Baylor Regional Park
Norwood Young America, Minnesota · on Eagle Lake
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $10/hour
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Baylor Regional Park
Baylor Regional Park is a 201-acre Carver County park on Eagle Lake near Norwood Young America, Minnesota, with a designated swimming beach and beach house alongside camping, disc golf, and an astronomical observatory. It is an officially developed, drive-up swimming hole rather than an informal natural one, though anyone eyeing Eagle Lake as a lake to swim in should note the beach is subject to periodic closures for suspected blue-green algae blooms.
The park sits in rural western Carver County on the shore of Eagle Lake, with a mix of forest, prairie, and marsh terrain; a signature half-mile bog walk crosses the wetland heart of the park, and grassy sections between the beach and marsh host an 18-hole disc golf course.
Swimming at Baylor Regional Park
Swimming takes place off a sandy, developed beach on Eagle Lake with water-play structures for children, a nearby fishing dock, and a beach house with restrooms and changing area. Visitors describe it as relaxing and family-oriented and free to use; water clarity has been reported as variable, with at least one visitor noting more seaweed and murkier water than in prior years, and the county has issued suspected blue-green algae closures in recent summers.
How to get to this swimming hole
Park address is 10775 Co Rd 33, Norwood Young America, MN 55397, roughly 2-3 miles from Young America/Norwood Young America.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up, developed swim beach with adjacent parking, no hike is needed to reach the water. The park's separate half-mile bog-walk trail is a scenic side attraction through the wetland, not a route to the beach.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Developed sandy beach built for families: water-play structures for kids, an adjacent playground, and a beach house with restroom/changing area right at the swim area. No lifeguard presence is documented in any source found. Caveat: the beach has been subject to periodic suspected blue-green algae closures in recent summers (per prior dossier), so check current status before a trip.
Parking
Free
Day-use entry to the park is free (Carver County eliminated the vehicle permit requirement in 2019, per prior dossier sourcing). No source found this pass specifies whether the beach lot is paved/gravel or its exact location relative to the sand, so lot type is left null rather than assumed.
Restrooms
Yes
Beach house at the swimming beach has a restroom and changing area (daytripper28 first-hand account); the campground separately has flush toilets and showers (exploreminnesota.com, campxplore.com).
Water clarity
Varies with season and flow
One rvparx.com visitor review explicitly compared years and said 'the water this year seems dirtier than last year' with more seaweed than before, while other reviewers simply called the beach 'really nice.' Combined with the prior dossier's finding of suspected blue-green algae bloom closures in recent Julys, clarity appears to swing season to season rather than being reliably clear or reliably murky.
Hours
Park open daily 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. year-round (exploreminnesota.com); camping season runs mid-May through mid-October.
On the water
The park has a boat ramp/lake access for visitor-owned watercraft (exploreminnesota.com, campxplore.com) in addition to on-site canoe/kayak rental. No source found this pass documents a no-wake zone, electric-only rule, or horsepower limit for Eagle Lake, so restrictions are left null rather than assumed.
Rentals nearby
Canoe and kayak rental at the park itself (not a separate third-party outfitter, no independent kayak/paddleboard rental business serving Eagle Lake was found)
Prices: $10/hour (daytripper28.com first-hand visit account)
At the beach/beach house area within Baylor Regional Park, 10775 Co Rd 33, Norwood Young America, MN
What regulars say
Visitor reports: multiple families describe the beach as a recurring spot for kids' birthday parties and casual hangouts ('barbecuing, fishing, swimming and getting a tan'); campers called parking and hookups easy ('Easy backing in and easy hookup. The sites were big.'). One recent visitor flagged the water as dirtier and weedier than in a prior year, consistent with the park's documented algae-bloom closures. No further firsthand commentary specifically about Baylor Regional Park or this stretch of Eagle Lake was found.
Backstory
The park is named after Henry Baylor, a farmer and original owner of the land that became the park.
Baylor Regional Park: FAQ
Does Baylor Regional Park charge a fee?
Day-use/park entry is free (Carver County eliminated the vehicle permit requirement in 2019). Camping, canoe/kayak rental ($10/hour), disc golf rental ($5), and snowshoe rental ($6 adults/$5 kids) carry separate nominal fees.
Is Baylor Regional Park kid friendly?
Developed sandy beach built for families: water-play structures for kids, an adjacent playground, and a beach house with restroom/changing area right at the swim area. No lifeguard presence is documented in any source found. Caveat: the beach has been subject to periodic suspected blue-green algae closures in recent summers (per prior dossier), so check current status before a trip.
Do I need to hike to reach Baylor Regional Park?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Baylor Regional Park?
Day-use entry to the park is free (Carver County eliminated the vehicle permit requirement in 2019, per prior dossier sourcing). No source found this pass specifies whether the beach lot is paved/gravel or its exact location relative to the sand, so lot type is left null rather than assumed.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Baylor Regional Park?
The park has a boat ramp/lake access for visitor-owned watercraft (exploreminnesota.com, campxplore.com) in addition to on-site canoe/kayak rental. No source found this pass documents a no-wake zone, electric-only rule, or horsepower limit for Eagle Lake, so restrictions are left null rather than assumed.
When is the best time to visit Baylor Regional Park?
Summer for beach swimming; the bog walk and cross-country ski trails are also used in winter, and star parties at the on-site observatory run every other Saturday from March through November.
What are the rules at Baylor Regional Park?
The swimming beach can be closed to all water contact (swimming and wading) during suspected blue-green algae bloom advisories issued by Carver County Parks; pets are permitted in campsites.
What water body is Baylor Regional Park on?
Baylor Regional Park is on Eagle Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
