Magnuson Park Swimming Beach
Seattle, Washington · on Lake Washington · Magnuson Park
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- June
About Magnuson Park Swimming Beach
Magnuson Park Swimming Beach is a city-designated public swimming beach on the shore of Lake Washington in Seattle's Magnuson Park, a former naval air station converted to parkland in 1975. Seattle Parks & Recreation lifeguards staff the beach daily from late June through late August, and the site has a fixed swim platform, restrooms, and an outdoor shower.
The beach sits along the Lake Washington shoreline within Magnuson Park on the Sand Point peninsula in northeast Seattle, with views across the lake reported to reach the North Cascades and, on clear days, Mt. Rainier. The park itself is a former U.S. Naval Air Station (1922-1970) that was redeveloped into public parkland starting in 1975, and more recent wetlands restoration in the park has been credited with improving drainage water quality reaching Lake Washington.
Swimming at Magnuson Park Swimming Beach
This is a lake swim off a designated, lifeguarded city beach rather than a wilderness swimming hole: swimmers use a fixed swim platform, and the city notes the water is too deep at that platform to permit a diving board. Reports describe it as suited to families and casual swimmers, with warmest water in July and August and lighter crowds on early weekday mornings.
How to get to this swimming hole
Enter Magnuson Park from NE 65th St., turn left at the stop sign, and follow the road to its end near the Fin Art sculpture garden, where the swim beach parking lot is located; additional parking is available along Lake Shore Dr.
Parking: A parking lot at the end of the park road (near the Fin Art sculpture garden) plus additional parking along Lake Shore Dr.; the gate serving the E1-E4 lots near the swim beach locks at 10pm and reopens at 6am, matching the Magnuson Park boat ramp hours.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up city beach, not a hike-in swimming hole. Enter the park at NE 65th St, turn left at the stop sign, and follow the road to its end near the Fin Art sculpture garden, where the beach parking lot sits directly beside the shoreline; no trail is involved.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Lifeguards are on duty only late June through late August (per Seattle Parks); the fixed offshore swim platform sits over water too deep for a diving board, implying real depth nearby. The beach shares Lake Washington with a separate public motorized boat/jet-ski launch elsewhere in the same park, and Public Health, Seattle & King County can and does close the beach temporarily after bacteria/algae tests or sewer overflows (this happened in July 2025), so it's worth checking current status, especially outside the lifeguard season.
Parking
Free
A parking lot sits at the end of the park road near the Fin Art sculpture garden, plus additional roadside parking along Lake Shore Dr. The gate serving these lots (E1-E4) locks nightly at 10pm and reopens at 6am, the same schedule as the adjacent boat-ramp gate. This swim-beach parking itself is free, the $12/day or $150/year launch permits apply only to the separate, trailered-motorized-boat launch elsewhere in the park.
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms and an outdoor shower directly at the swim beach (Seattle Parks & Recreation). A wheelchair-accessible portable restroom is also available seasonally near the separate Magnuson Park boat launch at the park's southeast end.
Hours
No separate posted hours for the swim beach itself; Seattle Parks lifeguards are on duty daily late June through late August. Vehicle access to the swim-beach parking lots is gated nightly from 10pm to 6am, matching the adjacent boat-ramp schedule.
On the water
Restrictions: Motorized boats and jet skis must launch from the separate Magnuson Park Boat Launch (southeast end of the park, not the swim beach itself) and require a launch permit, $12/day via the PayByPhone app (max 5-day stay) or $150/year ($75 scholarship-eligible), regardless of where the tow vehicle parks; the Washington State Discover Pass is not valid for these fees. Hand-carry craft (kayak/canoe/paddleboard) only owe this fee if launched from one of the city's motorized ramps; no motorized craft may launch directly from the swim beach.
The swim beach and the motorized boat launch are two distinct, separated facilities within the same 350-acre park, so beachgoers share Lake Washington with boat and jet-ski traffic launched elsewhere on the property.
Rentals nearby
Kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) open-boating rentals, plus sailboat and windsurfing rentals, lessons, and camps
Prices: Paddling (kayak/SUP): $45 per 2-hour session, or $110 for a 5-session pass; Sailing/windsurfing: $55 per 2.5-hour session, or $195 for 5 sessions; season passes range roughly $90-$500 depending on category
Located within Magnuson Park itself at 7861 62nd Ave NE, Seattle (enter off Sand Point Way NE at NE 74th St), a separate boating facility elsewhere in the same park as the swim beach · Seasonal, summer (Memorial Day-Labor Day) open-boating hours are Mon-Fri 1pm-8:30pm and Sat-Sun 11am-8:30pm, with shorter windows in spring/fall and closure mid-October through mid-April
Canoe, single kayak, double kayak, and paddleboard rentals for paddling Union Bay and the connected Lake Washington waterways
Prices: Public rates: canoe $21/hour, single kayak $25/hour, paddleboard $25/hour, double kayak $29/hour (lower rates for UW students and employees)
South side of Husky Stadium on Union Bay, University of Washington campus, roughly 3 miles by road from the Magnuson Park swim beach · Seasonal, spring through fall, weather dependent (call ahead if windy/stormy); e.g. June-July Wed-Sun 10am-8pm, August Wed-Sun 10am-7pm; closed mid-October through March
What regulars say
Visitor reports: locals ranking the city's best swimming spots name Magnuson Park favorably, noting that swimming here in Lake Washington runs noticeably warmer than cold Puget Sound alternatives like Golden Gardens. Regulars who've swum off the Magnuson beach for years often go around 6:30am or from 6pm onward, and specifically call out the on-site warm outdoor showers afterward as a nice touch. The same swimmers flagged that the beach was temporarily closed in July 2025 while Public Health Seattle & King County tested the water following a nearby sewer overflow, a reminder that conditions can vary and are worth checking before a visit outside the official lifeguard season.
Backstory
The park land was the site of U.S. Naval Air Station Sand Point from 1922 to 1970 before its conversion into public parkland beginning in 1975.
Magnuson Park Swimming Beach: FAQ
Is Magnuson Park Swimming Beach kid friendly?
Lifeguards are on duty only late June through late August (per Seattle Parks); the fixed offshore swim platform sits over water too deep for a diving board, implying real depth nearby. The beach shares Lake Washington with a separate public motorized boat/jet-ski launch elsewhere in the same park, and Public Health, Seattle & King County can and does close the beach temporarily after bacteria/algae tests or sewer overflows (this happened in July 2025), so it's worth checking current status, especially outside the lifeguard season.
Do I need to hike to reach Magnuson Park Swimming Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Magnuson Park Swimming Beach?
A parking lot sits at the end of the park road near the Fin Art sculpture garden, plus additional roadside parking along Lake Shore Dr. The gate serving these lots (E1-E4) locks nightly at 10pm and reopens at 6am, the same schedule as the adjacent boat-ramp gate. This swim-beach parking itself is free, the $12/day or $150/year launch permits apply only to the separate, trailered-motorized-boat launch elsewhere in the park.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Magnuson Park Swimming Beach?
The swim beach and the motorized boat launch are two distinct, separated facilities within the same 350-acre park, so beachgoers share Lake Washington with boat and jet-ski traffic launched elsewhere on the property.
When is the best time to visit Magnuson Park Swimming Beach?
Late June through late August, when the city staffs lifeguards; July and August are noted as having the warmest water.
What are the rules at Magnuson Park Swimming Beach?
Seattle Parks & Recreation lifeguards are on duty daily from late June through late August. The department maintains a separate 'Swimming Rules' page covering open-water swimming health and safety best practices, referenced from the swim beach page.
What water body is Magnuson Park Swimming Beach on?
Magnuson Park Swimming Beach is on Lake Washington, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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