Portage Lakes State Park Beach
New Franklin, Ohio
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Portage Lakes State Park Beach
Portage Lakes State Park Beach is a 900-foot official swimming beach on Turkeyfoot Lake, part of the 2,034-acre Portage Lakes chain near New Franklin/Akron, Ohio. For Akron-area swimmers after a lake to swim in, it is a heavily used, free public swimming hole with vault latrines, parking, and (as of October 2025) a new visitor center, but it operates without lifeguards.
The beach sits on the southern shore of Turkeyfoot Lake within Portage Lakes State Park, a glacially formed chain of eight interconnected lakes and wetlands historically used as an Indigenous portage route and a War of 1812 troop staging area. The surrounding park mixes open shoreline, boat launches, and wooded picnic/camping areas.
Swimming at Portage Lakes State Park Beach
A sandy, roughly 900-foot designated lake beach where swimming is permitted during daylight hours at visitors' own risk. It draws large crowds in summer (100-200 cars/day typically, several hundred people in the water on hot days), suiting families and casual swimmers rather than those seeking wilderness solitude. Water quality is monitored under Ohio's BeachGuard program from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with advisories posted when bacteria levels warrant.
How to get to this swimming hole
From downtown Akron (about 10.5 miles), take OH-93/Manchester Road toward New Franklin; the park entrance and beach parking are off Manchester Road at 5031 Manchester Road.
Parking: On-site parking lot at the beach.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up beach: the on-site parking lot sits immediately adjacent to the 900-foot sand beach, roughly a 1-2 minute flat walk from car to water. No trail or hike is involved.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
The 900-foot sandy beach has a gentle, shallow entry that suits young kids, but the swim area is unguarded (no lifeguards, rangers, or police stationed on-site) and the lake's dark/murky water has repeatedly complicated rescues. A 6-year-old boy drowned in roughly 4 feet of water near the swim beach on Aug 31, 2024 (a human chain of first responders/volunteers pulled him out), one of three drownings at this beach over about a 10-month span ending mid-2025. Parents should keep close, constant supervision even in shallow water.
Parking
Free
On-site paved lot at the beach off Manchester Road (5031 Manchester Rd, New Franklin). Ohio state parks charge no entrance or parking fee. On peak summer days the lot fills and staff/officials have reported 100-200+ cars visiting the beach on hot days.
Restrooms
Yes
Vault latrines and change booths at the beach (confirmed by ODNR); a new visitor center with ADA-compliant restrooms opened near the beach in October 2025.
Water clarity
Often murky
Local news coverage (Akron Beacon Journal) describes the lake's water as dark, a factor officials cited as complicating recovery of distressed/drowned swimmers. No visitor accounts describing the water as clear were found; a 2022 r/AkronOH thread instead discussed an E. coli spike prompting swim cautions, consistent with a lake that is not clear/clean-looking rather than a clear swimming hole.
Hours
Swimming itself is restricted to daylight hours only per ODNR policy (swim at your own risk, no lifeguards). General park/grounds hours are reported by a third-party visitor guide as approximately 8:00 AM-11:00 PM daily; this specific range is not from an official ODNR page and should be treated as approximate.
On the water
Restrictions: Turkeyfoot Lake and most of the Portage Lakes chain permit motorboats up to 400 horsepower, launched from any of eight boat ramps in the park. Nimisila Reservoir, a separate lake within the same state park, is restricted to electric motors only (no gas motors), and is noted as good for sailing/canoeing. The swim beach itself is a designated swimming area distinct from the boat launch ramps; no source confirms whether hand-launching a kayak/paddleboard directly from the swim beach sand is permitted versus requiring use of a ramp.
Because Turkeyfoot Lake allows high-horsepower motorboats and water skiing (listed as a park activity), paddlers sharing the open lake should expect motorized boat traffic and wakes away from the roped swim zone.
Rentals nearby
Single kayaks, tandem (14-ft, 2-seat) kayaks, and 10-ft stand-up paddleboards; all rentals include a life vest and paddle(s). Offers delivery to any launch point on the Portage Lakes.
Prices: Single kayak $15/hr (up to ~$75 for 8 hrs); tandem kayak $20/hr (~$100 for 8 hrs); paddleboard $15/hr (~$45 for 3 hrs); 10% discount for military/first responders.
Serves Portage Lakes State Park; delivers directly to Portage Lakes launch points, so effectively on-site at Turkeyfoot Lake. · Seasonal: opens ~May 1 (weather permitting), closes between October and November 1; reservations require 24-72 hours notice depending on day of week.
Full-service marina on Turkeyfoot Lake renting pontoons (8- and 10-person), single and tandem kayaks, paddleboards, hydro bikes, and paddle boats; also offers boat storage, winterization, engine repair, and fuel.
Prices: Pontoons ~$50-70/hr (lower weekday rates; 4-hr packages ~$200-240); kayaks $15/hr; tandem kayaks $20/hr; paddleboards $17/hr; hydro bikes $15/hr.
Dusty's Landing II rental location: 401 W Turkeyfoot Lake Rd, Akron, OH 44319 - directly on Turkeyfoot Lake, a short drive/walk around the shoreline from the state park beach. Reservation line (330) 644-3220.
What regulars say
A 2022 r/AkronOH thread ("Portage Lakes swimmers cautioned as E. coli count temporarily spikes in Turkeyfoot waters") shows local visitors tracking bacteria advisories at this exact beach rather than treating the lake as reliably clean. Local news reporting (used as visitor-adjacent evidence, not first-person reviews) reinforces that this is a high-traffic, unguarded lake beach: 100-200+ cars on a typical day and several hundred swimmers on hot days, dark water that has hampered searches for distressed swimmers, and repeated drownings (three in the ~10 months before mid-2025, including a 6-year-old found in about 4 feet of water in August 2024) despite the beach's shallow, gently-sloping entry.
Backstory
The Portage Lakes formed from glacial activity; the area was historically an Indigenous portage route connecting two river systems and served as a rendezvous point for troops during the War of 1812.
Portage Lakes State Park Beach: FAQ
Does Portage Lakes State Park Beach charge a fee?
Free; Ohio state parks charge no entrance fee.
Is Portage Lakes State Park Beach kid friendly?
The 900-foot sandy beach has a gentle, shallow entry that suits young kids, but the swim area is unguarded (no lifeguards, rangers, or police stationed on-site) and the lake's dark/murky water has repeatedly complicated rescues. A 6-year-old boy drowned in roughly 4 feet of water near the swim beach on Aug 31, 2024 (a human chain of first responders/volunteers pulled him out), one of three drownings at this beach over about a 10-month span ending mid-2025. Parents should keep close, constant supervision even in shallow water.
Do I need to hike to reach Portage Lakes State Park Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Portage Lakes State Park Beach?
On-site paved lot at the beach off Manchester Road (5031 Manchester Rd, New Franklin). Ohio state parks charge no entrance or parking fee. On peak summer days the lot fills and staff/officials have reported 100-200+ cars visiting the beach on hot days.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Portage Lakes State Park Beach?
Because Turkeyfoot Lake allows high-horsepower motorboats and water skiing (listed as a park activity), paddlers sharing the open lake should expect motorized boat traffic and wakes away from the roped swim zone.
When is the best time to visit Portage Lakes State Park Beach?
Late spring through summer (Memorial Day-Labor Day), matching the park's official water-quality monitoring window and peak crowds.
What are the rules at Portage Lakes State Park Beach?
Swimming permitted during daylight hours only; posted as swim-at-your-own-risk (no lifeguards); pets are not allowed on the swimming beach; water quality is monitored under the state BeachGuard program from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with advisory signage posted when bacteria levels exceed state limits.
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