Sheldon Beach Park (Flat Rock)

Location: On Lake Ontario; near SUNY Oswego; City of Oswego; Oswego County; New York.

Maps: Google Map; Topographic; Interactive map

GPS Coordinates:

• Parking: 43.458681 / -76.534478

Directions: From NY-104 head north on Sheldon Ave. Make a right on Washington Blvd and then make a left onto 6th Ave. Follow 6th Ave to the end at the park.

Or use Google Maps.

Parking: The parking lot at the end of 6th Ave can hold 30 cars.

Typical Seasons/Hours: Year-round, from dawn to dusk.

Admission: Free.

Best time to visit: Spring through fall. Despite the “no swimming” rule, the park can get busy in hot summer months.

Time: A few minutes or more to enjoy the lake. It’s not a big park.

Handicap accessibility: Views from the parking lot only, which is seeing most of it.

Pets: Allowed in the park and walkways when on a leash.

Swimming: Unfortunately, the City of Oswego has no public beaches for swimming in Lake Ontario. Some folks, especially students of SUNY Oswego used to swim here (and some still do) but the city does patrol and kick people out. It’s especially ill-advised to swim at this park as it’s located right next to a wastewater treatment plant. The closest public beach for people looking to cool off will be to the west at Fair Haven Beach State Park.

The Oswego Harbor Power plant next door was commissioned in 1975, but plans to construct it began as early as the 1930s. It was originally designed to run on coal, but when coal as a power source became more and more unpopular, designs pivoted towards oil. It is a privately-owned, oil-powered, steam turbine plant capable of 1,650 MW. It runs only when demand increases, which is less than 10% of the time.

The State University of New York at Oswego (SUNY Oswego) has a rich history that dates back to its founding in 1861. It was established by Edward Austin Sheldon, who is credited with pioneering the Oswego Method of teacher education, emphasizing hands-on learning and object teaching. This innovative approach to education was quite progressive for its time and helped to shape the future direction of teacher education programs nationally and abroad.

Originally named the Oswego Primary Teachers’ Training School, it focused primarily on training teachers. Over the years, the institution underwent several name changes, reflecting its expanding academic offerings and evolving role in higher education. It became a state normal school in 1866, and later, it was known as Oswego State Teachers College as part of the New York State Education Department.

In the mid-20th century, as part of a broader movement to expand and diversify higher education in New York State, the institution transitioned into a comprehensive college offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs. This transition was part of the creation of the State University of New York (SUNY) system in 1948, which Oswego then joined. As a result, it was renamed SUNY College at Oswego, more commonly known as SUNY Oswego.

Difficulty: Moderate. There isn’t much of a trail—nothing officially, at least. Most people go down to the flat limestone rocks, which is not a challenge at all. What some may have difficulty with is that the flat rock along the lake may be wet and slippery. Use caution.

Distance: A few hundred feet.

Markings: None. Just go down to the flat rock.

Description:

1. From the parking area, head to the west corner (left if facing the lake).
2. Make your way down the stone/gravel path to the limestone rocks.
3. Follow the limestone rocks westward. Look out for the edge, deep puddles, and splashing waves.

Maps: See the interactive map below.

More Lake Ontario Parks & Beaches

Find a new summer hangout spot or place to swim in our comprehensive guide to Lake Ontario Parks and Beaches in New York State.