Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach

Liberty, Indiana · on Whitewater Lake · Whitewater State Park

Verified · 4 independent sources

WATER: lake
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: $7/day
SEASON: Varies by conditions

About Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach

Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach is the official swim beach on the 200-acre Whitewater Lake inside Whitewater Memorial State Park near Liberty, Indiana. The park, Indiana's 16th, was established in 1949 as a memorial to soldiers who died in World Wars I and II. The beach is the park's designated swimming hole, with swimming included in the entrance fee, though it is subject to periodic bacteria and algae-related closures.

The beach sits on Whitewater Lake, a 200-acre lake within the roughly 23,000-acre Whitewater Memorial State Park/Brookville Lake complex in Union County, Indiana, between the towns of Brookville and Liberty. The park also borders the much larger Brookville Reservoir (5,260 acres, built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1974) and includes the Hornbeam Nature Preserve, a 37-acre stand of rare hornbeam trees.

Swimming at Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach

Swimming takes place at a designated lake beach with no listed water-body-wide swim restrictions beyond periodic advisories; the park explicitly lists 'Swimming / Beach' as a park activity and the beach is included in general park entrance fees rather than charged separately (unlike the park's pools). No lifeguards are stationed at the beach, and it operates under Indiana's 'swim at your own risk' beach policy (all state park beaches except Indiana Dunes).

How to get to this swimming hole

The park address is 1418 S. State Road 101, Liberty, IN 47353, located between Brookville and Liberty in Union County. The beach can also be reached on foot via the Cattail Alley Trail, a roughly 1-mile trail connecting the family campground to the beach.

The hike in

Cattail Alley Trail

To the water: about 1 mi one-way if walking the full Cattail Alley Trail from the campground
Time on foot: roughly 20-30 min one-way on foot at a casual pace for the full 1-mile trail

Difficulty: moderate (per official park trail list)

Trailhead: Whitewater Memorial State Park family campground; the trail is an optional walking connector between the campground and the Whitewater Lake beach area (the beach is also directly drive-up accessible via the park's main road/parking, per prior verification pass)

Cattail Alley Trail is a stand-alone ~1-mile trail (not a longer through-trail with the swim spot partway along it) that simply links the campground to the beach; visitors driving in do not need to hike it at all

Passes cattail marsh habitat on its northwest end. Four other short trails in the park (Memorial Loop 2.5mi, Red Springs Loop 1.2mi, Lakeshore Trail 2.7mi, Veterans Vista Loop 2mi) are separate recreational hikes, not required for beach access.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Designated lake swim beach, but Indiana DNR operates all state park beaches (except Indiana Dunes) under a 'swim at your own risk' policy with no lifeguards on duty, and requires children 12 and under to be supervised by someone 16+ in the swim area. The beach has also had periodic water-quality closures (blue-green algae advisory; a July 2025 E. coli closure), so check current conditions before a visit. No specific data found on beach slope/depth at entry.

Swim smart

The beach has been subject to closures from water-quality issues: a blue-green algae advisory was in effect as of the official park page (visitors advised to avoid contact with algae and avoid swallowing water), and on July 1, 2025 the beach was closed to swimming after weekly testing showed E. coli levels above safe limits. No lifeguards are on duty at the beach.

Rules: Indiana DNR's statewide beach policy applies: a 'swim at your own risk' policy is in effect (no lifeguards at the beach, unlike at pools), and children age 12 and under must be supervised by someone 16 or older when entering the swim area.

This is an informational listing, not an invitation. Conditions and access change; verify locally before you go. Visiting any swimming hole is at your own risk. See our Terms of Use.

On the water

CanoesPaddleboardsKayaksMotorboats

Restrictions: Whitewater Lake (the beach's lake) is electric-trolling-motor only for boats -- no gas outboards. Full gas motorboats are permitted instead on the park's adjoining Brookville Lake/Reservoir, which has its own separate boat ramp.

Non-motorized craft (canoe, kayak, paddleboard) are not called out as restricted beyond the general electric-only rule for powered boats; the park's own rental fleet (canoe/paddleboat/rowboat) confirms non-motorized use is normal on Whitewater Lake. Park has one boat launch ramp on Whitewater Lake and one on Brookville Lake.

Rentals nearby

Barton's Bay Marina

Canoe, paddleboat, and rowboat rentals (listed as a park facility/concession on Whitewater Lake)

Within Whitewater Memorial State Park, on Whitewater Lake

Kent's Harbor Marina

Pontoon boat rentals and a 'boating club' membership program (Leisure, Double Decker, and Ski pontoon models, 60-150 hp, 1-14 passenger capacity)

15179 Old State Road 101, Liberty, IN 47353 (adjacent to the park; phone (765) 458-7431)

Backstory

Whitewater Memorial State Park was established in 1949 as Indiana's 16th state park, dedicated as a memorial to American soldiers who died in World Wars I and II. It hosted the traveling Vietnam Memorial 'Moving Wall' in September 2008 and lay within the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse.

Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach: FAQ

Does Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach charge a fee?

Standard Indiana state park vehicle entrance fee applies: $7/day for in-state vehicles, $15/day for out-of-state vehicles, $2/person for pedestrians and cyclists age 5+; annual passes are $50 (resident) or $120 (non-resident). Beach swimming is included in the entrance fee (separate from the park's $3/person pool admission).

Is Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach?

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

Where do I park for Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach?

Vehicle entrance fee applies park-wide ($7/day in-state, $15/day out-of-state, $2/pedestrian or cyclist) but no beach-specific lot location, capacity, or cost beyond the standard gate fee was found on official pages retrieved.

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach?

What are the rules at Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach?

Indiana DNR's statewide beach policy applies: a 'swim at your own risk' policy is in effect (no lifeguards at the beach, unlike at pools), and children age 12 and under must be supervised by someone 16 or older when entering the swim area.

What water body is Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach on?

Whitewater Memorial State Park Beach is on Whitewater Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.

Conditions right now

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Get directions

Managed by

Whitewater State Park

Official site · Indiana Department of Natural Resources

At a glance

Land access: Open to the public
Facilities: marina/boat rental concessions (Barton's Bay Marina and Kent's Harbor Marina); camp store
Highlights: Park dedicated as a war memorial to WWI and WWII dead; Adjacent to Brookville Reservoir, a 5,260-acre Army Corps of Engineers lake, giving the complex both a smaller park lake beach and a much larger reservoir; Hornbeam Nature Preserve, a 37-acre stand of rare hornbeam trees
Nearby towns: Roseburg (1.9mi); Salem (3.1mi); Lyonsville (3.4mi); Dunlapsville (3.5mi)
Coordinates: 39.6148, -84.9659