Millennium Park
Walker, Michigan · Millennium Park
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $4
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Millennium Park
Millennium Park is a 1,400-acre Kent County park in Walker, Michigan, built starting in 2000 on reclaimed industrial/mined land along the Grand River. Its centerpiece for swimmers is a six-acre sand beach and splashpad on a roughly 100-acre man-made lake, run as a fee-based, seasonal swim facility by Kent County Parks.
The park spans former heavily-used/mined land across Walker, Grand Rapids, Grandville, and Wyoming, reclaimed since 2000 into rolling terrain with natural areas, about 18 miles of trails, and six miles of Grand River frontage. The swim beach and splashpad sit on one of several large lakes within the park, described by Kent County as a 'clear 100-acre lake' with a well-marked swimming area.
Swimming at Millennium Park
Swimming happens at a designated, well-marked sand beach on the man-made lake rather than in the Grand River itself. A visitor account describes the lake water as notably warm; the beach is paired with the Mehney Splashpad for younger kids and is a supervised, developed facility (concessions, lockers, restrooms) rather than a backcountry or informal swimming hole.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located at 1415 Maynard Avenue SW, Walker, MI 49534, within the Kent County Millennium Park recreation area; multiple parking lots (A, B, and others) serve the beach area.
Parking: Multiple on-site parking lots (Lot A, Lot B, and others) provide access to the beach; off-season parking is available 24/7 and plowed on weekdays.
The hike in
No hike is needed to reach the swim beach - it's a short walk (1-2 minutes) from adjacent Lot A/Lot B parking directly to the VanAndel Beach House and sand beach. Separately, Millennium Park has nearly 18 miles of multi-use trails in several loops elsewhere in the park (with a published trail map and winter trail map), but these are unrelated to reaching the swimming area.
Trail names/individual distances/difficulty for the broader 18-mile trail network are not broken out on the county's park pages; irrelevant to swim access.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Swimming happens at a supervised-style, developed sand beach on a man-made lake with a well-marked swim area, plus the adjacent Mehney Splashpad built for toddlers/younger kids. No source confirms lifeguards are on duty, so treat it as a monitored-but-not-lifeguarded facility; entry is a gradual sand beach rather than cliffs or fast current.
Parking
Free
Multiple on-site lots (Lot A, Lot B, and others) serve the beach; a separate off-season lot is open 24/7 (gates 7am-sunset), plowed on weekdays in winter. No parking fee is mentioned; the $2-4 fee is a beach/splashpad admission charge, not a parking charge.
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms and changing rooms/lockers are in the VanAndel Beach House at the beach. All park restrooms close November 1 through April 30; a port-a-john is provided in the off-season parking lot during that closure.
Water clarity
Clear
Kent County's own facility page describes the swim beach as sitting on a 'clear 100-acre lake.' This is an official county characterization rather than an independent visitor account; no first-hand visitor reports describing the water, crowds, or lifeguards at this specific beach have surfaced, so treat the 'clear' rating as official messaging rather than confirmed visitor consensus.
Hours
Park grounds: May 1-Oct 31, 7am to sunset (gates lock at sunset). Beach: 10am-8pm mid-summer (Memorial Day through the 4th Sunday in August); Splashpad 10am-7pm same window. DeVos Family Boathouse rentals run Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, weather-dependent, first rental at 10am, last rental out 5-6pm depending on season, all boats due back 6-7pm.
On the water
Restrictions: Private/personal watercraft launches are prohibited park-wide to prevent invasive species - the only way on the water is via the on-site DeVos Family Boathouse rental fleet. Lifejackets are provided with every rental and required to be worn. No motorboats or jet skis in the rental fleet or permitted as private craft.
The swimmable water is actually two connected man-made lakes (~100 acres total, ~4 miles of shoreline); a paved pathway connects the boathouse to the beach/splashpad area.
Rentals nearby
Tandem kayaks, single kayaks, canoes, row boats, paddleboats, and stand-up paddleboards
Prices: Tandem kayaks & SUPs: $10/hr first hour, $8/hr each additional hour. Single kayaks, canoes & row boats: $8/hr first hour, $6/hr additional. Paddleboats: $6 per half-hour first, $4 additional. Season pass holders get $2 off, up to 3 rentals/day.
On-site at Millennium Park, 1415 Maynard Ave SW, Walker, MI 49534, connected to the beach/splashpad by a paved pathway. · Operates Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day (weather dependent). First rental 10am; last rental departs 5pm (early/late summer) or 6pm (mid-summer); all boats due back by 6pm or 7pm respectively.
Backstory
Planning for Millennium Park began in 2000 as a regional project to reclaim about 1,500 acres of heavily used land (former industrial/mined land along the Grand River) for public recreation, eventually growing into the current 1,400-acre park with lakes, trails, and the beach/splashpad complex.
Millennium Park: FAQ
Does Millennium Park charge a fee?
Daily admission: adults (16-62) $4, seniors (63+) $3, children (3-15) $2, ages 2 and under free. 2026 season passes: primary adult $30 ($20 senior), additional adult $10, child (3-15) $5, infant (0-2) free.
Is Millennium Park kid friendly?
Swimming happens at a supervised-style, developed sand beach on a man-made lake with a well-marked swim area, plus the adjacent Mehney Splashpad built for toddlers/younger kids. No source confirms lifeguards are on duty, so treat it as a monitored-but-not-lifeguarded facility; entry is a gradual sand beach rather than cliffs or fast current.
Do I need to hike to reach Millennium Park?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Millennium Park?
Multiple on-site lots (Lot A, Lot B, and others) serve the beach; a separate off-season lot is open 24/7 (gates 7am-sunset), plowed on weekdays in winter. No parking fee is mentioned; the $2-4 fee is a beach/splashpad admission charge, not a parking charge.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Millennium Park?
The swimmable water is actually two connected man-made lakes (~100 acres total, ~4 miles of shoreline); a paved pathway connects the boathouse to the beach/splashpad area.
When is the best time to visit Millennium Park?
Summer, specifically Memorial Day through the fourth Sunday in August for full beach/splashpad hours; the broader park is open May 1 through October 31.
What are the rules at Millennium Park?
Beach and splashpad operate seasonally (park itself open May 1-Oct 31, 7am to sunset; Rec Core gates lock promptly at sunset). Mid-summer beach hours (Memorial Day through the 4th Sunday in August) are 10am-8pm, splashpad 10am-7pm. Ice fishing is prohibited park-wide; fishing is restricted near certain shorelines in the main recreation area. All restrooms close November 1 through April 30.
