Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach
Park Hills, Missouri · Saint Joe State Park
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach
Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach is an official, lifeguard-free swim beach on the roughly 25-acre Monsanto Lake inside St. Joe State Park near Park Hills, Missouri. The lake sits on land reclaimed from the historic 'Old Lead Belt' lead-mining district, and this swimming hole is one of two designated places to swim in the park (the other being smaller Pim Lake).
The beach is set within St. Joe State Park, an 8,243-acre park built on former St. Joe Minerals Corporation lead-mining land donated to the state in 1976. The park's broader landscape includes dolomite glades, native grasses, and shortleaf pines, alongside a large off-road-vehicle riding area on old mine tailings piles and the nearby Missouri Mines State Historic Site.
Swimming at Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach
Monsanto Lake is the larger of the park's two designated swim lakes, roughly 25 acres with depths reported to reach about 30 feet, making it more of a swim-in-open-water lake experience than a shallow wading beach. Swimming is unguarded ('swim at your own risk'), and the lake also permits certified scuba divers (in buddy pairs, with a surface marker and check-in/out at the park office). The Missouri Department of Natural Resources tests the beach weekly for E. coli from June through September and posts advisories if levels exceed 190 mpn/100ml.
How to get to this swimming hole
St. Joe State Park is at 2800 Pimville Road, Park Hills, MO 63601, a few miles from the towns of Derby, Elvins, and Rivermines; the park's ORV side can also be reached via the Donnelly-LaMear Trailhead off Highway 67 at the Fairgrounds Drive exit.
The hike in
St. Joe State Park's official trail list (Galena Trail, Hickory Ridge Trail, Lakeview Trail, Monsanto Lake Water Trail, ORV Trail System, Paved Bicycle Trail, Pine Ridge Trail) does not include any trail described as the access route to the swim beach itself; the beach is documented only as a developed day-use area with a shelter, picnic tables, and restrooms, reached directly from the park road network off Pimville Road.
No hiking approach is required to reach Monsanto Lake beach based on all official pages reviewed. It functions as a drive-up beach, though the exact walk distance from the parking area to the water was not published on any page found.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Monsanto Lake is a ~25-acre open-water lake reaching roughly 30 ft deep with no lifeguards on duty (official 'swim at your own risk' policy); there is no shallow wading area or graded entry described in any source reviewed, so young children should be closely supervised rather than left to wade freely.
Restrooms
Yes
Vault toilet and a change house are provided at the Monsanto Lake beach area, per the official park swimming page.
Hours
Beach open seasonally, May 22 to Sept. 7, daily 7 a.m.-8 p.m. (official Missouri State Parks key-location page).
On the water
Restrictions: Motors limited to electric trolling motors only (no gas motors), per exploretheozarksonline's summary of park watersports rules; general park rules also ban glass, alcohol, and coolers at the beach area.
St. Joe State Park maintains an official 'Monsanto Lake Water Trail' (listed among the park's seven designated trails on the official trails page), and The Swim Guide separately notes the lake supports 'the water trail from a canoe or kayak,' confirming paddle craft use on Monsanto Lake. No official page specifies a boat launch location or motorboat horsepower limits beyond the electric-only restriction.
Backstory
The park was built on land mined for lead by the St. Joe Minerals Corporation until 1972; the company donated the property to Missouri in 1976, and roughly a quarter of the park's footprint is former mining ground, now also home to a large ORV area on the old chat/tailings piles and the adjacent Missouri Mines State Historic Site museum.
Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach: FAQ
Does Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach charge a fee?
No general day-use/entrance fee is listed for the park's lakes and beaches on the official site; a separate paid permit system exists only for the ORV riding area (fee amount not published on the pages reviewed).
Is Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach kid friendly?
Monsanto Lake is a ~25-acre open-water lake reaching roughly 30 ft deep with no lifeguards on duty (official 'swim at your own risk' policy); there is no shallow wading area or graded entry described in any source reviewed, so young children should be closely supervised rather than left to wade freely.
Do I need to hike to reach Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach?
No official page found specifies a parking lot size, surface, or cost for the Monsanto Lake beach specifically. The beach's official key-location page gives only GPS coordinates and hours, not access or parking detail.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach?
St. Joe State Park maintains an official 'Monsanto Lake Water Trail' (listed among the park's seven designated trails on the official trails page), and The Swim Guide separately notes the lake supports 'the water trail from a canoe or kayak,' confirming paddle craft use on Monsanto Lake. No official page specifies a boat launch location or motorboat horsepower limits beyond the electric-only restriction.
When is the best time to visit Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach?
Late May through early September, matching the beach's official seasonal operating dates and the state's weekly summer water-quality testing window.
What are the rules at Monsanto Lake Swimming Beach?
Swimming permitted only at Monsanto and Pim lakes; cans, glass bottles, coolers, fires, alcohol, and pets are prohibited at the beaches; no lifeguards are on duty ('swim at your own risk'); scuba diving allowed only for certified divers in pairs who check in/out with the park office and display a dive marker; beach open seasonally (about May 22-Sept 7) daily 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
