Martindale Beach
Milford, Michigan · on Kent Lake · Kensington Metropark
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $10
- SEASON
- September
About Martindale Beach
Martindale Beach is one of two designated swimming beaches (with Maple Beach) on Kent Lake inside Huron-Clinton Metroparks' Kensington Metropark in Milford, Michigan. Kent Lake, a roughly 1,200-acre reservoir created by damming the Huron River, gives metro Detroit a dependable lake to swim in. The beach is an official, fee-based, no-lifeguard swim area open seasonally, closer to a managed beach than a wild swimming hole.
Martindale Beach sits on the shore of Kent Lake, a large reservoir formed by damming the Huron River within the 4,543-acre Kensington Metropark in Oakland County, Michigan. The park surrounds the lake with woods, trails, a golf course, and a nature center; Martindale Beach itself is developed with a sandy shoreline, a concession plaza, and an adjoining splash pad/water-slide area (Splash 'n Bash).
Swimming at Martindale Beach
Swimming is an official, designated activity at Martindale Beach's sandy swim area on Kent Lake, open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. during the posted season. There are no lifeguards on duty (swim at your own risk), and free loaner life jackets are provided; the park also offers a floating beach wheelchair for accessible swimming, indicating a developed, gently sloping reservoir swim area suited to families rather than deep-water or current-based swimming.
How to get to this swimming hole
Kensington Metropark is at 4570 Huron River Parkway, Milford, MI 48381; Martindale Beach has its own dedicated parking lot within the park, reached via the park's internal road system off Kent Lake.
Parking: Dedicated parking lot at Martindale Beach within Kensington Metropark; specific lot capacity was not stated on the official page.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up swimming: the Martindale Beach parking lot sits directly adjacent to the sandy swim area, effectively a 1-2 minute walk from car to water. No trail hike is needed to reach the beach itself, though the broader park has miles of separate paved and natural-surface bike/hike trails.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Sandy, gently sloping designated swim area with free loaner life jackets and even a free floating beach wheelchair, but the park runs it with NO lifeguards on duty (swim at your own risk per official policy), so young kids need active adult supervision.
Parking
Paid, $10
Dedicated parking lot at Martindale Beach inside Kensington Metropark; the $10 fee is the park's daily vehicle (or boat) entry pass, not a separate beach charge. Lot capacity not published.
Restrooms
Yes
Family changing rooms and outdoor showers at Martindale Beach itself; an accessible vault latrine is also available at the nearby West Boat Launch.
Hours
Park gates open 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily; the designated swim area at Martindale Beach operates 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Memorial Day weekend through September 30 (no lifeguards on duty). Park office hours: Mon-Thu 8am-8pm, Fri 8am-9pm, weekends 7am-9pm.
On the water
Restrictions: Park-wide 10-mph speed limit (5 mph near docks/beaches); personal motors capped at 6 hp on 12-ft rowboats and 10 hp on 14-ft rowboats; a Metroparks boat pass is required for launched/motorized craft (car-top canoes/kayaks/rowboats carried in or on the vehicle are covered by the vehicle pass); boats prohibited on the park's separate Wildwing Lake and Kingfisher Lagoon; PFDs mandatory, no swimming/diving from rental boats, no alcohol on rental watercraft.
Kensington Metropark has its own East and West Boat Launches (8 ramps each) on Kent Lake; West Boat Launch is the one near Martindale Beach and has an accessible floating dock.
Rentals nearby
Single kayaks, tandem kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, rowboats, and character pedal boats, rented directly on Kent Lake near Maple Beach (the park's other designated swim beach, same lake as Martindale)
Prices: 1-person kayak $12/hr; 2-person kayak $18/hr; canoe $15/hr; paddleboard $15/hr; rowboat $10/hr (max $25); character pedal boat $20/hr
On Kent Lake near Maple Beach, within Kensington Metropark, Milford, MI (same park/lake as Martindale Beach) · Weekends in May 8am-8pm (weather permitting); Memorial Day-Labor Day weekdays 8am-8pm, weekends/holidays 8am-9pm; weekends in September 8am-8pm; last rental 1 hr before close
Canoe and kayak river-trip rentals (paddle-back and shuttle trips) on the Huron River
2775 Garden Rd, Milford, MI 48381 - in the town of Milford, a few miles from the Kensington Metropark entrance · Aug schedule: Mon-Fri 12pm-8pm, Sat-Sun 9am-8pm
Canoe and kayak rentals for Huron River trips
Prices: Advertised from $38 per boat for an all-day rental
1216 Garden Rd, Milford, MI 48381 - in the town of Milford, a few miles from the Kensington Metropark entrance · Seasonal, open May 1-September 30 (specific daily hours on their site's schedule page, not shown on homepage)
What regulars say
One recent visitor, asked to name the best public beach in the metro Detroit area, singled out Martindale Beach at Kensington Metropark as a beach-day pick, though no further detail on clarity or crowd texture was available. Separately, secondhand reports characterize crowd levels as 'moderate to high' and recommend arriving early or visiting on weekdays.
Backstory
Kensington Metropark opened in 1947 on land that once held the village of Kensington, which became a ghost town after a railroad line through it was diverted to nearby South Lyon. Kent Lake itself is a roughly 1,200-acre reservoir created by damming the Huron River, not a natural lake.
Martindale Beach: FAQ
Does Martindale Beach charge a fee?
$10 daily vehicle or boat entry pass to Kensington Metropark (or an annual Huron-Clinton Metroparks pass); no separate admission charge for the beach itself.
Is Martindale Beach kid friendly?
Sandy, gently sloping designated swim area with free loaner life jackets and even a free floating beach wheelchair, but the park runs it with NO lifeguards on duty (swim at your own risk per official policy), so young kids need active adult supervision.
Do I need to hike to reach Martindale Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Martindale Beach?
Dedicated parking lot at Martindale Beach inside Kensington Metropark; the $10 fee is the park's daily vehicle (or boat) entry pass, not a separate beach charge. Lot capacity not published.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Martindale Beach?
Kensington Metropark has its own East and West Boat Launches (8 ramps each) on Kent Lake; West Boat Launch is the one near Martindale Beach and has an accessible floating dock.
When is the best time to visit Martindale Beach?
Beach season runs Memorial Day weekend through September 30, per official park information.
What are the rules at Martindale Beach?
Swimming permitted only 10 a.m.-8 p.m. during the open season; no lifeguards on duty (swim at own risk); free life jackets available on a first-come basis; alcohol is prohibited on rental boats per general park rules.
What water body is Martindale Beach on?
Martindale Beach is on Kent Lake, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
