Quarry lake to become a public swimming facility at Sojourner Truth State Park

KINGSTON, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- A spring-fed quarry lake will soon become a public swimming facility at the newest State Park in Kingston. According to New York State Parks, Lake Sophia is part of a $75.6 million multistep development project at the Sojourner Truth State Park to be complete by 2027.

Governor Kathy Hochul and NYS Parks announced the development project Friday. Parks said the new state park will span over 500 acres of the Hudson River shoreline, shared by the City of Kingston and the Town of Ulster.

"A lack of access to safe and convenient swimming opportunities has denied far too many New Yorkers the chance to get off line and get outside by engaging with the water and learning foundational water safety skills," Hochul said. "The buildout at Sojourner Truth State Park is a step in the right direction to effect real change for Hudson Valley communities. This time next year, Ulster County residents and visitors will be welcomed to Lake Sophia to beat the heat and enjoy all that Sojourner Truth State Park has to offer, with more exciting park amenities continuing to be unveiled through 2027."

Lake Sophia will be located on the west side of the park, featuring a 12,000-square-foot floating swim crib for those just learning to swim or those who would benefit from an accessible design. An adjacent pavilion will feature public bathrooms, showers, lifeguard facilities and a first aid station.

The swimming facility will be the first new swimming site in the Parks system in 20 years, according to NYS Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons.

"State Parks is thrilled to be building our first new swimming facility in two decades, expanding access to outdoor recreation, and fostering lifelong community connections at Sojourner Truth State Park for a community that’s suffered significant disinvestment for too long," Simons said. "Under the leadership of Governor Hochul, the public-private partnership between State Parks and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, with initial momentum from Scenic Hudson, is continuing to transform this former industrial site into a phenomenal regional landmark and tribute to the legacy of a revolutionary New Yorker."

Additional improvements will include a new park entrance off Route 32, upgraded roadways, parking lots and trails within the park. Renovating current buildings within the site will also be completed by 2026.

A complete build-out for the park is expected to be completed by 2027. Those improvements include additional trails including a scenic overlook, a repurposed site with bathrooms and outdoor community space, informational signs of the Indigenous Lenape heritage, history, geology and environment.

"Sojourner Truth State Park will be our first state park serving the Kingston community and beyond. The site’s beautiful, rugged landscape also offers fantastic views of the Hudson River and reveals a compelling story of the area’s history, from its earliest native inhabitants to the emergence of Sojourner Truth as an activist for abolition and women’s rights, and the later industries that produced brick and stone for a growing region," Palisades Interstate Park Commission Executive Director Joshua Laird said. "PIPC is thrilled to be a part of improving this remarkable site with our partners at New York State Parks and offers its thanks to Governor Hochul for supporting the park and the development of our first new swimming facility in many years."

Shortly after it's naming in 2022, Scenice Hudson, NYS Parks and the PIPC partnered to build a waterfront trail and community pavilion at the state park that was unveiled in 2023. The paved trail features a small overlook of the Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge, and another unpaved trail leads to the Steep Rocks overlook.

"These visionary recreational improvements to Sojourner Truth State Park, including the creation of a new natural swim area, will expand opportunities to connect with nature and beat the heat of a changing climate, especially for underserved communities in the City of Kingston and Town of Ulster," Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said. "To be able to cool off and play safely in a stunning fresh-water quarry lake is truly a gift to our communities, and I thank Governor Hochul and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historical Preservation for transformative investments that will benefit public health and community quality of life for generations to come."