Emerald Lake is a trailer resort open for day-use visitors. This natural setting is utterly unique in the region. It is your chance to swim in the pristine green water of a spring-fed lake. More importantly, it is your child's opportunity to jump off a diving board into a real lake. Even better, since our last visit, they've added water toys such as a water trampoline (you’ll need to rent a life jacket to use these or bring your own). The lakeshore consists of rock plates descending into the water like some man-made stairs. It's the pale bedrock that gives the water its nice emerald hue. When I swam in the farthest part of the lake, enclosed by overhanging boughs of trees, watching my daredevil jumping off the board atop the small cliff, it felt like Eden (despite the fact that spring-fed water is cold)! We rented a paddle boat (they also rent kayaks) and the kids did more jumping. With the younger kids, you will want to stick to the 3,400-square-foot splash pad (not there yet when we visited). There's also a 200-foot water slide with small receiving pool. It can get quite crowded but is really worth it.
