Reservoir Beach
Arlington, Massachusetts · on Arlington Reservoir
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $15
- SEASON
- June
About Reservoir Beach
Reservoir Beach is the Town of Arlington's official swimming beach on the Arlington Reservoir (locally called "the Res"), a 65-acre man-made reservoir straddling the Arlington/Lexington line in Arlington Heights, Massachusetts. Built in the 1870s as a municipal water supply and repurposed for recreation since the 1890s, it now offers a fenced, lifeguard-supervised swimming area alongside walking, fishing, and boating around the reservoir.
The reservoir sits in a mostly residential area of Arlington Heights, with about half its water and shoreline extending into neighboring Lexington. It is fed by Munroe Brook and drains via Mill Brook, part of the watershed connecting Arlington's Great Meadows to the Mystic Lakes and Mystic River. An ADA-compliant perimeter path of nearly one mile circles the water and is popular with walkers, joggers, and birders (nearly 150 bird species recorded); a wildlife habitat garden sits near the overflow spillway.
Swimming at Reservoir Beach
The designated swim area is a fenced, sandy beach along Lowell Street with filtered and chlorinated water rather than untreated pond water, supervised by certified lifeguards during the summer season. It is set up as a family-friendly town beach (bathhouse, snack bar, playground, accessible ramp) rather than a remote or informal swimming hole, suiting casual swimmers, families, and residents looking for a supervised alternative to ocean beaches.
How to get to this swimming hole
Reservoir Beach is located at 250 Lowell Street in Arlington Heights, MA. It can be reached by car with parking at the Lowell Street lot or the Hurd Field lot, or on foot/bike via a paved path through Hurd Field from the Minuteman Bikeway (behind Trader Joe's) or from Massachusetts Ave. via Drake Road.
Parking: Parking lots at Lowell Street (beach lot) and at Hurd Field/Reservoir Field, including ADA-accessible parking.
The hike in
- Time on foot
- Under 5 minutes on foot from either parking lot to the beach via a paved path; walk-in/bike-in access is also available directly from the Minuteman Bikeway (behind Trader Joe's) or via Drake Road off Massachusetts Ave.
Drive-up/walk-up town beach, not a hike-in swimming hole.
No trail or elevation gain involved; the reservoir's near-1-mile perimeter path is a flat, ADA-compliant paved loop for walking/jogging, separate from beach access.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Fenced, lifeguard-supervised, filtered/chlorinated town swim area with a sandy beach and a dedicated water-play zone; the beach also runs Parent & Me swim lessons for ages 2-4 and youth lessons for ages 5-10, indicating shallow, closely supervised conditions suited to young kids.
Parking
Free
Two town lots: the Lowell Street beach lot (ADA-accessible) and the Hurd Field/Reservoir Field lot; both are described as available year-round with no separate parking fee, though the $15/$10/$10 (adult/senior/child) day admission applies to use the swim beach itself.
Restrooms
Yes
Bathhouse at the beach (rebuilt/renovated in the 2023 master-plan renovation) serves as the restroom/changing facility; no other restroom locations around the reservoir perimeter are mentioned.
Water clarity
Varies with season and flow
The town's own FAQ states that when the reservoir's general water quality 'started to deteriorate' historically, the town built a separate filtered, chlorinated swimming area (added in 1981) rather than swim in untreated reservoir water directly, implying the open reservoir itself has had clarity and quality issues over the years even though the fenced swim area is actively treated and kept clear. No independent visitor reports on water clarity have surfaced for this specific spot.
Hours
Beach season runs mid-June to late August (2026: June 15-Aug 21), 9am to dusk; the perimeter path and non-beach areas (fishing, boating, walking) are accessible year-round.
On the water
Restrictions: Non-motorized craft only, the town's FAQ states non-motorized boating is permitted on all Arlington water bodies and that canoes/kayaks are allowed on the reservoir. A boat ramp sits adjacent to the Lowell Street parking lot for row boats, canoes, and kayaks; there is also an informal launch point past the vehicle gate near the wildlife habitat garden.
Paddleboards are not explicitly named in official materials but would likely fall under the same non-motorized-craft allowance; no confirmation found either way, so not included in the allowed list. No swimming/wading is permitted outside the fenced beach area per typical town-beach rules.
Backstory
Constructed in the 1870s as part of an early municipal water-supply system for Arlington that was later abandoned when the town joined the metropolitan water system; it has served as a recreational area for walking, swimming, fishing, and boating since the late 1890s. In 2023 the Town completed a multi-year master-plan renovation funded substantially by the Community Preservation Act, upgrading the swimming beach, filtration system, concession stand, playground, ball court, picnic areas, and walking trails, plus invasive-plant removal.
Reservoir Beach: FAQ
Does Reservoir Beach charge a fee?
2026 daily admission: adults (18+) $15 ($10 after 5pm), seniors (60+) $10 ($5 after 5pm), children (2-17) $10 ($5 after 5pm), under 2 free. Individual and family season passes also available; both residents and non-residents are welcome.
Is Reservoir Beach kid friendly?
Fenced, lifeguard-supervised, filtered/chlorinated town swim area with a sandy beach and a dedicated water-play zone; the beach also runs Parent & Me swim lessons for ages 2-4 and youth lessons for ages 5-10, indicating shallow, closely supervised conditions suited to young kids.
Do I need to hike to reach Reservoir Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Reservoir Beach?
Two town lots: the Lowell Street beach lot (ADA-accessible) and the Hurd Field/Reservoir Field lot; both are described as available year-round with no separate parking fee, though the $15/$10/$10 (adult/senior/child) day admission applies to use the swim beach itself.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Reservoir Beach?
Paddleboards are not explicitly named in official materials but would likely fall under the same non-motorized-craft allowance; no confirmation found either way, so not included in the allowed list. No swimming/wading is permitted outside the fenced beach area per typical town-beach rules.
When is the best time to visit Reservoir Beach?
Beach officially open mid-June through late August, 9am to dusk.
What are the rules at Reservoir Beach?
Only US Coast Guard-approved lifesaving/flotation devices allowed; grilling, alcohol, and smoking prohibited; only standard umbrellas permitted (no tents or canopies); certified lifeguards on duty during operating hours; dogs off-leash permitted only during designated off-season morning hours.
What water body is Reservoir Beach on?
Reservoir Beach is on Arlington Reservoir, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
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