Stephens Lake Park
Columbia, Missouri · on Hinkson Creek
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- FALLS
- Waterfall on site
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Stephens Lake Park
Stephens Lake Park is a 116-acre city park in Columbia, Missouri, built around an 11-acre lake that was enlarged by Stephens College for a golf course before the city acquired the land in 2001. The park operates an official, unguarded swimming beach, an in-town swimming hole that gives Columbia a lake to swim in from May 1 through September 30.
The park sits within Columbia and is also an accredited ArbNet Level II arboretum, with native Missouri tree collections, oak and maple groves, and the Hindman Discovery Garden surrounding the lake, along with two waterfalls and a boardwalk area on the east side of the lake used for non-motorized boating.
Swimming at Stephens Lake Park
Swimming takes place at a designated, unguarded beach on the west side of the 11-acre lake; the city's own materials describe it only as "swim at your own risk" with no lifeguard, and give no detail on water clarity, bottom composition, or depth, so swimmers should expect a small-town lake-swimming experience rather than a resort beach.
How to get to this swimming hole
Parking: Multiple park parking lots serve the beach and other areas, including the South parking lot, West parking lot, Old 63 parking lot, Riechmann parking lot, and parking near the Broadway entrance (2001 Broadway).
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. No hike is needed, this is a drive-up city park with several parking lots directly adjacent to the designated swim beach on the lake's west side (short, flat walk of a couple minutes from the nearest lot). The park does have a 0.6 mi hard-surface lake trail and a 1.7 mi hard-surface perimeter trail for those who want to walk around after swimming, but neither is required to reach the beach.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Designated swim beach on an 11-acre park lake, but it is explicitly unguarded ('swim at your own risk', no lifeguard on duty) per the city's own park page. A sprayground sits adjacent to the beach as a shallow, supervised-by-parents alternative for younger kids. No official source documents beach entry slope, water depth, or bottom composition, so parents should treat depth/footing as unknown and supervise closely.
Parking
Lot
Multiple city park lots serve the beach and grounds: South parking lot, West parking lot, Old 63 parking lot, Riechmann parking lot, and parking near the Broadway entrance (2001 Broadway). No fee is mentioned anywhere in the official park materials, but the source doesn't explicitly say 'free', so cost status is left null.
Restrooms
Yes
Seasonal restrooms on the west side near the beach, plus north side (outside Riechmann Pavilion) and south side (near the reservable shelters) restrooms, all open April 15-October 15. One heated restroom near Collins Shelter stays open year-round.
Hours
Park general hours 6 a.m.-11 p.m. (fishing area 4:30 a.m.-11 p.m.); swimming beach open seasonally May 1 through Sept. 30; beach-adjacent restrooms open April 15-Oct 15
On the water
Restrictions: Non-motorized boating only; the city page describes boating as confined to the fishing lake / boardwalk side of the lake (east side), separate from the designated swim beach on the west side. No motorized boats or jet skis are described as permitted.
The official park page does not name kayaks/canoes/paddleboards individually, it describes 'non-motorized boating' generally on the lake, so specific craft types are inferred from that category rather than confirmed by name; treat the craft list as reasonably likely rather than itemized by the source.
Backstory
The property was first settled by Kentucky farmer David Gordon, who built a cabin in 1818 and the Gordon Manor house in 1823; the Gordon family held it for over a century until Stephens College bought it in 1926, built a nine-hole golf course, and enlarged the lake. When the college later moved to sell the land to private developers (around 1999), community opposition led the City of Columbia to acquire the property in 2001 using voter-approved park sales tax funds, opening it as a public park the same year. An amphitheater was added in 2010, and the park achieved ArbNet Level II arboretum accreditation in 2017.
Stephens Lake Park: FAQ
Is Stephens Lake Park kid friendly?
Designated swim beach on an 11-acre park lake, but it is explicitly unguarded ('swim at your own risk', no lifeguard on duty) per the city's own park page. A sprayground sits adjacent to the beach as a shallow, supervised-by-parents alternative for younger kids. No official source documents beach entry slope, water depth, or bottom composition, so parents should treat depth/footing as unknown and supervise closely.
Do I need to hike to reach Stephens Lake Park?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Stephens Lake Park?
Multiple city park lots serve the beach and grounds: South parking lot, West parking lot, Old 63 parking lot, Riechmann parking lot, and parking near the Broadway entrance (2001 Broadway). No fee is mentioned anywhere in the official park materials, but the source doesn't explicitly say 'free', so cost status is left null.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Stephens Lake Park?
The official park page does not name kayaks/canoes/paddleboards individually, it describes 'non-motorized boating' generally on the lake, so specific craft types are inferred from that category rather than confirmed by name; treat the craft list as reasonably likely rather than itemized by the source.
When is the best time to visit Stephens Lake Park?
Summer (beach officially open May 1 through September 30)
What are the rules at Stephens Lake Park?
Swimming beach is unguarded ("swim at your own risk"); no lifeguard on duty. Beach open seasonally May 1 through Sept. 30. Beach-adjacent restrooms open April 15 to October 15. Park general hours are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; fishing hours 4:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
What water body is Stephens Lake Park on?
Stephens Lake Park is on Hinkson Creek, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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