Sandy Creek Park Beach

Athens, Georgia · on Dam Number 10 · Sandy Creek Park

Verified · 4 independent sources

WATER: reservoir
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: $2 per person
SEASON: Varies by conditions

About Sandy Creek Park Beach

Sandy Creek Park Beach is a designated swimming beach on 260-acre Lake Chapman inside Athens-Clarke County's 782-acre Sandy Creek Park. It is an officially maintained county recreation facility, a sand-beach swimming hole with paid admission and no lifeguard on duty, and it gives Athens a proper lake to swim in.

The beach sits on Lake Chapman, a 260-acre reservoir within the 782-acre Sandy Creek Park, a multi-use county park northeast of downtown Athens that also includes ballfields, disc golf, horse and hiking trails, and boat rentals.

Swimming at Sandy Creek Park Beach

A managed lake beach with a designated wading and swimming area of just over half an acre and more than 28,000 square feet of sand shoreline. No lifeguard is on duty, so swimmers use the area at their own risk; the setup (sand beach, shallow wading zone) suggests it suits families and casual swimmers rather than open-water swimmers.

How to get to this swimming hole

The park entrance and beach are at 400 Bob Holman Rd, Athens, GA 30607; beach parking is in Lot 4 (primary) with overflow in Lot 5.

Parking: On-site parking at Lot 4 (primary, closest to the beach) with overflow parking in Lot 5.

The hike in

Lakeside Trail (optional, not required for beach access)

Trailhead: Parking Lots 14 and 15, off the park's interior roads

The beach itself is a drive-up destination (park at Lot 4, walk ~250 ft to the sand). The 7.5-mile moderate Lakeside Trail, which follows the Lake Chapman shoreline, passes near Picnic Area 2 and reaches the beach around its 6.5-mile mark for hikers doing the full loop, but this is a recreational option, not a required approach.

Sandy Creek Park also has the Cook's Trail/Oxbow Loop (5 mi round trip) and the Buckeye Horse Trail (8.4 mi round trip, out-and-back), neither of which is needed to reach the beach.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Sand beach with a designated shallow wading/swimming zone (over half an acre) suits young kids, but there is no lifeguard on duty, so adults need to actively supervise.

Parking

Lot

Free-to-park Lot 4 is the primary beach lot (~250 ft from the sand), with Lot 5 as overflow. A separate park admission fee applies ($2/person ages 4-64; free under 4 and 65+), not a parking fee.

Restrooms

Yes

Nearest restrooms are at Pavilion 1, about 650 ft from the beach.

Hours

Park open daily 7:00 AM-8:30 PM except Mondays (closed); entrance gate closes 30 minutes before the exit gate locks at closing time. The beach/swimming area is open year-round.

On the water

KayaksCanoesPaddleboardsSailboatsElectric motorboat

Restrictions: Gasoline-powered motors are strictly prohibited on Lake Chapman at all times; only electric and non-motorized watercraft are permitted. Georgia DNR boating regulations apply, including one USCG-approved PFD per person aboard.

Swimming is prohibited on the lake except within the designated Beach Swimming Area. A boat ramp with trailer parking/dock serves larger craft; a separate earthen launch near the beach serves small watercraft.

Rentals nearby

Sandy Creek Park Boat Rentals (Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services)

Canoes, kayaks, and tandem kayaks

Prices: $8.00 per boat per hour (all boat types), 2-hour maximum rental

On-site at Sandy Creek Park, Lake Chapman, 400 Bob Holman Rd, Athens, GA 30607 · 10:00 AM-5:00 PM, weekends only, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend; last rental at 4:00 PM, all boats due back by 5:00 PM

Sandy Creek Park Beach: FAQ

Does Sandy Creek Park Beach charge a fee?

Park admission is $2 per person for ages 4-64; free for children under 4 and adults 65+. An additional $1 fee applies for disc golf. Annual passes are $50 for residents and $75 for non-residents.

Is Sandy Creek Park Beach kid friendly?

Sand beach with a designated shallow wading/swimming zone (over half an acre) suits young kids, but there is no lifeguard on duty, so adults need to actively supervise.

Do I need to hike to reach Sandy Creek Park Beach?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Sandy Creek Park Beach?

Free-to-park Lot 4 is the primary beach lot (~250 ft from the sand), with Lot 5 as overflow. A separate park admission fee applies ($2/person ages 4-64; free under 4 and 65+), not a parking fee.

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Sandy Creek Park Beach?

What are the rules at Sandy Creek Park Beach?

Park is open 7:00 AM to 8:30 PM daily except Mondays (closed); the entrance gate closes 30 minutes before the exit gate locks at closing time. The beach has a posted Beach Rules sign with additional rules specific to the swimming area, though the full text was not accessible in this research. No lifeguard is on duty at the beach.

What water body is Sandy Creek Park Beach on?

Sandy Creek Park Beach is on Dam Number 10, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.