Lake Alvin State Recreation Area
Harrisburg, South Dakota · on Ninemile Creek · Lake Alvin Recreation Area
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $10/day
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Lake Alvin State Recreation Area
Lake Alvin State Recreation Area is a 105-acre South Dakota state park near Harrisburg, centered on Lake Alvin, a reservoir created by damming Ninemile Creek (completed 1954, filled by 1957). The park has an official designated swim beach, giving the Harrisburg area a sanctioned swimming hole and a ready lake to swim in, and it is a popular day-use spot for swimmers, boaters, and anglers.
The recreation area sits on Ninemile Creek southeast of Sioux Falls, near Harrisburg, and consists of the impounded Lake Alvin surrounded by park roads, picnic areas, and boat access points; it is a day-use park with no camping.
Swimming at Lake Alvin State Recreation Area
Swimming takes place at an official designated swim beach on the reservoir, described by the state park agency as a popular gathering place for swimmers; it is a calm, no-wake lake setting suitable for casual family swimming rather than a wild/backcountry swim spot.
The hike in
No hike is needed to reach the swim beach itself; SD GFP lists only 'walking on park roads' as an on-site activity. A separate general-purpose hiking trail exists near the boat launch on the north side of the lake (per a r/SiouxFalls hiking recommendation thread) but it is not required to access swimming.
Swim beach is drive-up/walk-up from parking.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Official park beach has a sandy shoreline suited to family swimming and is a calm no-wake reservoir (no boat wake to worry about), but there are no confirmed lifeguards and the beach has periodically been closed by state health officials after bacteria testing; a Sioux Falls-area visitor who swims there long-distance described conditions as cycling through 'safe and pleasant, safe but gross, or unsafe and gross,' so check current advisories before bringing kids in.
Parking
Paid, $10/day SD resident, $15/day nonresident (self-serve entrance kiosk); annual passes $40 resident / $60 nonresident
Fee is a park day-use entrance fee covering vehicle entry (self-serve kiosk on site, online purchase also available); exact parking lot layout/surface at the swim beach is not documented in sources found.
Restrooms
Yes
Vault toilets on-site, open year-round; flush toilets and showers are also available but are closed seasonally between Oct 1 and Apr 30 along with other water systems (per SD GFP park page).
Water clarity
Varies with season and flow
No official water-clarity data found, but visitor reports (r/SiouxFalls) describe clarity/quality as cycling between good and poor, consistent with the state's history of closing the beach after bacteria testing (per KELOLAND news, cited in prior dossier).
Hours
Day-use park, no overnight camping; open year-round, but showers, flush toilets, and other seasonal water systems close between Oct 1 and Apr 30.
On the water
Restrictions: No-wake zone: boats may not exceed 5 mph or produce a visible wake, to protect the shoreline (SD GFP park page).
Boat ramps and fishing piers are on-site; the reservoir is described by a rental outfitter as calm and large with plenty of room to paddle.
Rentals nearby
Adult and youth kayak rentals with life preservers and oars; explicitly lists Lake Alvin as one of the waterways they serve (alongside Split Rock Park/Garretson, the Big Sioux River, and other spots within 75 miles), plus delivery/pickup service.
2012 S Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57105 (about 20 miles from Lake Alvin); phone (605) 963-7363
Kayak rentals in the greater Sioux Falls area, with named locations at Split Rock Park (Garretson), the Big Sioux River, and Canton; Lake Alvin is not explicitly named on their site among these locations, so it is unconfirmed whether they deliver there.
Prices: Split Rock Park kayak rental: $25/person, first-come first-served
Sioux Falls / Garretson / Canton, SD area; phone (605) 633-5628 · Kayak rentals 7 days/week, 6am-10pm; Split Rock Park seasonal access daily 6am to sunset
What regulars say
Visitor reports: one long-time local who swims long distances at Lake Alvin says the lake cycles through phases of being 'safe and pleasant, safe but gross, or unsafe and gross,' and another local wishes Lincoln County and the state would do more to clean up the lake, comparing it unfavorably to Mitchell's lake cleanup efforts. Locals also list Lake Alvin as a fishing spot for walleye, pike, crappie, and sunfish, and one notes an unrelated hiking trail near the boat launch on the north side of the lake.
Backstory
The park and lake are named for Alvin Dempewolf, the only soldier from Harrisburg, SD who died overseas in World War I. The concrete spillway was replaced in 1994.
Lake Alvin State Recreation Area: FAQ
Does Lake Alvin State Recreation Area charge a fee?
$10/day for South Dakota residents, $15/day for nonresidents; annual passes $40 (resident) / $60 (nonresident); self-serve entrance kiosk on site; online purchase available.
Is Lake Alvin State Recreation Area kid friendly?
Official park beach has a sandy shoreline suited to family swimming and is a calm no-wake reservoir (no boat wake to worry about), but there are no confirmed lifeguards and the beach has periodically been closed by state health officials after bacteria testing; a Sioux Falls-area visitor who swims there long-distance described conditions as cycling through 'safe and pleasant, safe but gross, or unsafe and gross,' so check current advisories before bringing kids in.
Do I need to hike to reach Lake Alvin State Recreation Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Lake Alvin State Recreation Area?
Fee is a park day-use entrance fee covering vehicle entry (self-serve kiosk on site, online purchase also available); exact parking lot layout/surface at the swim beach is not documented in sources found.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Lake Alvin State Recreation Area?
Boat ramps and fishing piers are on-site; the reservoir is described by a rental outfitter as calm and large with plenty of room to paddle.
What are the rules at Lake Alvin State Recreation Area?
Lake is a no-wake zone (boats limited to 5 mph, no visible wake) to protect shoreline; park is day-use only, no camping.
What water body is Lake Alvin State Recreation Area on?
Lake Alvin State Recreation Area is on Ninemile Creek, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
