Lake Barkley Beach
Cadiz, Kentucky · Barkley Recreation Area
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- See details below
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Lake Barkley Beach
Lake Barkley Beach is the official public swimming beach of Lake Barkley State Resort Park near Cadiz, Kentucky: a free, sandy lake beach on the Little River arm of Lake Barkley, open seasonally from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend contingent on Trigg County Health Department water-quality testing. It sits in the resort park's upper beach area (reachable by car via the upper beach parking lot or on foot via the Cedar Grove and Wagon Wheel trails from the campground/lodge), with a bathhouse and basketball courts on site, and it is the park's designated swimming hole for anyone after a lake to swim in. Local news coverage from July 2024 documents the beach's active seasonal use, including a storm-related closure and health-department-cleared reopening. The USACE/PAD-US 'Barkley Recreation Area' land designation reflects the underlying federal land lease, but day to day the beach is operated as the swimming area of the Kentucky State Parks-run Lake Barkley State Resort Park.
A sandy freshwater beach on the Little River embayment of Lake Barkley, within Lake Barkley State Resort Park near Cadiz, KY, close to the park lodge, campground, and marina, and surrounded by wooded shoreline and nearby lakeside residential communities (Rockcastle Shores, Cedar Point, Blue Water Estates).
Swimming at Lake Barkley Beach
A designated, health-department-monitored swimming beach on Lake Barkley; swimming is permitted during the park's seasonal operating hours (reported as roughly 9am-9pm in season) when water-quality testing passes.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located within Lake Barkley State Resort Park off State Park Rd, Cadiz, KY 42211; follow signage inside the park to the upper beach parking lot.
Parking: Free parking in the resort park's upper beach parking lot.
The hike in
Cedar Grove Trail (moderate, 2 mi one-way) or Wagon Wheel Trail (easy, 0.3 mi)
- To the water
- 0.3 mi one-way via Wagon Wheel Trail from the campground, or 2 mi one-way via Cedar Grove Trail from the lodge
- Time on foot
- Wagon Wheel Trail: roughly 10-15 minutes. Cedar Grove Trail: roughly 45-60 minutes one-way at an easy walking pace.
Difficulty: Wagon Wheel Trail: easy (gentle slope, fairly straight). Cedar Grove Trail: moderate (one steep, slippery-when-wet section).
Trailhead: Cedar Grove Trail starts from the lower parking lot near the lodge's east wing; Wagon Wheel Trail starts from the Campground Pavilion (both trails end at/near the main beach parking area).
Neither trail is required to reach the beach - there is a dedicated upper beach parking lot with drive-up access. The trails are optional walking routes: Wagon Wheel Trail is a short, flat 0.3-mile connector mainly used by campground guests, while Cedar Grove Trail is a longer 2-mile route from the lodge through an eastern redcedar grove with lake views and a spring-fed creek, including one steep, potentially slippery section coming off a ridge.
Both trails are alternatives to driving, not requirements - most visitors simply park at the beach's own upper lot.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Sandy, gently-sloped lake beach designed for swimming (not a rocky/cliff spot), which suits kids, but Land Between the Lakes' regional beaches page states plainly that there are no lifeguards at any beach in or around the LBL/Lake Barkley area, so swimming is always at visitors' own risk. Parents should supervise closely, especially since Lake Barkley is an open reservoir with boat traffic nearby rather than a fully enclosed swim cove.
Parking
Free
Free upper beach parking lot directly at the beach. A separate lower parking lot near the lodge's east wing serves as the trailhead for the Cedar Grove Trail walking route, and the Campground Pavilion lot serves as the trailhead for the Wagon Wheel Trail.
Restrooms
Yes
A bathhouse is on site at the beach (confirmed by both the official Lake Barkley State Resort Park page and the Land Between the Lakes regional beaches guide, which also notes picnic tables at the beach).
Hours
Beach open seasonally, Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, contingent on Trigg County Health Department water-quality testing; swimming hours reported as roughly 9am-9pm in season (per prior enrichment/local news). The park's own Lake Barkley Marina, a short walk/drive away, keeps separate daily rental-desk hours (reported around 8am-8pm, seasonal).
On the water
Lake Barkley broadly supports kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, pontoon boats, and motorboats, evidenced by the marinas operating on the lake (Lake Barkley Marina inside the resort park itself, plus Prizer Point and Eddy Creek marinas). No source specifically addresses whether motorized/paddle craft are restricted directly within the roped-off designated swimming area at Lake Barkley Beach itself - that detail is left null rather than assumed.
Rentals nearby
Kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and pontoon/other boats, rented by the hour or by the day; located inside Lake Barkley State Resort Park itself, an easy walk/drive from the beach.
Prices: Reported (via aggregated search results, not directly confirmed on-site) as roughly $35-70 for kayak rentals and boat rentals starting around $109; treat as approximate, contact marina to confirm.
4200 State Park Rd, Cadiz, KY 42211 (inside Lake Barkley State Resort Park, near the lodge) · Reported around 8am-8pm daily, seasonal; the marina's own site references 'End of Season' and 'New Operating Hours' postings rather than listing fixed hours, so confirm before visiting. Online booking portal (rentals.lakebarkleymarina.com) was showing 'site disabled' at time of research.
Pontoon and tritoon boat rentals (e.g., a 70hp 'SlideZilla' pontoon-with-slide and a 140hp tritoon holding 10-12 people), plus kayaks and paddleboards.
1777 Prizer Point Rd, Mile Marker 55, Cadiz, KY 42211 - about 3.7 mi from the beach
Pontoon and tritoon boat rentals directly, plus kayak rentals (single/tandem and fishing kayaks) via its listed rental partner.
Prices: Kayaks: 4 hours $45, 8 hours $55 (half-day rentals start at noon; no reservations taken for half-day rentals per the listing).
7612 KY-93 S, Eddyville, KY 42038 - about 11.2 mi from the beach
Backstory
In July 2024, the beach was temporarily closed after back-to-back storms and repairs to an emergency phone line, then reopened once the Trigg County Health Department cleared it; park manager Ashley Joiner noted future closures would only follow poor water-quality results or storm debris.
Lake Barkley Beach: FAQ
Does Lake Barkley Beach charge a fee?
Free / no admission fee for the beach itself (day-use area of a state resort park).
Is Lake Barkley Beach kid friendly?
Sandy, gently-sloped lake beach designed for swimming (not a rocky/cliff spot), which suits kids, but Land Between the Lakes' regional beaches page states plainly that there are no lifeguards at any beach in or around the LBL/Lake Barkley area, so swimming is always at visitors' own risk. Parents should supervise closely, especially since Lake Barkley is an open reservoir with boat traffic nearby rather than a fully enclosed swim cove.
Do I need to hike to reach Lake Barkley Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Lake Barkley Beach?
Free upper beach parking lot directly at the beach. A separate lower parking lot near the lodge's east wing serves as the trailhead for the Cedar Grove Trail walking route, and the Campground Pavilion lot serves as the trailhead for the Wagon Wheel Trail.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Lake Barkley Beach?
Lake Barkley broadly supports kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, pontoon boats, and motorboats, evidenced by the marinas operating on the lake (Lake Barkley Marina inside the resort park itself, plus Prizer Point and Eddy Creek marinas). No source specifically addresses whether motorized/paddle craft are restricted directly within the roped-off designated swimming area at Lake Barkley Beach itself - that detail is left null rather than assumed.
When is the best time to visit Lake Barkley Beach?
Summer, during the park's official beach season (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend).
What are the rules at Lake Barkley Beach?
Managed by Kentucky State Parks; open seasonally Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, contingent on water-quality testing administered with the Trigg County Health Department; closed during storm cleanup or failed water-quality tests. No lifeguard information was found in any source, so guarded/unguarded status is not asserted.
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