Lions Beach

Janesville, Wisconsin · on Kiwanis Pond · Lions Park

Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified

WATER: pond
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: Free
SEASON: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day; official hours are 11am-6pm daily during that season.

About Lions Beach

Lions Beach is a city-run public swimming hole on Kiwanis Pond within Janesville's Palmer Park/Lions Park area on the city's east side, and one of the city's free places to swim. It offers a sandy, designated swimming area alongside a non-motorized boat launch, and is open seasonally from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

The beach sits on the shore of Kiwanis Pond, a 15-acre, 37-foot-deep pond in Rock County managed as part of Janesville's city park system, with a park setting that includes picnic areas, a pavilion, and a boat ramp on the pond's west side.

Swimming at Lions Beach

Swimming happens in a roped-off, sand-shored designated area of the pond with no lifeguard on duty; visitors are required to stay within the marked swim zone. It suits casual, low-key family swimming rather than deep-water or current-based swimming, and visitors note geese are commonly present on the beach.

How to get to this swimming hole

Located at 1400-1401 Palmer Dr, Janesville, WI 53545, on Kiwanis Pond about 0.9 miles from downtown Janesville.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up city beach with free on-site parking directly at the facility (1400 Palmer Dr); no trail, hike, or notable walk is described by any source found.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Sandy, roped-off designated swim area suits casual family swimming, but there is no lifeguard on duty and the beach has been temporarily closed in the past for elevated bacteria levels, so parents should check current status before visiting. Geese frequent the beach (droppings are a recurring nuisance noted by visiting families).

Parking

Free

Free on-site parking at 1400 Palmer Dr, Janesville, confirmed by the city CVB listing. A paddling directory separately describes the adjacent Kiwanis Pond/Lions Park boat-ramp parking lot as ADA-accessible with no entrance fee.

Restrooms

Yes

Restrooms are listed among the on-site facilities at Lions Beach (1400 Palmer Dr) per the city's tourism/CVB listing; no separate vault-toilet or trailhead detail applies since this is a drive-up city beach.

Hours

11am-6pm daily, seasonally from Memorial Day weekend (around May 25) through Labor Day (around Sept 2), per the Janesville CVB listing.

On the water

KayaksCanoesPaddleboards

Restrictions: Kiwanis Pond is a motor-free pond per the city parks division: only canoes, small rowboats, and flat-bottom boats are permitted, with electric trolling motors allowed but no gas motors. A paddling directory lists the pond as suitable for kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, and kayak fishing at a beginner difficulty level.

The non-motorized boat launch is on the pond's west side, separate from the designated swimming area on the beach.

What regulars say

One visiting family describes it as 'a large lake with a sand beach,' free to enter, warns that geese frequent the beach ('watch out for droppings'), and advises checking the beach's status before visiting since it sometimes closes due to unsafe water quality.

Lions Beach: FAQ

Does Lions Beach charge a fee?

Free admission.

Is Lions Beach kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Lions Beach?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Lions Beach?

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Lions Beach?

The non-motorized boat launch is on the pond's west side, separate from the designated swimming area on the beach.

When is the best time to visit Lions Beach?

Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day; official hours are 11am-6pm daily during that season.

What are the rules at Lions Beach?

No lifeguard on duty; swimmers must stay within the designated swimming area. Water quality is tested weekly and the beach has been temporarily closed by the city when bacteria levels were elevated, reopening after passing retesting. Kiwanis Pond itself is a motor-free pond where only canoes, small rowboats, and flat-bottom boats are allowed (electric trolling motors permitted).

What water body is Lions Beach on?

Lions Beach is on Kiwanis Pond, a natural pond verified in USGS hydrography data.