Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area
Tioga, Pennsylvania · on Ives Run
Verified · 3 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area
Ives Run is a developed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recreation area on the eastern shore of Hammond Lake, part of the Tioga-Hammond Lakes flood-control reservoir system in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. It has an official designated swimming beach (grass beach, concrete bottom) alongside a large campground, boat ramp, and picnic facilities.
The site sits on Hammond Lake, a reservoir formed by Hammond Dam on Crooked Creek, within the rolling mountains and open fields of north-central Pennsylvania's Endless Mountains/Allegheny Plateau region, a few miles south of the town of Tioga and about 12 miles north of Wellsboro.
Swimming at Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area
Recreation.gov describes an official swimming area with a grass beach and a concrete bottom, paired with a grassy sunning area, marketed as suitable for families with children; this is lake (reservoir) swimming rather than a river or creek swimming hole.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located on Hammond Lake's eastern shore, approximately 4 miles south of Tioga, PA and about 12 miles north of Wellsboro, PA, within the Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up/walk-up beach in the Ives Run day-use area on Hammond Lake's shore -- no hike is required to reach the water, just a short walk from the designated parking lot. Separate recreational trails exist elsewhere in the Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area (the ~1 mi Archery Trail loop near the Visitor Information Center, the 2.6 mi Railroad Grade Trail along Crooked Creek between Ives Run and Holiday, the 9 mi C. Lynn Keller Trail overlooking Hammond Lake, and the 1.3 mi Stephenhouse Trail loop along a small stream), but none of these are the access route to the swim beach itself.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
USACE describes the Ives Run beach as 'a great place for kids of any age,' with a grass beach and a concrete-bottom swim area (gentle entry, not a natural mucky lake bottom). However, the official USACE swimming page states no lifeguards are on duty ('swim at your own risk'), requires close supervision of children, and recommends never swimming alone. Loaner life jackets are available at the beach, Visitor Information Center, and Camp Control Building.
Parking
Lot
Designated parking lots serve the day-use/beach area; USACE camping rules note that campers and visitors must park only on campsite pads or in campground parking lots (no roadside parking). No specific day-use parking fee or amount was found in official sources.
Restrooms
Yes
A bathhouse is located at/near the Ives Run beach per the USACE swimming page; hot showers are also listed among the campground's facilities.
Hours
Swimming beach is seasonal, open Memorial Day through Labor Day per USACE; no lifeguards on duty, swim only in the designated/marked area when open. In July 2026, the beach was briefly closed pending bacteria/water-quality retesting and reopened July 2, 2026 after tests came back clear (see visitor_insights).
On the water
Restrictions: Per USACE, Tioga-Hammond-Cowanesque Lakes have no size or horsepower restriction on boats generally, but operators must observe designated 'Slow, No Wake' quiet zones used for fishing/wildlife viewing. PFD rules: children 12 and under must wear an approved PFD at all times aboard boats under 20 ft and on all canoes/kayaks/paddleboards; Nov 1-Apr 30, anyone aboard a vessel under 16 ft (incl. canoes/kayaks) must wear a PFD at all times, underway or anchored; personal watercraft riders and anyone being towed must always wear a life jacket; boats 16 ft+ must carry a USCG-approved Type IV throwable device. Camper boat launching and overnight mooring slips at Ives Run are reserved for registered campers.
Five boat launch ramps serve the combined 2,268-acre, 32-mile-shoreline Tioga-Hammond-Cowanesque lake system; Ives Run itself has an on-site boat ramp plus rental mooring slips for campers.
Rentals nearby
Ives Run camp store (on-site, USACE concession)
Kayak rentals, along with food and camping supplies; located in the day-use area at Ives Run Recreation Area on Hammond Lake
On-site at Ives Run Recreation Area, 710 Ives Run Ln, Tioga, PA -- directly at the swim beach/day-use area
Rents rafts, kayaks, canoes, tubes, and bicycles; offers guided and self-guided flat-water trips plus vehicle shuttles
23 Llama Ln, Wellsboro, PA -- roughly 12 mi south of Ives Run; this outfitter serves Pine Creek (the PA Grand Canyon), not Hammond Lake directly · 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM daily (per business listing)
Kayak, canoe, raft, tube, and bike rentals for Pine Creek Gorge
5142 US-6 E, Wellsboro, PA (also an Ansonia Valley location referenced on their site) -- roughly 12-20 mi from Ives Run; serves Pine Creek, not Hammond Lake directly
What regulars say
The most notable recent finding: local news (WETM) reported the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers temporarily closed Ives Run Beach in summer 2026 pending bacteria/water-quality testing, then reopened it on July 2, 2026 after retesting came back clear, a reminder to check current USACE advisories before visiting.
Backstory
Hammond Dam (with the adjoining Tioga Dam) was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1973 and 1979 as part of an interconnected flood-control system authorized by the Flood Control Act of July 3, 1958, with construction accelerated after Hurricane Agnes's severe 1972 flooding. A channel connects Hammond Lake and Tioga Reservoir so that Hammond Lake, with greater storage capacity, can hold excess flood water from Tioga Lake; the project also helps neutralize acid mine drainage in the Tioga River.
Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area: FAQ
Is Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area kid friendly?
USACE describes the Ives Run beach as 'a great place for kids of any age,' with a grass beach and a concrete-bottom swim area (gentle entry, not a natural mucky lake bottom). However, the official USACE swimming page states no lifeguards are on duty ('swim at your own risk'), requires close supervision of children, and recommends never swimming alone. Loaner life jackets are available at the beach, Visitor Information Center, and Camp Control Building.
Do I need to hike to reach Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area?
Designated parking lots serve the day-use/beach area; USACE camping rules note that campers and visitors must park only on campsite pads or in campground parking lots (no roadside parking). No specific day-use parking fee or amount was found in official sources.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area?
Five boat launch ramps serve the combined 2,268-acre, 32-mile-shoreline Tioga-Hammond-Cowanesque lake system; Ives Run itself has an on-site boat ramp plus rental mooring slips for campers.
What are the rules at Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area?
Dogs must be leashed or otherwise physically restrained at all times; park only in designated areas; only locally-sourced firewood may be brought in (no transporting firewood between regions); campsite/shelter reservations are made through Recreation.gov or (877) 444-6777.
What water body is Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area on?
Tioga-Hammond Lakes Recreation Area is on Ives Run, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
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