Sandy Island Beach State Park Protects Sand Dunes Stock Photo

Sandy Island Beach State Park is a New York State park on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario. Its highlight is a 1,500-foot natural sandy beach. The park is near the southern end of a notable 17-mile length of sandy shoreline, coastal dunes, and the Eastern Lake Ontario Dunes and Wetlands. Sandy Island Beach State Park is part of the Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Wetland System, a 17 mile stretch which extends from the Town of Richland, Oswego County, north along Lake Ontario to Jefferson County. The Dunes were formed by wind and wave motion of a giant inland sea that preceded Lake Ontario. The area is the only significant freshwater dune site in the northeastern United States. Walkovers and viewing platforms have been built to protect the fragile dune environment. Shoreline flooding has occurred.