Pennsylvania is full of amazing lakes to take a dip in during the summer. Check out this list of lakes for swimming near Pennsylvania. Be sure to check the websites of the state park before venturing out, as lake levels and safety could change, resulting in closure. Be sure to follow safety precautions, as natural hazards exist in the wild.
Whipple Dam State Park – Petersburg, PA
Whipple Dam State Park is a 256-acre park for picnicking, hiking, and swimming in the summer. It’s located at 3746 Laurel Run Road in Petersburg, which is in Huntingdon County.
The swimming area at Whipple Dam State Park includes a roped area and sandy beach. There are picnic tables on the grass. Keep in mind it can be busy on a hot summer day.
Cowans Gap State Park – Fort Loudon, PA
Cowans Gap State Park is a 1,085-acre park located in Fulton County. The park has a concession stand that is open Memorial day weekend to Labor Day. There are also many environmental education and recreation programs the park to offer.
Cowans Gap has 13 miles of hiking trails, places to picnic, camp, and swim. The park also boasts places to boat on the 42-acre lake, as well as watch wild life and fish.
Pine Grove Furnace State Park – Gardeners, PA
Pine Grove Furnace is home to two swimming lakes, Fuller Lake and Laurel Lake. Each of these beaches includes a sandy entrance into a roped portion of the lake for swimming. Both Laurel and Fuller Lake have large buildings which house restrooms, snack bars, and first aid for the summer months. Both lakes have picnic areas with tables by the water.
Laurel and Fuller lake are very similar other than Laurel Lake is larger than Fuller lake. Boating is also only allowed on Laurel Lake.
Greenwood Furnace State Park – Huntingdon, PA
Greenwood Furnace State Park is a 423-acre state park, with a lake with swimming beach in the summer. There’s also a campground, hiking trails, and an historic area.
The park has a snack bar by the beach that is open Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend. There is a visitor center and gift shop.
Presque Isle State Park – Erie, PA
Presque Isle State Park is a 3,200-acre peninsula located in Erie, Pennsylvania. There is an arch that forms Presque Isle Bay, this is the side that is facing Lake Erie. The outer beaches on Lake Erie provide s slight surf swim.
The beaches are numbered and increase as you go further into the state park. Each beach provides a different experience. The most popular beaches are beaches 7, 8, and 11. In the parking area there are bathrooms for public use.
Beach 8 has a larger parking area and newer restrooms with showers to help get the sand off. Presque Isle is home to two lighthouses, Presque Isle Lighthouse and North Pier Lighthouse. You can visit these lighthouses and climb to the top of the Presque Isle Lighthouse.
Hickory Run State Park – White Haven, PA
Hickory Run State Park is located in the Pocono Mountain region. This park includes attractions such as a lake with a swimming beach (in the summer), a boulder field, hiking trails, and a waterfall.
The lake beach access has a large parking lot. As while as lots of picnic tables and a grove of trees. There is also a snack bar and restrooms.
The boulder field is a field filled with boulders. It is a very unique attraction and can be difficult to navigate. There are also 40 miles of hiking trails. The park is most known for the Shades of Death trail that has a waterfall along the trail, called Stametz Dam Waterfall.
Ricketts Glen State Park – Benton, PA
Ricketts Glen State Park is located in Benton, PA and is a 13,000-acre state park. This park is famous for their waterfall loop, where you can see over 20 waterfalls. Lake Rose parking lot is where you would park to hike the waterfall loop.
There is also a lake at Ricketts Glen that is a sandy beach to swim in. In the beach area there are picnic tables, restrooms, and changing areas.
Raystown Lake – Huntingdon County, PA
There are two beach swimming areas at Raystown Lake, Seven Points beach and Tatman Run beach. You can also rent a boat and explore the lake, or you can launch your own boat.
Seven Points beach is the larger of the two and there is a concession stand and playground at the Seven Points beach. Seven Points also has picnic tables to eat at or relax at.
Laurel Hill State Park
Laurel Hill State Park features a swimming beach, a man-made waterfall dam, and a picnicking area. One of the main attractions is Jones Mill Run Dam. The hike to the dam is absolutely worth it at the end when you see the beautiful waterfall dam.
Laurel Hill State Park also has a beach that in the summer months is a swimming beach. By the lake are many picnic tables with some under a pavilion. The beach also has some playground equipment, a sand volleyball court, and a food concession stand.
Looking for some amazing state parks in Maryland?
Check out Herrington Manor State Park, Gunpowder Falls State Park, and Point Lookout State Park.
