Wallace Lake Park
Berea, Ohio · on Baldwin Lake · Mill Stream Run Reservation - I-71 Parcel
Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $175
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Wallace Lake Park
Wallace Lake Park is a Cleveland Metroparks swim beach on Wallace Lake, a 17.6-acre former sandstone quarry within the Mill Stream Run Reservation in Berea, Ohio. Created in 1941, the quarry-turned-swimming hole today features a lifeguarded sand beach, making it one of the district's official designated swimming areas.
Wallace Lake sits within Mill Stream Run Reservation along Valley Parkway, about one mile south of Bagley Road, in a developed Cleveland Metroparks day-use area that also includes a picnic area, ball field, volleyball courts, and a fishing lake nearby. The lake and neighboring Baldwin Lake were both formerly sandstone/grindstone quarries before being converted to recreational lakes.
Swimming at Wallace Lake Park
Swimming takes place at a lifeguarded sand beach on Wallace Lake during the summer season. Access to the water is controlled by lifeguards using a flag system (red flags signal unsafe conditions and closure), diving is prohibited, and only U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets are allowed as flotation devices, indicating a supervised, family-oriented swim area rather than open unrestricted swimming.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located on Valley Parkway in Mill Stream Run Reservation, Berea, Ohio, approximately one mile south of Bagley Road.
Parking: General shared parking serves the Wallace Lake picnic area, beach, and canopy shelter (no dedicated lot per facility; parking is shared among reservation facilities).
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up/park-and-walk lake beach on Valley Parkway with adjacent parking, picnic area, and grille -- no trail hike is needed to reach the swim area. (Mill Stream Run Reservation does have separate Royalview Red/Yellow Loop bike-hike trails nearby, but they are unrelated recreational trails, not an access route to the beach.)
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Lifeguarded sand beach with a red-flag closure system and a strict 'no diving' / 'supervise children at all times' rule set, which is family-oriented in intent, but no source specifies water depth or a shallow gradual entry, so parents of young kids should stay close and ask lifeguards about depth on arrival.
Parking
Free
General shared parking serves the Wallace Lake beach, picnic area, grille, and canopy shelter together (no beach-only dedicated lot called out in official park pages); standard Cleveland Metroparks free parking, no fee found for park entry or swimming.
Restrooms
Yes
Flush and non-flush restrooms at the adjacent Wallace Lake Picnic Area and at the Wallace Lake Reserved Canopy, both steps from the beach.
Hours
Mill Stream Run Reservation grounds are open 6:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. daily; the beach itself is lifeguarded seasonally (summer) with hours not separately published, and the adjacent grille runs 11am-8pm weather permitting.
On the water
Restrictions: Only U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets are permitted in the swim area; snorkels/scuba/other flotation devices are banned there. No source confirms whether visitors may launch their own kayak/canoe/paddleboard elsewhere on the lake outside the roped swim zone.
Cleveland Metroparks' own kayak rental concession at Wallace Lake is closed for the 2026 season; the park's rental page directs visitors to Hinckley Lake instead. No motorboats are referenced for this lake.
Rentals nearby
Single kayak or stand-up paddleboard, tandem kayak/canoe, 4-person canopy pedal boat, 5-person animal-themed pedal boat
Prices: Single kayak/SUP $25/hr; tandem kayak or canoe $35/hr; 4-person pedal boat $35/hr; 5-person pedal boat $45/hr (pontoons not offered this season)
Hinckley Lake, Hinckley Reservation -- a separate Cleveland Metroparks reservation south of Mill Stream Run; this is where Wallace Lake's rental operation was relocated for the 2026 season, not on-site at Wallace Lake. · Store open 10am-7pm daily; rental launches 10am to last launch 5:30pm; walk-up only, no online reservations
Backstory
Wallace Lake and neighboring Baldwin Lake were originally sandstone quarries that produced some of the finest grindstones in the world; Wallace Lake as it exists today (17.6 acres) was formed in 1941 through construction of a spillbox structure at its north end.
Wallace Lake Park: FAQ
Does Wallace Lake Park charge a fee?
No admission fee was found for swimming or general park entry (standard for Cleveland Metroparks). A reserved canopy shelter near the beach can be rented for $175 (Mon-Fri) or $250 (Sat-Sun), May through September.
Is Wallace Lake Park kid friendly?
Lifeguarded sand beach with a red-flag closure system and a strict 'no diving' / 'supervise children at all times' rule set, which is family-oriented in intent, but no source specifies water depth or a shallow gradual entry, so parents of young kids should stay close and ask lifeguards about depth on arrival.
Do I need to hike to reach Wallace Lake Park?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Wallace Lake Park?
General shared parking serves the Wallace Lake beach, picnic area, grille, and canopy shelter together (no beach-only dedicated lot called out in official park pages); standard Cleveland Metroparks free parking, no fee found for park entry or swimming.
When is the best time to visit Wallace Lake Park?
Summer season, roughly May through September, when lifeguards are on duty (per adjacent canopy shelter rental season of May-September).
What are the rules at Wallace Lake Park?
Obey lifeguard instructions at all times; red beach flags mean swimming is prohibited; no swimming outside designated/authorized zones; diving forbidden; children must be constantly supervised; pets banned from beach and water; only U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets permitted (other flotation devices, snorkels, and scuba gear prohibited); no fishing near the swim area; fires and grills prohibited at the beach itself.
What water body is Wallace Lake Park on?
Wallace Lake Park is on Baldwin Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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