Prospect Lake
Colorado Springs, Colorado · Memorial Park
Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Prospect Lake
Prospect Lake is a city-owned lake at the center of Memorial Park in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a designated swim beach that the city opens on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It sits alongside a paved lake-loop trail, a Beach House with beach volleyball, and broader park amenities, making it more of an urban park swim spot than a backcountry hole.
Prospect Lake occupies the center of Memorial Park, a large urban park at 1605 E. Pikes Peak Ave. in Colorado Springs. A 1.25-mile paved trail with fitness stations rings the lake, and the park also contains sports fields, tennis and basketball courts, a skate park, an ice center, and an indoor-pool recreation center, giving the lake area a developed, city-park character rather than a natural or remote setting.
Swimming at Prospect Lake
Swimming is restricted to a designated beach area at the lake and is only permitted on specific days (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday), with no lifeguard on duty at any time. Swimming or wading outside the designated beach, and swimming or diving from watercraft anywhere on the lake, is prohibited. This points to a supervised-in-name-only, shallow, sandy-beach style swim area suited to casual local swimmers rather than a natural swimming hole experience.
How to get to this swimming hole
Memorial Park, containing Prospect Lake, is located at 1605 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Colorado Springs; the Beach House and beach volleyball courts sit at 619 Prospect Lake Drive on the lake.
The hike in
Memorial Park has a paved 1.25-mile trail that loops the lake with fitness stations, but it's a recreational loop, not an approach trail, the swim beach is reachable directly from park roads/parking with just a short walk.
No hike is required; this is a drive-up urban city-park lake.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Swimming is confined to a designated beach and only open Tue/Thu/Sat, at your own risk with no lifeguard on duty ever. The lake also has a documented history of toxic blue-green algae (closed in 2020), so conditions can vary; fine for kids with an attentive adult on an open swim day but not a supervised, always-on swim spot.
Parking
Free
No parking fee is mentioned anywhere on the city's Memorial Park or lakes pages; only watercraft and fishing require paid permits, not parking or swimming. The Beach House/swim-beach area sits at 619 Prospect Lake Drive inside Memorial Park; exact lot layout (dedicated lot vs. street parking) isn't specified on official pages.
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms are listed among Memorial Park's on-site facilities, and the SUP Colorado Springs boathouse on the lake's northwest shore also has restrooms/changing rooms for its customers. The city notes 'seasonal restrooms' at its parks are closed October through April for winterization, which may apply here.
Water clarity
Varies with season and flow
First-hand clarity reports are scarce, but local news shows Prospect Lake has a real algae history: it was closed in June 2020 for toxic blue-green algae that 'likely made a comeback' after blooms that killed dogs and shut down other Pikes Peak-region waters, and in October 2024 the city began installing a lake aeration system meant to turn over the lake's water roughly every two days to curb future blooms. Check current city advisories before swimming.
Hours
Citywide park hours apply: 5am-9pm Nov 1-Apr 30, 5am-10pm May 1-Oct 31. The designated swim beach itself is open only Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, swim-at-your-own-risk with no lifeguard.
On the water
Restrictions: Non-motorized watercraft (kayak, canoe, paddleboard, sailboat, other hand-propelled craft) are permitted Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday only; motorized boats are permitted Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Sunday only, and the two groups don't share the water on the same day. Annual non-motorized permit is $50 (day pass $5/vessel); annual motorized permit is $125 (day pass $10/vessel) and requires proof of liability insurance with a $300,000 combined single limit. PFDs are mandatory for all riders 12 and under. No anchoring devices allowed; no swimming or diving from watercraft; boating runs sunrise to sunset and is prohibited during electrical storms.
Permits/day passes are required for all watercraft use regardless of type. Swimming is handled separately, restricted to the designated beach on its own Tue/Thu/Sat schedule.
Rentals nearby
Kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals, beginner lessons, and SUP yoga sessions; all rentals include basic safety equipment and a basic lesson. Operates from an on-site boathouse with restrooms/changing rooms; welcomes kids 8+ (younger case-by-case) and dogs (limited vests).
427 Prospect Lake Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80910, northwest side of Prospect Lake, near the boathouse
What regulars say
Candid visitor discussion of Prospect Lake is thin, and the most concrete independent picture comes from local news coverage: Prospect Lake has had toxic blue-green algae closures (June 2020), prompting a 2024 city investment in lake aeration to reduce future blooms, and city rules themselves emphasize there is no lifeguard on any of the three weekly swim days.
Prospect Lake: FAQ
Does Prospect Lake charge a fee?
No fee is mentioned for swimming itself; permits are required for fishing and for any watercraft use (motorized or non-motorized), not for swimming or general park entry.
Is Prospect Lake kid friendly?
Swimming is confined to a designated beach and only open Tue/Thu/Sat, at your own risk with no lifeguard on duty ever. The lake also has a documented history of toxic blue-green algae (closed in 2020), so conditions can vary; fine for kids with an attentive adult on an open swim day but not a supervised, always-on swim spot.
Do I need to hike to reach Prospect Lake?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Prospect Lake?
No parking fee is mentioned anywhere on the city's Memorial Park or lakes pages; only watercraft and fishing require paid permits, not parking or swimming. The Beach House/swim-beach area sits at 619 Prospect Lake Drive inside Memorial Park; exact lot layout (dedicated lot vs. street parking) isn't specified on official pages.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Prospect Lake?
Permits/day passes are required for all watercraft use regardless of type. Swimming is handled separately, restricted to the designated beach on its own Tue/Thu/Sat schedule.
What are the rules at Prospect Lake?
Swimming/wading is allowed only in the designated beach area, and only on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; no lifeguard is on duty; swimming or diving from watercraft is prohibited; occasional organized open-water swim events may be scheduled that pre-empt boating hours; alcohol is prohibited park-wide; dogs must be leashed except in designated off-leash areas; park hours are 5am-9pm (Nov-Apr) or 5am-10pm (May-Oct).
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