The Ferry's Back. Have You Actually Ridden It?
Do you live within twenty minutes of Chautauqua Lake and somehow never taken the Bemus Point–Stow Ferry? You're in good company — and now you're out of excuses.
The ferry opens for the 2026 season on May 22nd and is running every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through the summer. Your window is opening soon.
Here's what makes this little crossing more than just a shortcut across the narrows: it's been making the exact same trip since 1811. That's not a typo. Thomas Bemus — yes, that Bemus — was granted one of the very first licenses issued by the newly formed Chautauqua County to operate a ferry across the lake. At the time, the alternative was a 23-mile trip around the water on barely-cleared trails that could take three to five days. Thomas solved that problem with a wooden raft and a rope stretched between the shores. You pulled yourself across, hand over hand.
Over the next several generations, the operation grew a little more civilized — eventually hauling cows, horses, wagons, and whole farm families across the narrows. By 1888 it had incorporated as an actual business. After World War II, the county highway department took it over, upgraded the barge to hold nine cars, and added paddle wheels. Progress!
Then came 1982, and a bridge opened less than half a mile south of the narrows. Most communities would have quietly let the old ferry retire. Not Chautauqua. A determined group of locals, led by John and Betty Lou Cheney, refused to let it go. Today the Bemus Point–Stow Ferry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit run entirely by volunteers, still making the same crossing Thomas Bemus first charted more than two centuries ago.
The ride takes just a few minutes. It's free — though donations are what keep the whole thing going, so bring a few dollars. You can bring your car, your bike, or just walk on and let the lake move beneath your feet.
2026 Season Hours:
Fridays: 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Saturdays: Noon – 8:30 PM
Sundays: Noon – 8:30 PM
Last weekend of the season: August 8–10
Special mid-week events — birthdays, reunions, even weddings — can be booked by emailing info@thebemuspointstowferry.com at least two weeks ahead.
It's been 215 years. Don't keep making it wait.
