Lake Snowden

Lee Township, Ohio · on Lake Snowden

Verified · 3 independent sources · top-verified

WATER: reservoir
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: $30/night
SEASON: Beach season runs Memorial Day through Labor Day, per the official site; hours are listed as 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on the swimming page (a separate camping page lists 10 a.m.-8 p.m.).

About Lake Snowden

Lake Snowden is a 136-acre freshwater reservoir within a 675-acre recreation park in Athens County, Ohio, about 5-6 miles from Athens and 1 mile from Albany. Built in the early 1970s as a flood-control impoundment and now owned and operated by Hocking College, it has an official, designated swimming beach alongside camping, fishing, and boating facilities, making it a straightforward swimming hole for the Athens area and an easy lake to swim in.

Lake Snowden sits within a 675-acre education and recreation park in the hills of Athens County, southeast Ohio, formed by a dam built under the federal PL-566 Margaret Creek Watershed Project (completed 1970). The lake itself covers about 136 acres with a maximum depth of 42 feet and is designated a no-wake/idle-only lake by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The surrounding park includes four campgrounds (Locust Grove, Big Oak, Hickory, Hilltop), 12.5 miles of horse trails, shelter houses, and a boat launch near State Route 50.

Swimming at Lake Snowden

Swimming takes place at an official, unguarded grass-and-sand beach on the lake, open daily during daylight hours in summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day). The designated swim area is roped off from the rest of the lake and has a maximum depth of roughly seven feet, making it suited to families and casual swimmers rather than deep-water or long-distance swimming; the wider lake beyond the ropes is off-limits to swimmers.

How to get to this swimming hole

Located at 5900 US Highway 50, Albany, Ohio 45710, roughly 5-6 miles southwest of Athens and about 1 mile northeast of Albany; the beach and swim area are within the main Lake Snowden park grounds off US-50.

Parking: Official park charges a daily parking pass ($8) or seasonal parking pass ($75) per the camping/fee page; no separate parking fee specific to day-use beach visitors was found.

The hike in

Drive-up swimming beach: visitors park in designated lake parking lots or campsite parking and walk directly to the grass/sand beach within the park grounds; no trail or hike is needed to reach the water.

The park does have 12.5 miles of separate horse/walking trails elsewhere in the 675-acre grounds, but these are not required to reach the swim beach.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Grass/sand beach with a roped-off swim area capped at about 7ft deep is manageable for families, but the beach is unguarded (no lifeguard ever on duty, 'swimming is at the individual's own risk') and supervision of children 12-and-under is required by park rules, so adults need to actively watch kids rather than relax.

Parking

Paid, $8/day parking pass ($75 seasonal pass)

Parking is permitted only in designated parking lots and campsite parking areas -- no roadside, grass, or under-shelter-house parking allowed, per the official swimming page.

Restrooms

Yes

Official site lists restroom facilities/shelter houses park-wide. Detailed campground info shows a Shower House with hot showers and flush toilets (near Hilltop camp area, campers only) and vault toilets at the other camping areas; no beach-specific restroom was separately confirmed, but the park overall has restroom facilities per the official activities page.

Hours

Beach area is open every day; swimming allowed daylight hours only. Official pages disagree on exact times: the swimming activity page states 7am-7pm, while the camping/fees page states 10am-8pm Memorial Day through Labor Day (beach season runs Memorial Day-Labor Day per both).

Swim smart

No lifeguard on duty at any time; maximum depth at the designated swim area is about 7 feet, but the lake itself reaches 42 feet deep beyond the roped swim boundary.

Rules: Beach is unguarded ("swimming is at the individual's own risk"); adult supervision required for children (stated as 12-and-under on the swimming page, 15-and-under on the camping page); swimming not permitted beyond the rope boundary; buddy system and daylight-only swimming required; no alcohol, glass containers, or pets in the beach area; only Coast Guard-approved flotation devices permitted; lake overall is a no-wake/idle-only lake per ODNR.

This is an informational listing, not an invitation. Conditions and access change; verify locally before you go. Visiting any swimming hole is at your own risk. See our Terms of Use.

On the water

KayaksCanoesPaddleboardsMotorboats

Restrictions: Lake Snowden is a no-wake, idle-speed-only lake -- 'all boats must run at idle speed only' regardless of type. All watercraft must display a valid Ohio Division of Watercraft registration. Swimming from watercraft is not permitted, and fishing is prohibited in the designated beach area.

Boating access is free and open to the public per the official fishing-and-boating page ('All boats and boaters are welcome at Lake Snowden'); no boat launch fee beyond the general park parking pass was found. A community 'Paddle for Polio Plus' kayaking fundraiser event has been held on the lake (per WOUB.org), confirming kayaking is a normal on-lake activity.

Backstory

The lake was created by a dam completed in 1970 under the federal PL-566 Margaret Creek Watershed Project for flood control; it opened to public recreation in 1972 as part of the Le-Ax Water District, and Hocking College purchased and has operated the park since 1998. For about 25 years the site hosted the Ohio Pawpaw Festival before the festival relocated to Nelsonville in 2026. A 2017 report noted an Ohio University environmental studies professor raised concerns about a proposed water park's impact on aquatic life at the lake.

Lake Snowden: FAQ

Does Lake Snowden charge a fee?

No admission fee found specifically for beach/swim access; camping runs $30/night (non-electric) or $35/night (electric), plus a $20 dump station fee; parking passes are $8/day or $75/season.

Is Lake Snowden kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Lake Snowden?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Lake Snowden?

Parking is permitted only in designated parking lots and campsite parking areas -- no roadside, grass, or under-shelter-house parking allowed, per the official swimming page.

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Lake Snowden?

When is the best time to visit Lake Snowden?

Beach season runs Memorial Day through Labor Day, per the official site; hours are listed as 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on the swimming page (a separate camping page lists 10 a.m.-8 p.m.).

What are the rules at Lake Snowden?

Beach is unguarded ("swimming is at the individual's own risk"); adult supervision required for children (stated as 12-and-under on the swimming page, 15-and-under on the camping page); swimming not permitted beyond the rope boundary; buddy system and daylight-only swimming required; no alcohol, glass containers, or pets in the beach area; only Coast Guard-approved flotation devices permitted; lake overall is a no-wake/idle-only lake per ODNR.

What water body is Lake Snowden on?

Lake Snowden is on Lake Snowden, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.