Owasco Lake is the closest of the Finger Lakes to Auburn, its north end just a few kilometres south of the city centre. The lake is 18 kilometres long and up to 55 metres deep — typical of the long, narrow, glacially-carved lakes of the region. The water is clean and the fishing is good, with lake trout and other species attracting anglers year-round.
Emerson Park at the north end of the lake, run by Cayuga County, has a beach, picnic facilities, a small amusement park for children, and a boat launch. It is the primary recreation area for Auburn residents in summer and is uncrowded compared to the beaches of the more famous Finger Lakes further west.
Kayaking and canoeing are well suited to Owasco Lake; the south end of the lake, beyond the main recreation areas, is quieter and more wooded. The Finger Lakes wine country extends around the lake, with several small wineries within easy driving distance of the shore.