Split Rock Lake Swim Beach
Pipestone, Minnesota · on Splitrock Lake · Split Rock Creek State Park
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $7
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Split Rock Lake Swim Beach
The swim beach sits on Split Rock Lake inside Split Rock Creek State Park, a Minnesota DNR park near Ihlen and Jasper in Pipestone County. The lake is a man-made reservoir created in 1938 when the WPA dammed Split Rock Creek with locally quarried Sioux Quartzite, specifically to provide water recreation in a part of the state with few natural lakes, which makes this swimming hole a rare lake to swim in for the area. The DNR's own park page lists 'Swimming beach' as one of the park's highlighted activities.
The park lies in the prairie of southwestern Minnesota, centered on Split Rock Lake, the largest body of water in Pipestone County. A hiking trail runs along the lake's beach and picnic area, crosses the WPA-era dam, and climbs a nearby prairie hill topped by a stone water tower; the dam itself is built of red Sioux Quartzite with a stair-step spillway where water cascades down.
Swimming at Split Rock Lake Swim Beach
A designated, roped-off swimming section fronts a sand beach on the lake; first-hand accounts describe the roped area as shallow enough for most swimmers and weed-free, suiting families and casual swimmers rather than experienced open-water swimmers. The beach has a changing area and showers alongside it.
How to get to this swimming hole
The park lies between Ihlen and Jasper, MN. From I-90, take the exit for Minnesota State Highway 23 to approach from the south, then near Ihlen take Judd Street to State Highway 54 to reach the park entrance at 336 50th Avenue, Jasper, MN 56144.
The hike in
Split Rock Creek State Park Hiking Club Trail
Difficulty: easy
The swim beach is drive-up/walk-up from the beach parking area, no hike is needed to reach it. A separate ~2.6-mile (one source) to 4.5-mile (another source, plus 0.5 mi wheelchair-accessible segment) Hiking Club Trail loops through the park past the beach, picnic area, the WPA dam/spillway, and a hilltop stone water tower, but it is optional scenery, not required access.
Sources disagree on total trail mileage (2.6 mi vs. 4.5 mi vs. ~7.5 mi total footpath across guides), likely reflecting different loop options or trail expansions over time; none of them place the swim beach itself at a hike-in distance.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
First-hand accounts describe the roped-off swim section as shallow enough for just about everyone and weed-free, with a sand beach, changing area, and showers right at the water, typical of a supervised-feeling drive-up state park beach suited to families. No source mentions lifeguards, so supervision is on visitors themselves.
Parking
Paid, $7 daily or $35 annual Minnesota state park vehicle permit (required for all visitors; functions as the entry/parking fee, no separate parking charge found)
A trip report describes parking at the beach end of the park (author parked there with a travel trailer), consistent with a standard state-park beach lot; exact stall count not published in any source found.
Restrooms
Yes
Changing area and showers at the swim beach itself; vault and flush toilets plus additional showers at the adjacent campground.
Hours
Park open 8am-10pm daily (per MN DNR park page); watercraft rental is seasonal (summer) with no specific daily hours found.
On the water
Restrictions: A regional tourism source describes the lake as allowing 'small motor boats' with an on-site boat launch; no source specified an explicit horsepower cap or electric-only rule, so exact motor limits are left unstated rather than guessed.
Split Rock Lake is a small WPA-dam reservoir (largest lake in Pipestone County), so any motorized use is likely modest by nature of the lake's size, but this is inference, not a sourced rule.
Rentals nearby
Canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard rentals, seasonally, directly from the park
At the park beach/office, Split Rock Creek State Park, 336 50th Avenue, Jasper, MN
Backstory
Split Rock Creek State Park was established in 1937. Split Rock Lake was created in 1938 when the Works Progress Administration built a dam of locally quarried Sioux Quartzite across Split Rock Creek, explicitly to provide water-based recreation in a region of Minnesota with few natural lakes. A companion masonry-arch bridge from the same era, the Split Rock Creek Bridge, carries County Road 54 over the creek and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of Minnesota's Masonry-Arch Highway Bridges collection.
Split Rock Lake Swim Beach: FAQ
Does Split Rock Lake Swim Beach charge a fee?
Minnesota state park vehicle permit required for all visitors (day use or camping): $7 for a daily pass or $35 for an annual pass ($26 for a second vehicle, $12 for a handicapped annual pass); camping fees are additional and shown at time of reservation.
Is Split Rock Lake Swim Beach kid friendly?
First-hand accounts describe the roped-off swim section as shallow enough for just about everyone and weed-free, with a sand beach, changing area, and showers right at the water, typical of a supervised-feeling drive-up state park beach suited to families. No source mentions lifeguards, so supervision is on visitors themselves.
Do I need to hike to reach Split Rock Lake Swim Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Split Rock Lake Swim Beach?
A trip report describes parking at the beach end of the park (author parked there with a travel trailer), consistent with a standard state-park beach lot; exact stall count not published in any source found.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Split Rock Lake Swim Beach?
Split Rock Lake is a small WPA-dam reservoir (largest lake in Pipestone County), so any motorized use is likely modest by nature of the lake's size, but this is inference, not a sourced rule.
When is the best time to visit Split Rock Lake Swim Beach?
Summer (June through August) for swimming and lake recreation; the park is open year-round with hiking, snowshoeing, and other activities in other seasons.
What are the rules at Split Rock Lake Swim Beach?
A state park vehicle permit is required for entry. Shore fishing within the park is free with a Minnesota driver's license (no separate fishing license needed) except where a trout stamp is required, per state statute. During high fire danger, campfires are restricted to established fire rings in developed campsites and are not allowed in backcountry hike-in/boat-in sites.
What water body is Split Rock Lake Swim Beach on?
Split Rock Lake Swim Beach is on Splitrock Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
