Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake
Transfer, Pennsylvania · on Shenango River Lake · Shenango River Lake
Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- Year-round
About Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake
Chestnut Run Swim Beach is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-designated swimming beach on the north shore of Shenango River Lake, a flood-control reservoir near Transfer, Pennsylvania, just off Route 846. It is one of only a few developed, officially sanctioned places to swim among the Pittsburgh District's lakes, a managed swimming hole paired with a first-come, first-served picnic pavilion.
The beach sits on the north shore of Shenango River Lake, a 3,560-acre Army Corps of Engineers flood-control reservoir formed by a dam completed in 1965 on the Shenango River near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border. The broader project area includes remnants of the historic Erie Extension Canal and Lock No. 10 in nearby Sharpsville, though these historical features are lakewide points of interest rather than being on the beach itself.
Swimming at Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake
Swimming is in the open reservoir at a designated, developed beach area with no lifeguard on duty (swim-at-your-own-risk), suiting confident swimmers and families comfortable with unsupervised lake swimming rather than a supervised facility.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located on the north shore of Shenango River Lake just off the eastern side of Route 846, near Transfer/Clark/Hermitage, Mercer County, PA.
Parking: On-site parking lot; visitors are asked to use the dumpsters provided in the parking lot to keep the area clean.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up, developed swim beach: the parking lot sits directly at the site and visitors walk a short distance from the lot to the shoreline. No trail or hike is required to reach the water.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Open reservoir swimming with no lifeguard on duty (swim-at-your-own-risk); the beach was previously a guarded, concession-staffed county facility that Mercer County closed in 2008 due to cost, and it now operates as an unstaffed USACE swim area. Visitor comments call it 'nice, very clean' and 'great for family fun swimming,' but there is no shallow roped-off kiddie area documented and water level/clarity can vary a lot (see water_clarity). Check for active blue-green algae advisories before bringing young kids, especially mid-summer to early fall.
Parking
Free
On-site paved parking lot right at the beach (no separate day-use or boat-launch fee at Shenango Lake facilities); dumpsters are provided in the lot and visitors are asked to use them to keep the area clean.
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms on site at the swim beach, but only open seasonally, May 21 through September 11; outside that window there are no operating restrooms at the beach itself.
Water clarity
Varies with season and flow
No dedicated clarity report was found, but conditions appear to swing with water level and rainfall. One visitor warned after a 2021 reopening that the lake was running high and would likely be 'mud city' (murky). Separately, an EPA CyAN satellite-based water-quality tracker (checked late July 2026) flagged a possible blue-green algae bloom on Shenango River Lake around July 21, 2026 (estimated over 100,000 cells/mL, a satellite estimate, not confirmed field sampling), and notes blooms have shown up in 5 of the last 7 summers, peaking around 880,000 cells/mL in August 2023. Treat clarity and water quality as day-of-visit dependent and check for algae advisories in mid-summer through early fall.
Hours
Beach area itself is open year-round (no gate/closing time found), but restrooms operate seasonally only from May 21 through September 11. Facility has had periodic temporary closures/reopenings (e.g., after high water) announced by the Shenango Lake USACE office, so a same-day check is worthwhile after storms.
On the water
Restrictions: The designated swim beach itself is a swim-only zone; USACE lakewide rules prohibit swimming near boat-launching ramps, dams, outflows, locks, or intakes, implying boats are meant to stay clear of the marked swim area. No lakewide no-wake or electric-only restriction was found for Shenango River Lake generally, local rental outfitters offer full-power ski/wakeboard boats and jet skis on the lake, indicating open motorized use elsewhere on the reservoir.
Life-jacket loaner program is available lakewide through the Corps (per prior enrichment).
Rentals nearby
Pontoon boats (5-12 person), single and double kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and a 16' Bass Tracker fishing boat, in 4-hour (half-day) or 8-hour (full-day) blocks.
Prices: Kayaks: $30/4hr, $55/8hr (single); $45/4hr, $75/8hr (double). Paddleboards: $30/4hr, $55/8hr. Fishing boat: $110/4hr, $200/8hr. Pontoons: $220-320/4hr, $320-420/8hr depending on size. $100 refundable deposit on kayaks/paddleboards/fishing boat; $1 per life jacket; +$20 to bring a dog on select pontoons.
2802 Lake Rd, Clark, PA 16113 - directly on Shenango Lake in Clark, which is listed as only about 1.7 mi from the Chestnut Run swim beach. · Open daily 9:00 AM-6:00 PM; morning rental departures 9:15-9:45 AM, afternoon departures 1:15-1:45 PM, arrive 20 min early.
Wakeboard/ski boat rentals, jet ski rentals (open to any age as passenger or with appropriate operator), stand-up paddleboards, water trampolines, flyboards, plus guided jet ski tours and boat charters, on Shenango River Lake.
Operates on Shenango River Lake; no specific marina address or dock location was published on the site for this lake (multi-lake operator, contact via 888-205-7119 or the site's contact page for pickup details).
Kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard, inner-tube, and bike rentals, run as guided put-in/take-out river trips as well as lake rentals.
River Rentals at Riverside Park, 73 Memorial Drive, Greenville, PA 16125 (on the Shenango River, roughly a 15-20 min drive from Chestnut Run - approximate, not verified); separate Lake Rentals location at 4220 E Lake Rd, Jamestown, PA 16134 on Pymatuning Lake (farther away, ~25+ min drive). · River Rentals (Greenville location): daily by reservation, trips depart on the hour from 9 AM to 3 PM. Lake Rentals (Jamestown location): daily by reservation.
What regulars say
Aggregated visitor feedback (roughly 249 ratings) skews positive, with comments like 'peaceful and breathtaking' and 'great for family fun swimming.' One visitor warned after a 2021 high-water reopening that the beach would likely be 'mud city,' meaning murky and muddy when the reservoir is running high, so it is worth checking recent lake-level and algae conditions (see water clarity) before a trip, especially in mid-to-late summer.
Backstory
Shenango River Lake was authorized under the Flood Control Act of 1938 and its dam was completed in 1965; the project area contains remnants of the historic Erie Extension Canal, including the well-preserved Lock No. 10 about half a mile downstream of the dam in Sharpsville. These are lakewide historical features rather than specific to the swim beach.
Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake: FAQ
Does Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake charge a fee?
No admission or day-use fee identified; the on-site picnic pavilion is not reservable and is free on a first-come, first-served basis. Shenango Lake charges no boat-launch or day-use fees at Corps-operated facilities.
Is Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake kid friendly?
Open reservoir swimming with no lifeguard on duty (swim-at-your-own-risk); the beach was previously a guarded, concession-staffed county facility that Mercer County closed in 2008 due to cost, and it now operates as an unstaffed USACE swim area. Visitor comments call it 'nice, very clean' and 'great for family fun swimming,' but there is no shallow roped-off kiddie area documented and water level/clarity can vary a lot (see water_clarity). Check for active blue-green algae advisories before bringing young kids, especially mid-summer to early fall.
Do I need to hike to reach Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake?
On-site paved parking lot right at the beach (no separate day-use or boat-launch fee at Shenango Lake facilities); dumpsters are provided in the lot and visitors are asked to use them to keep the area clean.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake?
Life-jacket loaner program is available lakewide through the Corps (per prior enrichment).
When is the best time to visit Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake?
The beach itself is open year-round; on-site restrooms operate seasonally from May 21 through September 11.
What are the rules at Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake?
Swim-at-your-own-risk area with no lifeguard on duty. Corpswide rules prohibit swimming near dams, outflows, locks, discharges, powerhouse intakes, or boat launching ramps. USACE prohibits loaded firearms and does not honor concealed-carry permits on project lands/waters (36 CFR 327.13).
What water body is Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake on?
Chestnut Run Swim Beach At Shenango River Lake is on Shenango River Lake, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
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