Patoka Lake Swimming Beach - French Lick, IN
Patoka Lake Swimming Beach – Dog-Friendly Nature and Recreation in French Lick, Indiana
Patoka Lake Swimming Beach is a popular destination for families and outdoor enthusiasts looking to experience the beautiful landscapes of southern Indiana. While dogs are not allowed on the swimming beach itself, the park offers a variety of amenities that make it a great spot for pet owners to enjoy the outdoors with their leashed dogs. With on-site parking, wheelchair accessibility, clean bathroom and shower facilities, picnic tables in shaded areas, and scenic hiking and biking trails, it’s easy to spend a whole day here immersed in nature.
Known for its friendly DNR staff, pristine grounds, and the famous Birdseye Dairy Barn nearby for a sweet treat, Patoka Lake is more than just a beach—it’s a full recreation experience. While dogs must stay off the beach, you’ll find plenty of pet-friendly trails and outdoor spaces to explore. The park is highly maintained, offers regular staff presence, and is a wonderful launching spot to discover all that French Lick has to offer for pet lovers and their families.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are dogs allowed off-leash at this park? No, dogs must be kept on a leash and are not permitted on the beach itself.
- Are restrooms available for owners? Yes, there are clean bathroom and shower facilities available.
- Is the park wheelchair accessible? Yes, there are wheelchair accessible entrances and parking lots.
- Are there benches or seating areas for owners? Yes, there are picnic tables and shaded areas perfect for seating.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, there are both biking and hiking trails that connect through the park and surrounding area.
- Is parking available? Yes, there is parking on site, though it can get busy on weekends.
- Is the park regularly cleaned and maintained? Yes, visitors report clean facilities and well-maintained grounds.
- Are there staff or rangers present at the park? Yes, DNR staff are on site to assist visitors and enforce rules.
- Are picnics or BBQs allowed? Yes, there are picnic tables and areas to enjoy meals in the shade.
- Is there shade or shelter available? Yes, there are shaded picnic spots up the hill from the beach.
Reviews
Patoka Lake Swimming Beach is a nice place to take the family. There are no lifeguards so swim at your own risk. There are nice bathroom/shower facilities. There are picnic tables up the hill that you can have a nice picnic lunch in the shade. You can fish too as long as it’s outside the buoy roped off areas. There’s plenty to see at the lake. Oh and stop on by the Birdseye Dairy Barn to get a tall soft serve ice cream cone on your way home. Don’t worry about the prices, they give you plenty for what you get. It’s worth the extra miles and has become a tradition of ours after visiting the lake. There’s a huge wooden giant at the lake now too so stop by and see that too! If this review helped you decide give it a thumbs up!
Great Indiana State Park! Nice beach with clean beach facilities. Friendly Naturalist and an excellent Nature Center. Ask about the Explore program available at all Indiana State Parks. Besides a beach this park provides biking and hiking trails for those who enjoy some beautiful southern Indiana nature. I recommend this park.
The beach and bathrooms were extremely clean. The DNR staff was friendly even when they had to ask people to take dogs off the beach when they spotted one. (No Dogs Allowed On The Beach.) They remained professional when 2 dog owners were rude to them even though there are signs posted for no dogs on the beach in multiple spots. We were able to see most fireworks even though they had them behind some trees. The Concession stand’s prices weren’t overly expensive. Great experience.
A great place to visindin Indiana. Nice small beach,nice lake to fish,boat,swim,camping and great bike trails. Plenty of thing to do here. Great views and place to relax.
What an amazing place. The beach is very nice for a weekend gateway with family. We love our time over there. It was bit crowded and took a while to get a parking place near beach. Lot of picnic benches. Lot of place to do picnic . Great place and great scenic view. Place for shower as well there along with washrooms