Swimming Beaches and Ponds

Dig your toes into the sand and spend a sunny day on the beach! Three Rivers Park District's refreshing swimming areas are conveniently located near magnificent play areas, trails, visitor centers, campgrounds and much more.

The Park District has both guarded and unguarded beaches. Most of the beaches are located along Minnesota's fine lakes.

The Park District also offers unique upland swimming ponds at Lake Minnetonka Regional Park and Elm Creek Park Reserve. These swim ponds feature giant beach umbrellas and filtered and chlorinated water.

Upland Swimming Ponds

Fees

• $2 per day per person (children under 1 free)
• $20 season family pass

Lifeguard Information

• Ponds are open 9 a.m.-8 p.m through Labor Day, Sept. 1
• Guard times: noon-8 p.m. May 24-May 26; May 31–June 1; June 7–Aug. 10
• Swim ponds will be unguarded during all remaining open hours.

Swimming Beaches

Fees: Swimming at Park District beaches is free.

Lifeguard Information: The beaches are unguarded.

Beaches at the following locations are open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, Memorial Day-Labor Day

• Baker Park Reserve (campground and main beach)
• Bryant Lake Park Reserve
• Carver Park Reserve (campground beach)
• Cleary Lake Regional Park
• Fish Lake Regional Park
• French Regional Park
• Lake Rebecca

Other Information

Rubber Pants Required
Infants and children in diapers are required to wear protective rubber pants while in the beach and pond areas.

Beach Wheelchairs
"De-Bug" Beach Wheelchairs, designed to allow access to areas that would normally be inaccessible for people who use wheelchairs, are available at Elm Creek Park Reserve and Lake Minnetonka Regional Parks. There is no charge for their use.

Water Quality
The Park District's water quality staff monitor swimming beaches to ensure a healthy swimming experience for park guests. Beaches are sampled daily for clarity, weekly for bacteria levels and bi-weekly for nutrients and algae. The bacteria monitoring program is done to ensure that beach water quality meets Health Department standards; data is posted on the water quality page.

To improve water quality, innovative management practices are used, such as the use of beach curtains, a fountain aeration system to chase geese off the water, border collies to herd geese away from swimming beaches, applications of alum to remove algae and bacteria from the water column and flushing the swimming area with well water. Because animals such as geese can increase bacteria levels in swimming areas, Three Rivers Park District prohibits the feeding of geese near beach areas.

If a beach needs to be closed, signs will be posted at entry gates, visitor centers, and at the beach.