Carlin Bay Public Beach
Harrison, Idaho
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- June
About Carlin Bay Public Beach
Carlin Bay Public Beach is a small, county-managed beach and boat launch on the east shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene off Idaho Highway 97, a few minutes north of Harrison, Idaho. Kootenai County Parks & Waterways operates it as a combined boat-launch and swim site, formally listing a 'swimming area' among the facility's amenities. It sits next to the privately-run Carlin Bay Resort.
The beach occupies a small bay on the forested east shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene, within the Northern Rockies Conifer Forests ecoregion, surrounded by mountain and woodland scenery typical of this part of the lake's shoreline along the Highway 97 scenic route.
Swimming at Carlin Bay Public Beach
Swimming is in open lake water off a small sand-and-pebble beach next to a public boat ramp and dock. The water is described as calm, clear, and cold, fed by mountain snowmelt, with no significant current or wave hazards, suited to casual lake swimming and wading rather than a wilderness swimming hole. There is no lifeguard on duty.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located just off Idaho Highway 97 next to Carlin Bay Resort, roughly 5 minutes' drive from Harrison, ID.
Parking: On-site parking lot at the boat-ramp facility, with space for single vehicles and vehicles with boat trailers; one aggregator source (sandee.com) describes additional free street parking near the entrance.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up county boat launch and beach directly off ID-97; swimmers walk straight from the parking lot to the water (well under a couple of minutes), no trail or hike involved.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Sand/pebble beach gives an easy, gentle entry and the water is calm and shallow near shore, but the swim area is co-located with an active public boat ramp (motorized boat and trailer traffic) and there is no lifeguard on duty, so young kids need direct supervision, especially near the launch/dock.
Parking
Lot
On-site county parking lot at the boat-ramp facility with separate single-vehicle parking and vehicle-with-boat-trailer parking. One aggregator (sandee.com) separately describes free street parking near the entrance, which may refer to overflow parking rather than the main lot; not independently confirmed.
Restrooms
Yes
Public restrooms are listed as an on-site amenity of the Kootenai County boat-launch/beach facility (per kcgov.us facility page and lakecoeurdalene.com); no detail on restroom type (flush vs. vault) was found.
Water clarity
Clear
Described as calm, cold, and clear, snowmelt-fed lake water by a paddling directory (thepaddlinghub.com), and as having 'crystal-clear waters' by a beach-aggregator site (sandee.com); no first-hand visitor reports of clarity were located (see visitor_insights).
Hours
No separate posted visiting hours found; Kootenai County posts quiet hours of 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. at the facility.
On the water
Restrictions: It is an active county boat launch with a ramp and dock, so motorized boat and trailer traffic uses the same bay as swimmers; Kootenai County requires a boat-launch fee/pass for trailered boats (annual pass or daily fee), but it is unconfirmed whether this fee applies to visitors who only swim/paddle in without a trailer.
A paddling directory (thepaddlinghub.com) calls it beginner-friendly, calm, flat water 'suitable for first-time paddlers' with no significant current or wave hazards, and lists kayaking, canoeing, SUP, and kayak fishing as supported activities.
Carlin Bay Public Beach: FAQ
Does Carlin Bay Public Beach charge a fee?
Kootenai County lists Carlin Bay among its fee-required boat launches (annual pass or daily launch fee); one third-party paddling directory describes it as a no-fee access point, so it is unclear whether a fee applies to beach-only visitors without a boat.
Is Carlin Bay Public Beach kid friendly?
Sand/pebble beach gives an easy, gentle entry and the water is calm and shallow near shore, but the swim area is co-located with an active public boat ramp (motorized boat and trailer traffic) and there is no lifeguard on duty, so young kids need direct supervision, especially near the launch/dock.
Do I need to hike to reach Carlin Bay Public Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Carlin Bay Public Beach?
On-site county parking lot at the boat-ramp facility with separate single-vehicle parking and vehicle-with-boat-trailer parking. One aggregator (sandee.com) separately describes free street parking near the entrance, which may refer to overflow parking rather than the main lot; not independently confirmed.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Carlin Bay Public Beach?
A paddling directory (thepaddlinghub.com) calls it beginner-friendly, calm, flat water 'suitable for first-time paddlers' with no significant current or wave hazards, and lists kayaking, canoeing, SUP, and kayak fishing as supported activities.
When is the best time to visit Carlin Bay Public Beach?
March through November per a paddling directory, with the warmest swimming conditions in late June through August (reported water/air temps around 87-94°F).
What are the rules at Carlin Bay Public Beach?
County-posted quiet hours of 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.; standard Kootenai County boat-launch fee rules apply to trailered boats.
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