Big Island is a boaters' paradise - easily accessible and close to home!

Big Island, an oval shaped gentle knoll covered with mature hardwood trees is completely undeveloped. The island’s area is approximately 11 acres and it is approximately 360’ above sea level. It is located in the Oswego River, well above the river’s 100 year flood zone.

The Oswego River is part of the NY State Canal System which connects with the Hudson River to the south, Lake Ontario to the north and the Finger Lakes and Lake Erie to the west. Apple Landing, a county maintained public boat launch, is located on the east bank of the river just north of the island and is suitable for launching smaller boats. It’s easy to land a small boat anywhere around the island. The island’s setting is very peaceful and tranquil. It is not uncommon to have deer on the island that swim over or cross the ice from the river shore.

The island is subdivided into four roughly equal lots which each have a septic system design approved by the Oswego County Health Department. Each lot is a little over 2.5 acres and has approximately 650 feet of river frontage. Power could be run underwater to the island by Niagara Mohawk. The main channel of the river runs along the eastern shore of island enabling access to island by large and small boats. The river frontage facing the island on the east is designated as wet lands and undeveloped other than the county launch at Apple Landing. The river frontage to the west of the island is an exclusive housing area with a handful of nice homes on the river edge.

The Island is referred to on most maps as Big Island; on deeds it is sometimes referred to as Newkirk’s Upper Island. It is located just south of the city of Fulton, NY, approximately one mile south of the intersection of state route 481 and county route 57. It can easily be viewed from Apple Landing located on County Route 57. It is located between locks #1 & #2 on the Oswego River.

The Oswego River flows north from the island for approximately 14 miles dropping about 100 feet through a series of seven locks where it ends at the Lake Ontario Port of Oswego. The Port of Oswego is a common launching area for salmon fishermen on Lake Ontario. Lake Ontario’s outlet is the St. Lawrence River which is host to “The Thousand Islands” and opens into the North Atlantic. Locks on the west end of Lake Ontario carry you around Niagara Falls via the Welland Canal and into Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes. Traveling south or upstream from the island, you pass through one set of locks before reaching Three Rivers which is the confluence of the Seneca, Oneida and Oswego Rivers. Traveling east along the Oneida River/Erie Canal leads you into Oneida Lake which is world renowned for its Walleye fishing and on to the Mohawk River and into the Hudson River. Once at the Hudson River you can venture north to the Champlain Canal into Lake Champlain and eventually up the Richelieu River into Canada. If you follow the Hudson River south it leads to NY City and the Atlantic Ocean. If at Three Rivers you had opted to travel west along the Seneca River/Erie Canal you would access the Finger Lakes, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca, and then travel on to Lake Erie.

The NY State Canal System is designated as part of the “Inland Waterway” and can accommodate vessels up to 300’ long by 43.5’ wide. The lowest bridge clearance in the system is 15.5’ and the shallowest channel is 12’ deep. The canal system operates from early May until early to mid November. Unlimited use annual permits are available from $25 to $100 depending on vessel length.

To get an aerial view of the island and surrounding area, use latitude 43.2925481 and longitude of 76.390887. You can zoom out to see a larger area and the access this island will provide to excellent boating.

The Fulton area is easily accessible by car with driving distances of Syracuse-27 miles; Buffalo-163 miles; Albany-162 miles; New York City-278 miles. If Apple Landing does not accommodate your boat there are numerous marinas and launches in the area that will accommodate larger boats as well as provide repair services, dockage and winter storage for your vessel.