Craig Beach
Lake Milton, Ohio · on Lake Milton · Lake Milton State Park
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- May
About Craig Beach
Craig Beach is Lake Milton State Park's designated public swimming beach and the go-to swimming hole on this 1,685-acre northeast Ohio reservoir, a lake to swim in impounded on the Mahoning River. The 600-foot sandy beach sits on the site of a former early-1900s lakeside amusement park (also called Craig Beach) that had its own swimming beach, roller coaster, and midway before the lake was drained for dam repairs in the mid-1980s and the area became a state park in 1988.
The beach occupies part of the shoreline of Lake Milton, a large reservoir on the Mahoning River in Mahoning/Trumbull County, Ohio, within the 1,700-acre Lake Milton State Park. The surrounding park land includes picnic shelters, a hiking trail, boat launches, and a disc golf course, on the former grounds of a historic early-20th-century lakeside amusement park.
Swimming at Craig Beach
A 600-foot sandy, unguarded swim beach on a calm reservoir, suited to casual family swimming and sunbathing rather than deep-water or current-driven swimming; sand volleyball and a playground sit adjacent to the swim area.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located within Lake Milton State Park off Mahoning Ave/Grandview Road near the town of Lake Milton, Ohio; the park office is at 16801 Mahoning Ave, Lake Milton, OH 44429, and the beach itself is cited at roughly 2265-2299 Grandview Road. The park sits about 20 miles from Youngstown, 35 miles from Akron, and 71 miles from Cleveland.
Parking: Free on-site parking at the beach; Ohio state parks charge no parking or entrance fees.
The hike in
- Time on foot
- 1-2 min walk from parking lot to the beach
No hike is needed to reach Craig Beach itself -- it's a drive-up beach with an adjacent parking lot, roughly a 1-2 minute walk from car to sand. The park separately has about 1 mile of shoreline hiking/nature trail elsewhere in Lake Milton State Park (per americasstateparks.org), but that trail is not the access route to the swim beach and no specific trail name was found.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Sandy, gently sloped reservoir beach with calm water suited to family swimming and sunbathing, and a playground/sand volleyball court right at the beach; however the swim area is unguarded (no lifeguard on duty per two independent official-park-derived sources), so parents should watch young swimmers directly rather than relying on staff supervision. A separate beach-guide aggregator (close-to-me.com) lists the spot as 'kid-friendly' and 'clear water' but does not describe a specific fenced-off kids' shallow zone, so that detail is not confirmed.
Parking
Free
Free on-site parking lot at the beach off Grandview Road; Ohio state parks charge no entrance or parking fees.
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms, change booths/bathhouse, and showers are on site at the beach, per published park descriptions and a first-hand visitor account.
Water clarity
Varies with season and flow
Some published descriptions mention 'clear water' at the site, but Lake Milton is a 1,685-acre multi-use reservoir on the Mahoning River with unlimited-horsepower boat traffic, which typically stirs up turbidity, especially on busy summer weekends. No first-hand visitor account of clarity on the day could be verified beyond that claim.
Hours
Park open dawn to dusk, year-round (per americasstateparks.org); no separate posted beach hours were found in any source checked.
On the water
Restrictions: Lake Milton is an unlimited-horsepower lake (no electric-only or no-wake restriction found), per stateparks.com's summary of the official park description. The designated swim zone at Craig Beach itself is presumably kept separate from boat traffic (typical of Ohio state park swim beaches), but no source explicitly described a roped-off swim boundary or buoy line at this beach.
Three boat launch ramps and 100 seasonal dock rental slips exist within the park (per americasstateparks.org); boaters can also access a stretch of the Mahoning River at the lake's south end.
Rentals nearby
Self-serve single kayak rentals (includes paddle, PFD, whistle) via unstaffed kiosk -- scan a QR code and book on your phone, no reservation needed.
Prices: $19.99/1 hr, $29.99/2 hrs, $49.99/full day (8 hrs or until sunset), $14.99 per additional hour
Pointview Boat Ramp, 16801 Mahoning Ave, Lake Milton, OH 44429 -- about 2.8 miles by road/lake from Craig Beach, at the park office end of the lake · Daily, 6am to sunset
Pontoon boats, waverunners/personal watercraft, and fishing boats for rent; courtesy dock slips also available ($20/night, up to 2 weeks).
Prices: Not published; FAQ notes rentals over 3 hours are charged the day rate; a $20 pet fee applies if bringing a dog aboard.
Lake Milton State Park boat ramp area (exact address not published on site); phone (330) 654-4991 for the Lake Milton location · Through Memorial Day: 9am-6:30pm (last departure 5:30pm); Memorial Day onward: 8am-7:30pm (last departure 6:30pm)
What regulars say
Lake Milton State Park clearly draws plenty of local discussion and interest, but no specific visitor comments about clarity, crowds, or tips could be captured or verified for this write-up. Treat this as a known gap rather than a null finding.
Backstory
In the early 1900s, Lake Milton hosted a small lakeside amusement park at Craig Beach with its own swimming beach, a roller coaster, boat trips, a dance hall, a skating rink, and a busy midway. The lake was drained in 1986 for dam repairs, and the area became Ohio's state park system in 1988 (one source instead cites 1966 as the park's establishment year, a discrepancy not resolved across sources). No physical traces of the old midway remain today.
Craig Beach: FAQ
Does Craig Beach charge a fee?
No admission or parking fees (Ohio state parks do not charge entrance fees).
Is Craig Beach kid friendly?
Sandy, gently sloped reservoir beach with calm water suited to family swimming and sunbathing, and a playground/sand volleyball court right at the beach; however the swim area is unguarded (no lifeguard on duty per two independent official-park-derived sources), so parents should watch young swimmers directly rather than relying on staff supervision. A separate beach-guide aggregator (close-to-me.com) lists the spot as 'kid-friendly' and 'clear water' but does not describe a specific fenced-off kids' shallow zone, so that detail is not confirmed.
Do I need to hike to reach Craig Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Craig Beach?
Free on-site parking lot at the beach off Grandview Road; Ohio state parks charge no entrance or parking fees.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Craig Beach?
Three boat launch ramps and 100 seasonal dock rental slips exist within the park (per americasstateparks.org); boaters can also access a stretch of the Mahoning River at the lake's south end.
When is the best time to visit Craig Beach?
Late May through early September, per a beach-focused aggregator listing; weekends draw moderate crowds.
What are the rules at Craig Beach?
Swimming is restricted to the designated beach area, which is unguarded (no lifeguard); pets are not permitted on the swimming beach (allowed on 6-foot hand-held leashes elsewhere in the park).
What water body is Craig Beach on?
Craig Beach is on Lake Milton, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
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