It’s a hot and sticky day. You need some relief. You don’t live in a place that has a pool and you don’t want to crowd into a public one without enough room to backstroke. Have no fear, for there are swimming holes near! Here are some clean, convenient, natural options for you to dive into.
By far one of the most pleasant places to visit is Menomonee Park, formerly known as the Lannon Quarry. It is man-made with a pleasant beach and benches to picnic on. There’s also a raft that you can jump or dive off if you’re feeling brave and aren’t afraid of belly flopping. Honestly if you do a flop, you will probably earn some polite applause from the locals here. After you shower and dry off in the public facility, you can take a meandering hike around the quarry or through the woods and camping area. The paths encircling the quarry offer views that are sigh inducing. There is even a little peninsula you can walk onto.
At one of our nicer county parks in Mukwonago, there is a natural pond to enjoy. It sits right next to a scenic 16-acre spring-fed lake. Mukwonago Park is pleasantly rural and out of the way, and again, you can enjoy the hiking trails before or after your swim. The lifeguard is on duty beginning May 30. The beach is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.
Waukesha County is really the place to go for this sort of thing and Minooka Park is no exception. It’s one of the largest in the system, with a vast 579 acres for you to roam and explore. The swimming beach and pond follow the same rules as Menomonee Falls and Mukwonago. Visit waukeshacounty.gov for more information on Menomonee, Mukwonago or Minooka parks.
Muskego hosts Idle Isle Park and Little Muskego Lake. Not really so little, this is a 506-acre flow-through lake with an average depth of 14 feet. Idle Isle encourages you to laze the day away with a boat launch, the swimming beach, fishing, picnicking and walking trails. For more information, visit wi-muskego.civicplus.com.
For those not already aware, Brown Deer has its own village pond. At the Village Park, Brown Deer Pond is treated with chlorine and has a sandy beach. Shallow areas are available for the little guys, as well as a diving board for the more ambitious. Individual and family park permits are available for purchase. For more information, visit browndeerwi.org.
So what are you waiting for? Snap on you swimming gear and go.
