Speelyi Beach Day Use Area
Cle Elum, Washington · on Cle Elum Lake · Wenatchee National Forest
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Speelyi Beach Day Use Area
Speelyi Beach Day Use Area is a Forest Service-administered sandy beach on the southeastern shore of Cle Elum Lake, a reservoir in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest near Cle Elum, Washington. It sits adjacent to Wish Poosh Campground and is an established swimming hole and kayaking spot on the lake.
The beach is a wide sandy shoreline surrounded by conifer forest on Cle Elum Lake, a Yakima Project reservoir on the Cle Elum River within the Wenatchee National Forest, about 8 miles northwest of the town of Cle Elum.
Swimming at Speelyi Beach Day Use Area
Swimming is in a large reservoir (Cle Elum Lake) directly off a sandy beach; official sources describe it as a spot where visitors swim and kayak. No details on depth, water temperature, or lifeguard presence were found.
How to get to this swimming hole
Via the adjacent Wish Poosh Campground route: from Seattle take I-90 East to exit 80, turn left onto Bullfrog Road, then head north on County Road 903 (State Highway 903); the area is reached off Highway 903 roughly 30 miles northwest of Ellensburg. Speelyi Beach itself is immediately next to Wish Poosh Campground on Cle Elum Lake's southeastern shore.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. No trail is mentioned in any official description (Recreation.gov, USFS alerts/closure orders), Speelyi Beach is documented only via driving directions and is classified as a drive-to 'Facility' (0.0 mi in the RIDB facility list), consistent with a parking-lot-to-sand day-use beach rather than a hike-in spot. The exact walk distance from the lot to the water was not stated anywhere found.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Sandy beach entry (easier footing/gentler slope than rocky lakeshores) makes it approachable for kids, but it's an unsupervised reservoir shared with kayak/boat traffic and no lifeguard is documented anywhere in official sources; reservoir water levels and depth can vary with Bureau of Reclamation drawdown. No first-hand reports on a swim rope, marked shallow area, or incidents were found.
Parking
Lot
Speelyi Beach is designated a Forest Service 'Day Use Area,' reached by vehicle directly off Highway/County Road 903 next to Wish Poosh Campground (from I-90 exit 80, west on Bullfrog Rd, then north on Rd 903). Lot size, surface (paved vs. gravel), and whether a Northwest Forest Pass or other day-use fee is required were not confirmed in any source found this session.
On the water
Recreation.gov's Wish Poosh Campground listing states visitors to Speelyi Beach 'enjoy swimming and kayaking' (kayak explicitly documented). Recreation.gov's Cle Elum Lake gateway page separately lists 'camping, swimming, boating, picnicking, and fishing' as available at the reservoir generally, and the adjacent Wish Poosh Campground has a boat launch for trailered craft, canoe/paddleboard/motorboat are inferred from this general 'boating' designation and the nearby launch rather than named specifically for Speelyi Beach. No wake, speed, or electric-only restrictions were found documented for this location.
Backstory
The no-overnight-camping order for Speelyi Beach dates to 1992, indicating the site has long been a day-use-only beach distinct from the neighboring campground.
Speelyi Beach Day Use Area: FAQ
Is Speelyi Beach Day Use Area kid friendly?
Sandy beach entry (easier footing/gentler slope than rocky lakeshores) makes it approachable for kids, but it's an unsupervised reservoir shared with kayak/boat traffic and no lifeguard is documented anywhere in official sources; reservoir water levels and depth can vary with Bureau of Reclamation drawdown. No first-hand reports on a swim rope, marked shallow area, or incidents were found.
Do I need to hike to reach Speelyi Beach Day Use Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Speelyi Beach Day Use Area?
Speelyi Beach is designated a Forest Service 'Day Use Area,' reached by vehicle directly off Highway/County Road 903 next to Wish Poosh Campground (from I-90 exit 80, west on Bullfrog Rd, then north on Rd 903). Lot size, surface (paved vs. gravel), and whether a Northwest Forest Pass or other day-use fee is required were not confirmed in any source found this session.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Speelyi Beach Day Use Area?
Recreation.gov's Wish Poosh Campground listing states visitors to Speelyi Beach 'enjoy swimming and kayaking' (kayak explicitly documented). Recreation.gov's Cle Elum Lake gateway page separately lists 'camping, swimming, boating, picnicking, and fishing' as available at the reservoir generally, and the adjacent Wish Poosh Campground has a boat launch for trailered craft, canoe/paddleboard/motorboat are inferred from this general 'boating' designation and the nearby launch rather than named specifically for Speelyi Beach. No wake, speed, or electric-only restrictions were found documented for this location.
What are the rules at Speelyi Beach Day Use Area?
Overnight camping and occupancy after dark at Speelyi Beach are prohibited under a Forest Service order (36 CFR 261.50(a)) intended to prevent damage to the beach and shoreline.
What water body is Speelyi Beach Day Use Area on?
Speelyi Beach Day Use Area is on Cle Elum Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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