlet of Honeoye is just north of the lake.

The name Honeoye comes from the Seneca word ha-ne-a-yah, which means lying finger, or where the finger lies. The name comes from the local story of a Native American whose finger was bitten by a rattlesnake and who therefore cut off his finger with a tomahawk.

Description

thumb|left|White birds taking off from Honeoye Lake

Honeoye Lake is the second smallest of the Finger Lakes and is located to the west of the major lakes. To its west are other minor Finger Lakes: Canadice Lake, Hemlock Lake, and Conesus Lake. As with the other Finger Lakes, Honeoye Lake was created by the advance and subsequent melting of continental glaciation.

The lake's surface is above sea level. The lake is long and narrow with a roughly north-south orientation, and a surface area of . It is also relatively shallow and warmer than the other Finger Lakes. Its outlet is Honeoye Creek, which flows northward. A major feeder stream, called Honeoye Inlet, enters the lake at the south end. and blue-green algae blooms.

References

  • Honeoye Lake Watershed Task Force: 2005 Honeoye Lake Watershed Management Plan
  • Honeoye Lake Boat Launch State Park
  • Live webcam, south end of lake, west side