Big Hill Lake Beach Area, Mound Valley Park
Cherryvale, Kansas
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Big Hill Lake Beach Area, Mound Valley Park
Mound Valley Park is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recreation area on Big Hill Lake, a reservoir about 5 miles east of Cherryvale, Kansas. The park's designated swimming hole is a sand swim beach described by the Corps as one of the largest sand beaches in southeast Kansas, set on a lake known locally for unusually clear water.
The park sits on Big Hill Lake in rolling, wooded terrain locally called the 'Little Ozarks,' with oak-hickory forest surrounding the lake and prairie/farmland beyond, per the campground's official description.
Swimming at Big Hill Lake Beach Area, Mound Valley Park
Swimming is at a large, official Corps-managed sand beach on the reservoir rather than a river or creek swim spot. The lake is described by the Corps as one of the clearest in Kansas, and the beach is set up as a family swim area with a change house, playground, and ball field nearby.
How to get to this swimming hole
Big Hill Lake is located about 5 miles east of Cherryvale, Kansas; Mound Valley Park's address is 19065 Cherryvale Parkway, Cherryvale, KS 67335, per the USACE-run recreation.gov listings.
Parking: A Mound Valley Day Use Pass is required to park for the swim beach, boat ramp, or horse trails unless camping overnight; the pass does not guarantee a parking spot and parking outside designated areas can result in fines or towing.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up, official Corps day-use beach with an adjacent parking lot; no trail or hike is needed to reach the water. Exact walk distance from the lot to the sand wasn't stated in any source found, but nothing suggests it's more than a short walk.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
USACE/recreation.gov market the Mound Valley beach as a family spot ('kids will enjoy visiting...for cooling off from the summer heat') with a large sand entry and change house, but this is open reservoir water, not a shallow contained pool, and no source mentions lifeguards on duty, so supervision is still needed.
Parking
Paid
A Mound Valley Day Use Pass (purchased via Recreation.gov or on-site) is required to park at the swim beach/boat ramp unless camping overnight; the pass does not guarantee a spot, and vehicles parked outside designated areas can be fined or towed. Recreation.gov and the USACE district page both confirm a day-use fee applies but neither lists the exact dollar amount; call the project office (620) 336-2741 for current rates.
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms and showers at the Mound Valley Park swim beach area, plus a change house nearby; the separate Overlook day-use area on the same lake has flush toilets and drinking water (per recreation.gov listings).
Water clarity
Clear
Both the USACE Tulsa District page and Kansas Tourism material describe Big Hill Lake as one of the clearest lakes in Kansas; the neighboring Overlook Park listing on recreation.gov separately calls it 'crystal clear.' No independent (non-official) water-clarity reports were located to corroborate this further.
On the water
Restrictions: General Kansas State boating law plus USACE rules apply lake-wide: personal watercraft/boats must slow to no-wake speed (5 mph or less) within 200 feet of any dock, boat ramp, swimmer, bridge, or moored/anchored boat. A boat ramp exists at Mound Valley Park, and the Mound Valley Day Use Pass explicitly covers boat ramp use. No lake-specific horsepower cap was found in the sources checked.
Watercraft launch is via the boat ramp, separate from the designated swim beach itself; no source described paddling directly off the swim beach.
What regulars say
Visitors describe the setting as quiet, 'nothing but the wind in the trees and the splash of people in the lake,' consistent with a low-key, uncrowded rural Corps lake rather than a busy tourist beach. First-hand accounts specifically about this beach are thin, so treat this as light visitor color rather than confirmed crowd-sourced reports.
Big Hill Lake Beach Area, Mound Valley Park: FAQ
Does Big Hill Lake Beach Area, Mound Valley Park charge a fee?
Day use fees apply for beach access and boat ramp use (Mound Valley Day Use Pass), purchasable in advance on Recreation.gov or on-site; exact fee amount not found, project office (620) 336-2741 given for details.
Is Big Hill Lake Beach Area, Mound Valley Park kid friendly?
USACE/recreation.gov market the Mound Valley beach as a family spot ('kids will enjoy visiting...for cooling off from the summer heat') with a large sand entry and change house, but this is open reservoir water, not a shallow contained pool, and no source mentions lifeguards on duty, so supervision is still needed.
Do I need to hike to reach Big Hill Lake Beach Area, Mound Valley Park?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Big Hill Lake Beach Area, Mound Valley Park?
A Mound Valley Day Use Pass (purchased via Recreation.gov or on-site) is required to park at the swim beach/boat ramp unless camping overnight; the pass does not guarantee a spot, and vehicles parked outside designated areas can be fined or towed. Recreation.gov and the USACE district page both confirm a day-use fee applies but neither lists the exact dollar amount; call the project office (620) 336-2741 for current rates.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Big Hill Lake Beach Area, Mound Valley Park?
Watercraft launch is via the boat ramp, separate from the designated swim beach itself; no source described paddling directly off the swim beach.
What are the rules at Big Hill Lake Beach Area, Mound Valley Park?
Alcoholic beverages and pets are prohibited within the swim beach area at Mound Valley Park; a valid day-use pass is required for the swim beach unless camping.
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