Hawk Island Park
Lansing, Michigan · on Sycamore Creek · Hawk Island Park
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- pond
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $3 per vehicle
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Hawk Island Park
Hawk Island Park is a 100-acre Ingham County park in south Lansing, Michigan, built on the site of the former Sablain Gravel Pit. The mined pit filled with groundwater and seasonal overflow from Sycamore Creek to form a roughly 30-acre pond up to 27 feet deep, a man-made swimming hole in the most literal sense, which the county developed into a designated public swim beach that opened in July 2002.
The park sits between Pennsylvania Avenue and Aurelius Road on Cavanaugh Road in south Lansing, on land that was a commercial gravel and cement-aggregate mining operation beginning in the early 1940s. After mining ended, groundwater and seasonal flooding from nearby Sycamore Creek filled the pit, creating a large pond with an island in the center formed from mining residue. Ingham County acquired the property in 1994 and redeveloped it with dikes and a creek diversion before opening it as a park in 2002.
Swimming at Hawk Island Park
Swimming takes place at a designated, county-maintained beach on the former gravel-pit pond rather than in Sycamore Creek itself, which feeds the pond seasonally. The beach is staffed by lifeguards during posted hours (swim-at-your-own-risk when unstaffed), with age-tiered supervision rules for children, and the water is also used for paddle-boating, kayaking, and fishing from adjacent docks. It reads as a family-oriented, swimming-hole-style beach rather than a backcountry natural site.
How to get to this swimming hole
The park is located on Cavanaugh Road between Pennsylvania Avenue and Aurelius Road in south Lansing, roughly 3 miles from downtown Lansing.
Parking: On-site vehicle parking lots exist within the park (vehicles are charged an entrance fee); specific lot-by-lot capacity was not found.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up park: paved parking lots sit directly adjacent to the beach/splash pad area, so it's a short (a few minutes, flat, paved) walk from the car to the sand, not a hike. A separate 1.5-mile paved accessible loop trail circles the park for those who want to walk/bike, but it is not required to reach the swimming area.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
It's a maintained, sandy county swim beach with age-tiered supervision zones marked by buoy lines (ages 3 and under need in-water supervision, 4-7 supervision to the first buoy, 8-11 supervision from the beach), and inflatable toys/tubes/noodles are banned. However, the pond is a former gravel pit reaching up to 27 ft deep beyond the shallow shoreline, and the beach is swim-at-your-own-risk whenever lifeguards aren't on duty, so young kids should stay close and be watched carefully rather than left to roam the swim area.
Parking
Paid, $3/vehicle Ingham County resident, $5/vehicle non-resident (or annual pass $35 resident / $45 non-resident)
On-site paved lots; one lot sits by the splash pad, snack bar, and restrooms near the beach, and a south lot serves the boat-rental building/trailhead area.
Restrooms
Yes
Two bathroom buildings, one next to the splash pad/beach area and another across the park near the tubing hill, per a local family visitor guide.
Water clarity
Clear
A local family visitor guide describes 'clear water' at the pond, noted in the context of fishing from the dock; the pond is spring/groundwater-fed (former gravel pit) with seasonal Sycamore Creek inflow, consistent with generally clear conditions for a Michigan pond.
Hours
Park open sunrise to sunset year-round; pedestrian entry from a half hour before sunrise, vehicle entry from 8:00am. Winter hours vary with conditions (tubing hill/warming lodge).
On the water
Ingham County Parks rents single/double kayaks, themed 'character' pedal boats, standard pedal boats, and rowboats on the pond, and a visitor guide states you're 'also welcome to bring your own boat.' No mention was found of motorized craft, personal watercraft, or an explicit no-wake/electric-only rule (the pond is small and shared with the swim beach, so non-motorized use appears to be the norm, but this wasn't stated outright, so treat any personal-watercraft policy as unconfirmed).
Rentals nearby
Pedal boats, character (themed) pedal boats, single or double kayaks, and rowboats
Prices: Pedal boats $7/30 min; character pedal boats $10/30 min; kayak (single or double) $10/hour; rowboat $9/hour plus $4 each additional hour
Rental building next to the south parking lot/trailhead within Hawk Island Park · Daily through Labor Day, 12pm-8pm, last rental at 7pm, first-come first-served
What regulars say
Local families suggest visiting the swim beach first and saving the splash pad for last so kids can rinse sand off before heading home; bring plenty of water, and book snow-tubing slots in advance in winter (unrelated to summer swimming).
Backstory
The park occupies the former Sablain Gravel Pit, mined for cement aggregate starting in the early 1940s. Groundwater and seasonal Sycamore Creek flooding formed the pond and established fish, turtle, and plant populations over time. Ingham County purchased the site in 1994 with combined local and state funding, developed it through the late 1990s (including dike construction and creek diversion), and opened it to the public for swimming, boating, picnicking, and fishing in July 2002; a community playground was added in 2004 and a Splash Pad in 2006.
Hawk Island Park: FAQ
Does Hawk Island Park charge a fee?
Vehicle entrance fee required year-round; per a local visitor guide, roughly $3 per vehicle for Ingham County residents and $5 for non-residents, or an annual pass ($35 resident / $45 non-resident).
Is Hawk Island Park kid friendly?
It's a maintained, sandy county swim beach with age-tiered supervision zones marked by buoy lines (ages 3 and under need in-water supervision, 4-7 supervision to the first buoy, 8-11 supervision from the beach), and inflatable toys/tubes/noodles are banned. However, the pond is a former gravel pit reaching up to 27 ft deep beyond the shallow shoreline, and the beach is swim-at-your-own-risk whenever lifeguards aren't on duty, so young kids should stay close and be watched carefully rather than left to roam the swim area.
Do I need to hike to reach Hawk Island Park?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Hawk Island Park?
On-site paved lots; one lot sits by the splash pad, snack bar, and restrooms near the beach, and a south lot serves the boat-rental building/trailhead area.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Hawk Island Park?
Ingham County Parks rents single/double kayaks, themed 'character' pedal boats, standard pedal boats, and rowboats on the pond, and a visitor guide states you're 'also welcome to bring your own boat.' No mention was found of motorized craft, personal watercraft, or an explicit no-wake/electric-only rule (the pond is small and shared with the swim beach, so non-motorized use appears to be the norm, but this wasn't stated outright, so treat any personal-watercraft policy as unconfirmed).
When is the best time to visit Hawk Island Park?
Summer, when the beach and Splash Pad are open and lifeguard-staffed; the park also operates seasonal snow tubing and warming-lodge activities in winter (unrelated to swimming).
What are the rules at Hawk Island Park?
Dogs must be on a 6-foot or shorter leash park-wide but are not permitted in the beach/Splash Pad area near the playground and concession stand. At the swim beach, footballs, Frisbees, inflatable toys/tubes, pool noodles, and non-Coast-Guard-approved life jackets are prohibited; children age 3 and under require in-water adult supervision, ages 4-7 require supervision in close proximity, and ages 8-11 require supervision from the beach area. The beach is swim-at-your-own-risk outside of staffed lifeguard hours.
What water body is Hawk Island Park on?
Hawk Island Park is on Sycamore Creek, a natural pond verified in USGS hydrography data.
