A new Lake George Park Commission study paints a picture of a lake in transition, with fewer individual boaters, growing commercial charter operations and changing recreational habits reshaping the lake’s economic profile.
The 2025 Recreation Study, the third comprehensive assessment of water-based-recreation conducted since 2005, found that while Lake George remains prized by residents and visitors, patterns of use have changed significantly over the three decades that researchers have been tracking recreation trends.
To conduct the new study, the Park Commission retained Saratoga-based Studio A, which in turn recruited Tracey Clothier, CEO of the Lake George-based Clothier Planning & Consultants, to manage the project. Both Clothier and Studio A vice-president Jeff Anthony were among those responsible for the 2015 study, which was compiled by The LA Group.
Declining Boat Registrations
Among the study’s most notable findings is a continued decline in boat registrations. Registrations fell from a peak of 17,752 in 2002 to 15,400 in 2025, a trend researchers attribute in part to the growing popularity of charter services that allow visitors to access the lake without owning or registering a boat.
“The most striking trend is the sustained drop in boat registrations,” the report states, while noting that commercial operations are expanding and concentrating boating activity in specific areas of the lake.
Researchers found that recreation on the lake is increasingly centered on shorter-duration and lower-impact activities. The study points to growth in charter services, increased day-use visitation and a shift toward kayaks and canoes over motorized vessels.
Numbers Reporting Satisfaction Drops
Overall satisfaction with the recreational experience remains high, though slightly lower than a decade ago. Eighty-eight percent of respondents reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their Lake George experience, compared with 92% in 2015. The share of respondents who described themselves as “very satisfied” dropped from 73% to 58% during that period.
Congestion Versus Safety
In 2015, nearly one third of those who said they were dissatisfied with the experience cited congestion as the reason, stating the lake was over-crowded. “I didn’t hear a lot about congestion this year,” said Tracey Clothier. “People modify their behavior if they don’t like crowds. They don’t go on the lake on busy afternoons or they find less crowded places to anchor.” And what might seem like congestion to some is to others, something else. “It’s not congestion to them. It’s fun. They like being on the lake when everyone else is out there,” said Clothier.
For those boaters who want to drop anchor in a teeming bay and socialize with others of like mind, opportunities abound: Sandy Bay, Log Bay, Red Rock Bay and Paradise Bay, among many others.
The 2025 report finds that new hotspots have begun to emerge. Areas including English Brook Delta, Basin Bay, Northwest Bay, Tongue Mountain, Happy Family Islands and Anthony’s Nose have seen increased anchoring activity and boat rafting.
While congestion may be less of a concern than it was ten years ago, safety is a greater one. Among survey participants, it revealed itself to be the most significant concern. Respondents frequently cited worries about inexperienced boaters, rental boat operators, boater education and anchoring practices near shorelines.
Development Pressures
While the number of boat registrations may be declining, dock and mooring registrations are increasing. According to the study, 173 new docks and moorings have been registered with the Lake George Park Commission since 2016 – twice the number recorded by the Park Commission in the previous decade and a reflection of the growth in new home construction.
The study found that development pressures are moving northward as the supply of vacant, buildable lots on the lake is shrinks
Researchers said municipalities in northern communities may need to prepare for increased infrastructure demands and environmental monitoring as growth continues over the coming decades.
“Within the next 35 to 40 years, Lake George will be completely built out,” said Tracey Clothier. “Most of that construction will take place on northern Lake George, because that’s where the available land is.”
The 35- to 40-year build-out timeline suggests communities will have time to adapt to changing conditions.
More Signs of the Times
Another sign of the times: a decline in island camping, which, historically, has allowed people of modest means to vacation on one of the most expensive lakes in the northeastern United States. Lake George may now be attracting greater numbers of visitors who can afford more costly accommodations, or, as Clothier surmises, fewer people are taking traditional, extended two-week vacations, opting instead for brief getaways. Both trends have fueled the rise of Short-term rentals, which have also had an impact on the recreational use of Lake George.
The Department of Environmental Conservation, which manages the state-owned islands, has seen an uptick in reservations for the picnic or day use-only islands. In fact, Clothier said, day use reservations are at a record high. This, she said, is probably caused by Short-term rental owners and managers who book the sites for the use of potential guests who might otherwise lack access to the lake. “The STRs are clogging up the works,” Clothier said. “They’re holding reservations and limiting the use of those sites for anyone else.”
The increase in Short-term rentals may also be a factor in other trends identified by the study, such as the number of charter services or boats with PV (public vessel) permits.
That number has risen from 54 in 2017 to 96 in 2025. “The captains give boat rides, they take people tubing, they deliver people to various places, including trail heads,” said Clothier. “They’re out there doing a lot more things than they used to.”
The marina sector continues to play a major role in the lake’s recreation economy. Researchers identified 115 marina facilities supporting 2,127 berthed boats, with 81% of those vessels located in commercial Class A marinas. The higher number of rental boats on the lake may explain why more boats were counted on the lake on a busy day in July, 2025 than were observed on a similar day in 2015 – even though the number of boats registered with the Lake George Park Commission has declined. the marina sector continues to play a major role in the lake’s recreation economy.
The report also notes that larger modern boats are creating new challenges for marina operators, some of whom are seeking to widen slips by two to three feet to accommodate vessels with broader beams.
Who Uses the Lake?
Survey results showed that Lake George users remain deeply connected to the lake. More than three-quarters of respondents said they have used the lake for more than a decade, while 58% reported visiting or living around the lake for at least 25 years. Nearly one in five respondents said they have spent their entire lives connected to Lake George.
Natural beauty and water quality continue to rank as the lake’s most valued characteristics. Ninety-six percent of respondents cited scenic beauty as important, while 95% highlighted the lake’s clean, clear water.
The Lake George Park Commission retained consultants to draft the study to help guide the members as they make decisions about public access, recreation and resource protection. Researchers said the findings highlight a balancing act facing regulators and local communities as they seek to accommodate changing recreational demands while preserving the character of the lake.
“Lake George stands at a crossroads,” the report concludes. “Communities, regulators and users will have time to adapt, to learn, to adjust policies and practices. But adaptation requires careful planning and decisions on how much development is enough, how to balance commercial and private use, and how to preserve the character that makes Lake George special in the first place.”
