Paola Miola Lake
Paola, Kansas · on Dorsey Branch · Lake Miola Park
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $7/day
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Paola Miola Lake
Lake Miola is a small city-owned lake in Miola Park, managed by the City of Paola, Kansas, that doubles as the city's municipal water supply and a public recreation area. It is the local lake to swim in, with a designated sand-beach swim zone serving as the town's official swimming hole, plus a boat ramp, a campground, and picnic facilities, about 3 miles southwest of downtown Paola.
The lake sits within Miola Park off Lake Miola Drive near 298th and 299th Streets southwest of Paola, with a low-water bridge crossing at the north end and a dam near the caretaker's house at the south end. Per the city's official park map, the shoreline is divided into named sub-areas (International Park, Lions Park) with playgrounds, picnic shelters, and restrooms distributed around the lake.
Swimming at Paola Miola Lake
Swimming and wading are confined by city ordinance to a marked sand-beach swim area (or within 25 feet of an anchored boat in the no-wake zone); swimming anywhere else on the lake is prohibited. It is limited to daylight hours, and the area must be vacated when the caretaker's light near the boat ramp is lit. The rest of the lake is used for motorized boating and pole-and-line fishing (bass, walleye/saugeye, wiper); the city's own rules warn the lake bottom has shoals, rocks, stumps, and submerged logs, and that use is entirely at the swimmer's own risk.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located on Lake Miola Drive off 298th/299th Streets, roughly 3 miles southwest of downtown Paola, Kansas.
Parking: Designated vehicle parking area near the swim beach, plus separate boat-trailer parking, shown on the official park map.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Lake Miola is a roadside, parking-lot lake beach, not a hike-in swimming hole. No trail or documented hiking route at Miola Park was found.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
There is a designated sand-beach swim area roped/buoyed off from the boating zone, which helps, but the city ordinance places all swimming entirely at the swimmer's own risk, there is no mention of lifeguards anywhere in the city's park page or rules document, and the lake bottom is officially flagged as having shoals, rocks, stumps, and submerged logs. Kansas news outlets reported a fatal drowning at the lake over Labor Day weekend, Sept 3-4, 2023. Separately, the boating ordinance requires any child 12 or under to wear a life preserver while riding in a boat.
Parking
Free
No fee for swimming or general day use. The official park map (referenced in the rules document) shows a designated vehicle parking area near the swim beach separate from a dedicated boat-trailer parking area.
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms are shown on the city's official Miola Park facilities map among the picnic/playground areas near the lake (per the park rules document reviewed in the prior enrichment pass); this pass could not confirm the exact building type (flush vs. vault) or its precise distance from the swim beach, the city's dedicated Lake Miola web page does not mention restrooms at all.
Hours
No gate/park hours were found for Miola Park itself. Swimming specifically is restricted to daylight hours only, and swimmers must clear the beach when the caretaker's light by the boat ramp is lit. The campground season runs April 1 - November 1 (closed the rest of the year). City hall can be reached at 913-259-3600, Mon-Fri 7:30am-4:30pm; the Lake Miola caretaker's line is 913-259-3620, same hours.
On the water
Restrictions: All watercraft on the lake, including non-motorized craft, must be registered/licensed through the lake caretaker's office. Any boat or personal watercraft must slow to a 5 mph no-wake speed within 100 feet of a no-wake zone, dock, boat ramp, swimmer, anchored/moored vessel, non-motorized watercraft, skier, or fisherman. Personal watercraft (jet skis) may not operate between sunset and sunrise. Children age 12 or under must wear a life preserver while in any boat; anyone operating or riding a personal watercraft must wear one regardless of age. Houseboats and improvised flotation devices (e.g., barrels/drums) are prohibited.
The city's own page for Lake Miola lists 'boating, skiing, swimming, and fishing' as the lake's core activities and separately posts zebra-mussel prevention guidance (clean/drain/dry) for boaters moving between water bodies, confirming trailered/motorized boat use is normal and expected here alongside paddle craft.
Paola Miola Lake: FAQ
Does Paola Miola Lake charge a fee?
No fee for swimming or day use. Boat licenses (craft over 10 hp): $7/day or $35/year for City of Paola/Miami County residents, $15/day or $70/year for non-residents; craft used solely for fishing are free. Camping: $15/day primitive, $20/day electrical hookup, $22/day sewer hookup. A valid Kansas fishing license is required to fish (no separate fishing fee at the lake).
Is Paola Miola Lake kid friendly?
There is a designated sand-beach swim area roped/buoyed off from the boating zone, which helps, but the city ordinance places all swimming entirely at the swimmer's own risk, there is no mention of lifeguards anywhere in the city's park page or rules document, and the lake bottom is officially flagged as having shoals, rocks, stumps, and submerged logs. Kansas news outlets reported a fatal drowning at the lake over Labor Day weekend, Sept 3-4, 2023. Separately, the boating ordinance requires any child 12 or under to wear a life preserver while riding in a boat.
Do I need to hike to reach Paola Miola Lake?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Paola Miola Lake?
No fee for swimming or general day use. The official park map (referenced in the rules document) shows a designated vehicle parking area near the swim beach separate from a dedicated boat-trailer parking area.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Paola Miola Lake?
The city's own page for Lake Miola lists 'boating, skiing, swimming, and fishing' as the lake's core activities and separately posts zebra-mussel prevention guidance (clean/drain/dry) for boaters moving between water bodies, confirming trailered/motorized boat use is normal and expected here alongside paddle craft.
When is the best time to visit Paola Miola Lake?
The campground is open April 1 through November 1 (closed in winter), and stricter stay limits apply between Memorial Day and Labor Day, indicating the swim/camp season peaks in summer.
What are the rules at Paola Miola Lake?
Swimming/wading is restricted to the designated swim area (or within 25 ft of an anchored watercraft in the no-wake zone) and is limited to daylight hours; the area must be vacated when the caretaker's light by the boat ramp is on. Pets are banned from the sand beach (must be leashed in the grass area above it); glass containers and alcohol/cereal malt beverages are prohibited in the sand-beach/swim area specifically (alcohol is otherwise allowed elsewhere in the park). Boats require an annual or daily city license and must observe 5 mph no-wake zones near swimmers, docks, and other boats; personal watercraft cannot operate between sunset and sunrise. Fishing is limited to pole/rod and line (max 2 per person, 3 with a state third-pole license), with posted length/creel limits. Camping is capped at 14 consecutive days (Memorial Day-Labor Day), and the campground closes entirely November 1-April 1.
What water body is Paola Miola Lake on?
Paola Miola Lake is on Dorsey Branch, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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