Mill Run Recreation Area
Friendsville, Maryland · on Collier Run · Youghiogheny River Lake
Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Mill Run Recreation Area
Mill Run Recreation Area is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campground and day-use beach on Youghiogheny River Lake, near Friendsville, Maryland, in the Laurel Highlands where Pennsylvania meets Maryland. The facility centers on a 30-site campground with a designated swimming hole, a swim beach and boat launch on the reservoir shoreline, giving campers a lake to swim in right on site.
The recreation area sits along a 16-mile-long reservoir with channels up to half a mile wide, in a landscape of narrow valleys and high rounded hills covered in northern hardwood forest (beech, sugar maple, ash), with wildlife including deer, turkey, grouse, rabbit, and squirrel, according to the official USACE campground listing.
Swimming at Mill Run Recreation Area
The site includes a maintained swim beach directly on the Youghiogheny River Lake shoreline within the campground, alongside a boat launch used for boating and water skiing. No details on water depth, bottom type, or lifeguard presence were found in available sources.
How to get to this swimming hole
From US Route 40 East, turn right onto Friendsville-Addison Road (about 3 miles), then right onto Mill Run Road to the recreation area; from Route 40 West, turn left onto Friendsville-Addison Road, then right onto Mill Run Road, per the official Recreation.gov listing.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. The swim beach and boat launch are located directly within the campground/day-use area on the reservoir shoreline; visitors walk from the parking/campground area straight to the water, with no trail or notable hike involved.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
There is a designated swim beach within the campground, but it sits right next to the boat launch on a 16-mile reservoir known as one of southwestern Pennsylvania's top powerboating and water-skiing lakes, so boat traffic and wakes are a realistic concern near the swim area. No lifeguard presence is documented in any source found, so supervise kids closely.
Parking
Lot
Parking is within the Mill Run Recreation Area campground/day-use area near the beach and boat launch. No day-use parking fee is documented in sources found; campsite fees apply for overnight stays but a separate day-use/beach fee was not confirmed.
Restrooms
Yes
Flush toilets and a dump station are provided in the campground/day-use area, per the official Recreation.gov listing; exact location relative to the beach (e.g., distance) is not specified.
On the water
Youghiogheny River Lake is a 16-mile-long reservoir with channels up to half a mile wide that Wikipedia and the official campground listing describe as one of the best powerboating and water-skiing lakes in southwestern Pennsylvania, and the recreation area has its own boat launch. No specific no-wake, electric-only, or carry-in-only restriction for this launch was found in available sources, so treat as a general multi-use lake pending on-site posted rules.
What regulars say
No candid visitor reports could be gathered for this beach this pass.
Mill Run Recreation Area: FAQ
Is Mill Run Recreation Area kid friendly?
There is a designated swim beach within the campground, but it sits right next to the boat launch on a 16-mile reservoir known as one of southwestern Pennsylvania's top powerboating and water-skiing lakes, so boat traffic and wakes are a realistic concern near the swim area. No lifeguard presence is documented in any source found, so supervise kids closely.
Do I need to hike to reach Mill Run Recreation Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Mill Run Recreation Area?
Parking is within the Mill Run Recreation Area campground/day-use area near the beach and boat launch. No day-use parking fee is documented in sources found; campsite fees apply for overnight stays but a separate day-use/beach fee was not confirmed.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Mill Run Recreation Area?
Youghiogheny River Lake is a 16-mile-long reservoir with channels up to half a mile wide that Wikipedia and the official campground listing describe as one of the best powerboating and water-skiing lakes in southwestern Pennsylvania, and the recreation area has its own boat launch. No specific no-wake, electric-only, or carry-in-only restriction for this launch was found in available sources, so treat as a general multi-use lake pending on-site posted rules.
What are the rules at Mill Run Recreation Area?
Alcohol is prohibited; maximum of two tents or one tent and one trailer per campsite; holiday weekend reservations must cover the full Friday-Sunday period with no refund for early checkout; camping limited to 14 days within any 30 consecutive days without District Commander permission; firewood must be purchased locally (do-not-move-firewood policy).
What water body is Mill Run Recreation Area on?
Mill Run Recreation Area is on Collier Run, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
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