Perris Beach
Near Lakeview Hot Springs, California · on Perris Reservoir · Lake Perris State Recreation Area
Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $10
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Perris Beach
Perris Beach is the designated swimming beach on the northwest shore of Lake Perris, an 8,800-acre reservoir within Lake Perris State Recreation Area in Riverside County, California. It is an official, developed swim area with restrooms, showers, and picnic facilities, part of a state park built around the reservoir since 1973.
The beach sits on a large artificial reservoir surrounded by rugged hills and open scrubland in Riverside County; the park spans over 8,800 acres and includes Alessandro Island, reachable only by boat, along with a paved perimeter trail around the lake (per parks.ca.gov and Wikipedia).
Swimming at Perris Beach
Swimming is an official, designated day-use activity at Perris Beach, with buoyed swim zones that boats must stay at least 50 feet away from; water temperatures reach roughly 70°F and can feel 'bathwater-warm' in summer, per Wikipedia. The setting is a developed lake beach suited to families and casual swimmers rather than a wilderness swimming hole.
How to get to this swimming hole
Lake Perris State Recreation Area is located off the Ramona Expressway, easily accessible from I-215, about 11 miles south of Riverside via Highway 60 or I-215 (per parks.ca.gov).
Parking: Parking is in designated spaces only within the park; double parking is not allowed and vehicles may not occupy pull-through spaces at boat launch ramps unless towing a trailer (per parks.ca.gov).
The hike in
- Time on foot
- Under 5 minutes from parking lot to shoreline
Perris Beach is a drive-up day-use beach: visitors park in the beach day-use lot and walk directly to the sand, a short (roughly 2-5 minute) walk with no trail involved. The park separately maintains a 9-mile paved perimeter trail around the lake, but that trail is for hiking/biking around the reservoir, not a route to reach the swim beach.
Confirmed via the official state park page, which describes the beach as a standard vehicle-accessible day-use facility with its own parking lot; no trip report or land-manager source describes any hike required to reach the water.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Perris Beach is an official, developed reservoir beach with a posted/buoyed swim zone that boats must stay 50 ft away from, which helps separate swimmers from boat traffic. However, it is open reservoir water (not a shallow creek), and no source found confirms lifeguard staffing, exact water depth at shore, or a graded shallow-entry slope, so supervision is still warranted (per parks.ca.gov).
Parking
Paid, $10 standard day-use per vehicle; $20 per vehicle on summer weekends/holidays
Parking is in designated day-use lot spaces only; no double parking, and pull-through spaces near boat launch ramps are reserved for vehicles towing trailers (per parks.ca.gov).
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms and outdoor showers are listed among park facilities alongside picnic areas and drinking water; the official site does not specify exact distance from the restrooms to the sand (per parks.ca.gov).
Hours
Summer (Mar 10-Nov 2): 6am-10pm daily. Winter (Nov 3-Mar 9): 7am-8pm daily (per parks.ca.gov). The on-site marina's boating hours are narrower: summer 6am-7:30pm (last launch 5:30pm), winter 7am-6:30pm (last launch 4:30pm), per recoutsocal.com.
On the water
Restrictions: Motorboats are capped at 35 mph in open water; 5 mph no-wake zones apply near the shoreline and around the east end/island; all vessels must stay at least 50 ft from posted swim-area buoys; non-U.S.-Coast-Guard-approved flotation devices (inflatable floats, tubes, rafts, loungers, non-USCG kayaks) are prohibited; boaters need a California Boater Card and a vessel inspection for invasive species (per parks.ca.gov).
Rec-Out SoCal operates the park's on-site marina/concession, renting kayaks, paddleboards, pedal boats, fishing boats, and pontoon boats directly on the reservoir (per recoutsocal.com).
Rentals nearby
Kayaks, paddleboards, pedal boats, fishing boats, and pontoon boats
On-site marina within Lake Perris State Recreation Area, Perris, CA 92571 · Summer: boating 6am-7:30pm, last launch 5:30pm. Winter: boating 7am-6:30pm, last launch 4:30pm.
Backstory
Lake Perris is an artificial reservoir completed in 1973 that serves as the southern terminus of California's State Water Project (California Aqueduct); the surrounding state recreation area has operated since 1973 but, per its own official page, has never had a formally adopted general plan.
Perris Beach: FAQ
Does Perris Beach charge a fee?
Day-use vehicle fee of $10 standard, rising to $20 per vehicle on summer weekends/holidays; senior rates are also available (per parks.ca.gov).
Is Perris Beach kid friendly?
Perris Beach is an official, developed reservoir beach with a posted/buoyed swim zone that boats must stay 50 ft away from, which helps separate swimmers from boat traffic. However, it is open reservoir water (not a shallow creek), and no source found confirms lifeguard staffing, exact water depth at shore, or a graded shallow-entry slope, so supervision is still warranted (per parks.ca.gov).
Do I need to hike to reach Perris Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Perris Beach?
Parking is in designated day-use lot spaces only; no double parking, and pull-through spaces near boat launch ramps are reserved for vehicles towing trailers (per parks.ca.gov).
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Perris Beach?
Rec-Out SoCal operates the park's on-site marina/concession, renting kayaks, paddleboards, pedal boats, fishing boats, and pontoon boats directly on the reservoir (per recoutsocal.com).
When is the best time to visit Perris Beach?
Summer, corresponding to the park's extended summer hours (March 10 - November 2, 6am-10pm daily) versus winter hours (November 3 - March 9, 7am-8pm daily), per parks.ca.gov.
What are the rules at Perris Beach?
Dogs are not permitted on the beach or in the water because the reservoir is used for municipal water supply; alcohol is prohibited in all day-use areas; non-Coast-Guard-approved inflatables (pool toys, rafts, loungers) are prohibited; boats must stay 50 feet from posted swim areas and observe 5 mph zones near shore and on the island side due to hidden hazards and shallow water; boaters need a California Boater Card and vessel inspection for invasive species (per parks.ca.gov).
What water body is Perris Beach on?
Perris Beach is on Perris Reservoir, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
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