Frost Woods Beach
Monona, Wisconsin · on Lake Monona
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Monitored and presumably swum during the official beach season, Memorial Day through Labor Day.
About Frost Woods Beach
Frost Woods Beach is a small public swimming hole on the southeastern shore of Lake Monona at 5800 Winnequah Rd in Monona, Wisconsin, and Lake Monona itself is a well-monitored lake to swim in: the beach is one of roughly two dozen Madison-area beaches actively checked for swimming safety by Public Health Madison & Dane County, and was listed with an 'Open' status in the department's current beach report.
The beach occupies a narrow strip of shoreline park bordering Winnequah Road on Lake Monona's southeastern shore, within a residential neighborhood of the City of Monona, per OpenStreetMap boundary data.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located at 5800 Winnequah Rd along the Lake Monona shoreline in Monona, WI, roughly 0.7 miles from downtown Monona.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up pocket-park beach: the small parking lot fronts the sandy beach directly on Winnequah Rd, so no hike is needed to reach the water. Two hiking trails run through the surrounding wooded park, but these are optional woodland walks, not access requirements for swimming.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Small lake beach with soft sand and gradual shoreline, but there is no lifeguard on duty and the City of Monona's own listing warns swimming is at your own risk. A third-party beach directory (Sandee) explicitly describes it as 'not family-friendly' due to the lack of restrooms, lifeguards, and nearby food. Lake Monona is also subject to periodic E. coli and blue-green algae advisories, so conditions should be checked before bringing kids.
Parking
Free
Small free parking lot right at the beach entrance in the 5800 block of Winnequah Road; spaces are limited and additional street parking is available nearby, per the City of Monona facility page and Sandee.
Restrooms
None on site
No restrooms or showers on-site, per Sandee's beach listing; the City of Monona facility page does not list any restroom amenity either.
Water clarity
Varies with season and flow
Lake Monona is actively tested for E. coli bacteria and blue-green algae toxins by Public Health Madison & Dane County; a test on 7/28/2026 showed acceptable bacteria levels and no algae detected with a near-shore temp of 79°F, but the department notes algae levels 'can change quickly depending on waves and wind.' The spot is generally not considered a strong swimming beach. No independent visitor water-clarity reports specific to this beach were found.
On the water
Restrictions: This is a swim beach, not a boat launch; the City of Monona rents out a small kayak/canoe storage rack on-site to residents/non-residents (May 1-Apr 30, $150 residents / $300 non-residents, contact Monona Parks 608-222-4167) for hand-carried craft only. No mention found of motorboat or personal watercraft access.
Rentals nearby
Kayaks, tandem kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, paddle boats, row boats, and motorized pontoons/fishing boats
Prices: Paddlecraft (kayak/SUP) $16 first hour then $12/hr; tandem kayak/canoe $22 first hour then $15/hr; paddle boat/row boat $24 first hour then $15/hr; 8-passenger pontoon $85-95/hr; 12-passenger pontoon $105-115/hr; captained pontoon $135-155/hr; fishing boats $60-75/hr
Downtown Madison at the west end of Lake Monona (Monona Bay/Brittingham Park) - the same lake as Frost Woods Beach but on the opposite (northwest) shore, roughly across the lake from Monona · Summer (Memorial Day-Labor Day): Mon-Thu 8:30am-8pm, Fri 8:30am-9pm, Sat-Sun 6:30am-8pm; Fall (Sept 8-27): Wed-Sun 10am-6pm
Olbrich Park Boat Rentals
Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards
Olbrich Park on the north shore of Lake Monona in Madison, near Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Frost Woods Beach: FAQ
Is Frost Woods Beach kid friendly?
Small lake beach with soft sand and gradual shoreline, but there is no lifeguard on duty and the City of Monona's own listing warns swimming is at your own risk. A third-party beach directory (Sandee) explicitly describes it as 'not family-friendly' due to the lack of restrooms, lifeguards, and nearby food. Lake Monona is also subject to periodic E. coli and blue-green algae advisories, so conditions should be checked before bringing kids.
Do I need to hike to reach Frost Woods Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Frost Woods Beach?
Small free parking lot right at the beach entrance in the 5800 block of Winnequah Road; spaces are limited and additional street parking is available nearby, per the City of Monona facility page and Sandee.
When is the best time to visit Frost Woods Beach?
Monitored and presumably swum during the official beach season, Memorial Day through Labor Day.
What are the rules at Frost Woods Beach?
Water quality is monitored by Public Health Madison & Dane County for E. coli bacteria and blue-green algae toxins during the Memorial Day-Labor Day swim season; the beach can be posted closed to swimming when unsafe levels are detected.
What water body is Frost Woods Beach on?
Frost Woods Beach is on Lake Monona, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
