Port Henry Beach
Port Henry, New York · on Lake Champlain
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $33/night
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Port Henry Beach
Port Henry Beach (also marketed as 'Port Henry's Champ Beach Park' or 'Port Henry Campground & Champ Beach Park') is a village-run public beach and campground on the shore of Lake Champlain in Port Henry, in the Town of Moriah, New York. It offers a sandy swimming beach with seasonal lifeguards alongside an adjoining campground, playground, and boat launch, making it the village's go-to swimming hole and an easy stretch of Lake Champlain to swim in.
The site sits directly on the Lake Champlain shoreline in the village of Port Henry, described by regional tourism sources as a park that 'transitions from river and forest to lake and beach,' with a riverside nature trail and views across the Champlain Valley toward Vermont.
Swimming at Port Henry Beach
A sandy, family-oriented lake beach with lifeguards on duty during the summer season; sources describe it as a small-town swimming spot suited to families and casual swimming/sunbathing rather than a wilderness destination, adjoining a public campground.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located on Beach Road in the village of Port Henry, NY, on the Lake Champlain shoreline; the associated campground/park office address is given as 4303 Main Street, Port Henry, NY 12974 (also listed as 42 Park Pl in one directory).
Parking: A dedicated parking area is mapped on Beach Road at the site (tagged as a parking amenity named 'Port Henry Beach' in OpenStreetMap); no further detail (capacity, paved/gravel) was found.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up village beach on Beach Road with parking mapped right at the shoreline; no trail, hike, or extended walk is needed to reach the water.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Sandy, family-oriented lake beach with lifeguards on duty during the summer season; no currents, drop-offs, or other hazards documented in any source found.
Parking
Lot
OpenStreetMap tags a dedicated parking amenity node named 'Port Henry Beach' directly on Beach Road at the site; no source specifies capacity, surface (paved/gravel), or whether day-use parking itself is paid or free (the adjoining campground has its own nightly camping fee starting at $33, but that appears to cover camping, not beach-only parking).
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms with pay showers on-site, part of the adjoining Port Henry Campground/Champ Beach Park facility.
On the water
Official tourism listings describe a boat launch plus boat storage/moorings and a fishing pier at the site, confirming motorized/trailerable boat access. No source explicitly confirms or restricts hand-carried craft (kayak/canoe/paddleboard), and no no-wake or electric-only rule was documented, so those are left unconfirmed rather than assumed.
What regulars say
Visitor reports are thin for this specific beach. One camper, writing in July 2020, described the adjoining campground as feeling 'more of a trailer park with year-round residents' and flagged loud nighttime freight-train noise (the site sits rail-adjacent) as a disruption; the account does not comment on swimming or water conditions specifically.
Backstory
Port Henry village has a documented history as an iron-mining and shipping port on Lake Champlain (Wikipedia), though no source tied that history specifically to the beach site itself.
Port Henry Beach: FAQ
Does Port Henry Beach charge a fee?
The adjoining campground charges nightly camping fees starting around $33/night (per GoodSam); no separate day-use swimming/beach admission fee was documented in any source.
Is Port Henry Beach kid friendly?
Sandy, family-oriented lake beach with lifeguards on duty during the summer season; no currents, drop-offs, or other hazards documented in any source found.
Do I need to hike to reach Port Henry Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Port Henry Beach?
OpenStreetMap tags a dedicated parking amenity node named 'Port Henry Beach' directly on Beach Road at the site; no source specifies capacity, surface (paved/gravel), or whether day-use parking itself is paid or free (the adjoining campground has its own nightly camping fee starting at $33, but that appears to cover camping, not beach-only parking).
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Port Henry Beach?
Official tourism listings describe a boat launch plus boat storage/moorings and a fishing pier at the site, confirming motorized/trailerable boat access. No source explicitly confirms or restricts hand-carried craft (kayak/canoe/paddleboard), and no no-wake or electric-only rule was documented, so those are left unconfirmed rather than assumed.
When is the best time to visit Port Henry Beach?
Summer, when lifeguards are on duty and the campground/beach operates (campground season roughly May through early October).
What water body is Port Henry Beach on?
Port Henry Beach is on Lake Champlain, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
