Canopus Lake is a small lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

 within Clarence Fahnestock State Park

Clarence Fahnestock State Park

Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park a 14,086 acre New York state park, in Putnam and Dutchess counties. The park has hiking trails, an environmental center, a beach on Canopus Lake, and fishing on four ponds and two lakes...

 in northern Putnam County, New York

Putnam County, New York

Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...

, USA. The lake is about 1.5 miles (2.0 km) long and 1/4 mile (0.4 km) wide at its widest point. Immediately to its east is Pelton Pond. The lake is on NY 301

New York State Route 301

New York State Route 301 is an intra-county state highway stretching across three-quarters of Putnam County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of NY 301 is at an intersection with NY 9D in Cold Spring. Its eastern terminus is at a junction with NY 52 in...

 just west of the Taconic State Parkway

Taconic State Parkway

The Taconic State Parkway , is a divided highway between Kensico Dam and Chatham, the longest parkway in the U.S. state of New York. It follows a generally northward route midway between the Hudson River and the Connecticut and Massachusetts state lines...

.

The beach at the lake is called the "jewel of the park" and is used for swimming, boating, and fishing. In the winter, some cross-country skiers use the flat surface as a trail. The Appalachian Trail

Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...

parallels the west side of the lake.