Swimming

There are two sandy swimming beaches at Clinton Lake, Bloomington East and Clinton State Park.

Bloomington East Swimming Beach

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages the Bloomington East swimming beach. This large, sandy beach is open May through September, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The swimming area is marked with a yellow, floating buoy line that surrounds the area. Boats are prohibited from entering the area by buoys and signs. The parking lot is paved and large enough to accommodate users on all but the busiest of weekends. There is a change house with restrooms and showers, and two small showers located closer to the swimming area for a quick rinse off. Four picnic shelters, each with a volleyball court and a playground shared by all, are available for use in this area. For people not camping in the Corps of Engineers campgrounds, there is a day use fee of $1.00 per person (13 and older), up to a maximum of $4.00 per vehicle, to use the beach. The day use fee can be paid at the Bloomington East entrance self-pay station, or the self-pay station located at the beach. An annual day use pass can be purchased from the Clinton Lake Information Center/Project Office, from a Corps of Engineers Park Ranger, or from one of the Bloomington Park campground park attendant booths, for a fee of $30.00. The annual day use pass is good at Corps of Engineers areas nationwide.

The Clinton State Park Beach

The Clinton State Park beach is located in the State Park on the northeast side of the lake. This beach is located in a small cove and protected from boat traffic by buoys. There is a change house/restroom near the parking lot. The beach is free to use, but users must purchase a vehicle permit in order to enter the State Park. The fee for the vehicle permit is $4.20 per day, or $24.35 for an annual vehicle permit (2008 prices). Contact the Clinton State Park office at (785) 842-8562 for more information on the State Park.

When swimming, remember:

• Swim and wade only where you are familiar with water depth and bottom.
• Do not swim alone.
• Watch children closely.
• Swimming is not permitted around boat launching ramps, courtesy docks or around the Control Tower, adjacent to the dam.