Find Swimming Holes

The 3 Best Swimming Holes in Nebraska

Every verified swimming hole in Nebraska, ranked from most to least visited by real review counts: 2 reservoirs, 1 lake. Each entry covers the swim itself, the hike, parking, restrooms, and what you can bring on the water, and links to a full guide with photos, directions, fees, and safety notes.

Loading map…

Every verified place to swim in Nebraska. Tap a marker to open its guide.

Table of contentsall 3 spots▾

1. Cottonmill Park

Kearney, Nebraskalake

Cottonmill Park wraps around a 43-acre spring-fed lake just west of downtown Kearney, and its designated swimming hole is a sandy beach on a swimming pond kept separate from the main boating lake. It is popular with families all summer, and the free entry does not hurt.

The one thing to stay on top of is water quality. The local health department monitors the swimming pond and has posted seasonal E. coli advisories in recent summers, so check current status before you go, and follow the usual guidance about not swallowing lake water and rinsing off afterward.

  • The water: A sandy beach on a designated swimming pond, separate from the main spring-fed boating lake, popular with families in summer.
  • Getting in: No hike. The beach sits right by on-site parking within the park.
  • Parking: Free, but the lot can get tight on summer weekends when the beach is busy, so arrive early.
  • Facilities: Restrooms and vault toilets are listed park amenities.
  • On the water: Kayaks, canoes, paddleboats, and motorboats allowed. Rentals via the Cottonmill Park Marina and Kearney Paddle Sports.
  • Good to know: Recurring seasonal E. coli advisories from the health department, so check current water-quality status before letting kids swim.

See the full guide →

2. Lake Minatare State Recreation Area

Minatare, Nebraskareservoir

Lake Minatare is the biggest body of water in Nebraska's Panhandle, a 2,158-acre reservoir about 12 miles northeast of Scottsbluff, and Sunrise Beach is its designated swimming hole. The water gets described as deep blue and notably clear, and the beach is open daily from 8am to sunset. There's no lifeguard, so it's officially swim at your own risk, but the setup suits casual lake swimmers and families just fine.

The lake borders the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge, which pulls in huge numbers of migratory waterfowl, and the shoreline is famous locally for its CCC-built Plains Lighthouse. One source recommends August specifically, when the water is warm and the crowds thin out. Just plan around the calendar: the whole area closes to the public October 15 through January 15 for wildlife protection.

  • The water: Open reservoir swimming at an unsupervised designated beach; the water is described as deep blue with notably clear clarity.
  • Getting in: No hike. Day-use parking sits directly at the Sunrise Beach swim area next to the picnic shelters and restrooms.
  • Parking: A Nebraska state park entry permit is required to park anywhere in the recreation area; no separate day-use fee amount was found.
  • Facilities: Vault-type restrooms right at the beach; modern restrooms with showers at the Lake View and Butte View campgrounds.
  • On the water: Kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and motorboats are all allowed on the reservoir.
  • Good to know: No lifeguard on duty, and the area is closed to the public October 15 through January 15 for wildlife protection.

See the full guide →

3. Lake Yankton Beach

Crofton, Nebraskareservoir

Lake Yankton Beach is the area's established swimming hole, a designated beach on a 250-acre reservoir tucked just downstream of Gavins Point Dam near Crofton. The lake's best feature for swimmers is what is missing: gas boat motors have been banned since the 1980s, only electric motors are allowed, so the water stays noticeably calmer and quieter than the huge Lewis and Clark Lake upstream.

It sits within the Training Dike Day-Use Area of the Corps of Engineers' Cottonwood Recreation Area, alongside fishing piers and boat ramps. Officials describe it simply as a popular local place to swim in the summer months, so treat it as a drive-up, swim-at-your-own-risk beach.

  • The water: Calm, sheltered reservoir water below Gavins Point Dam. The electric-motors-only rule keeps boat wakes down for swimmers.
  • Getting in: No hike. A drive-up day-use beach reached via Dam Toe Road off SD Highway 52 from Yankton.
  • On the water: Kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and electric motorboats only. Gas motors are banned.
  • Good to know: No lifeguard or depth information is documented, and the lake has zebra mussels, so supervise kids closely and swim at your own risk.

See the full guide →

Planning a swimming hole trip in Nebraska

Nebraska has 3 verified natural places to swim in this guide: 2 reservoirs, 1 lake. The most visited is Cottonmill Park near Kearney, with 650 reviews. 1 of these swimming holes are free to visit; the rest are mostly state park or recreation area day-use fees.

For a longer trip, 3 are open to kayaks, paddleboards, or tubes, with local rental outfitters listed where we found them. Filters above narrow the grid to exactly these.

Nebraska swimming holes: FAQ

How many swimming holes are there in Nebraska?

We've verified 3 natural swimming spots in Nebraska, including 2 reservoirs, 1 lake. Every listing was checked against USGS water data, public-land records, and first-hand accounts before being published.

Are these Nebraska swimming holes free?

Many are free, while some state parks and recreation areas charge a day-use fee. Each listing shows the fee we found in official sources, and where no fee was documented, we say so rather than guess.

When is the best time to swim in Nebraska?

Most spots are at their best from late spring through early fall, but conditions vary by site. Each listing includes the best-season note from our research plus a live weather link for planning your visit.

Swimming holes in other states