Lake Front Park
Huron
Kayak and Swim
Lake Front Park is a small city park on the Lake Erie shoreline in Huron, Ohio, run by the City of Huron Parks and Recreation Department. It sits on the west side of the Huron River mouth at 310 Park Street, at the north end of Park and Center streets in an older residential neighborhood of tree-lined blocks. The park's sand beach faces north onto open Lake Erie, with the Huron pier and its lighthouse to the east and Cedar Point visible across the water to the west. It is a different place from Nickel Plate Beach, the city's larger beach on the east side of the river.
From downtown Huron, follow Main Street or Cleveland Road West to Park Street and take it north until it ends at the lake. The park has a small parking area at the street end, and the surrounding blocks are residential, so be considerate if you have to park on the street. The park is open dawn to dusk. The city lists no admission or parking fee here, so it is free to use. The $7 parking charge that people sometimes mention applies to Nickel Plate Beach, not this park.
The beach is a short strip of sand that has built up along the west side of the harbor breakwall, and the water off it tends to be shallow and calmer than at the more exposed beaches nearby. It is a wading and paddling beach more than a place for laps. Lake Erie near shore usually warms into the 70s F by July and August, while June and September water can still feel cold. There is no lifeguard on duty at any time, so everyone swims at their own risk. Boaters sometimes anchor just offshore and swim from their boats, and kayakers paddle along this stretch, so watch for small craft when you are in the water.
The Erie County Health Department samples Huron's beaches for E. coli on weekdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and posts the results on its website and on the Ohio BeachGuard system. The county's site for this beach is labeled "Huron River West", which the city confirms is Lake Front Park. Bacteria levels often climb after heavy rain, when the Huron River carries runoff out past the beach, so check the latest result before you go and stay out of the water for a day or two after a storm. Lake Erie also gets harmful algal blooms in late summer; skip swimming if the water looks green, scummy or like spilled paint. North and northeast winds push in waves and can set up currents along the breakwall, so do not swim near the rocks or out toward the pier, and stay out when the surf is up.
Above the sand there is a playground, a gazebo, picnic tables, grills, a drinking fountain and restrooms, and the park is wheelchair accessible. The gazebo and shelter can be reserved through the city's parks office (419-433-8487). The park is a popular spot for watching the sunset over Lake Erie. The Huron pier and lighthouse, the Huron Boat Basin and the shops and restaurants along Main Street are all a short walk away, and the paved Lake Shore Electric Trail links this neighborhood with Huron's other parks.
More Information
#TravelTuesday: One day inā¦Huron
Published July 2017 On Tuesdays this summer, we are exploring the great cities and towns that make up Ohio's Lake Erie Shores & Islands for #TravelTuesday. Don't miss our previous #TravelTuesday posts – to-date we have visited Vermilion, Middle Bass Island, Lakeside Chautauqua, Milan, and Kelleys
https://www.shoresandislands.com/blog/post/traveltuesday-one-day-inhuron/A GREAT Lake Place - Lakeland Boating
The small town waterfront alive with history, marinas, beaches, shops and nightlife makes Huron, Ohio, a Great Lake Place.
https://lakelandboating.com/?p=19423Beach Results - Erie County Health Department
The Erie County Health Department samples water from 25 beaches along Lake Erie and the Sandusky Bay. These samples are collected Monday through Friday from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The water is taken to our Regional Response Water Laboratory, where it is tested for Escherichia coli (E.coli). As bacteria levels change, the health department [ā¦]
https://eriehealthohio.com/regional-response-water-lab/beach-results/City Of Huron
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https://files.cityofhuron.org/business_detail_T5_R37.phpCity Of Huron
The mile long pier is open to the public and is a great spot for every outdoor enthusiast to explore!
https://files.cityofhuron.org/government/departments/parks_recreation/parks/index.phpCity Of Huron
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https://files.cityofhuron.org/government/departments/parks_recreation/parks/shelter_reservations.phpHuron River West - Swim Guide
Huron River West Beach stretches along the serene Huron River front. A campground and marina are close by. Just a few minutes away you will find Cedar Point Amusement Park, Summit Raceway, Seneca Caverns, Deer Park, African Wildlife Safari Park, and the historic Marblehead Lighthouse State Park. The beach is divided into East and West sections and sampled separately. This beach is sampled 4 times per week during the monitoring season.
https://www.theswimguide.org/beach/943Pools, Beaches & Campgrounds - Erie County Health Department
Promoting safe and healthy regional recreation. Our county is a premier destination for outdoor fun, making the safety of our public pools, splash pads, beaches, and campgrounds a top priority. Throughout the busy summer season, our laboratory team conducts rigorous, weekly beach water monitoring at more than 20 local water access points to keep swimmers [ā¦]
https://eriehealthohio.com/pools-beaches-campgrounds/Directions
From Huron
- Head south on SD-37 S/
Dakota Ave S toward 3rd St SW Continue to follow SD-37 SPass by Burger King (on the left in 1.3 mi)(21.3 mi) - Turn left onto SD-34 E/
SD-37 S (9.9 mi) - Turn right onto SD-37 S (17.4 mi)
- Turn left onto 250th St/
E 54th St Continue to follow 250th St(3.9 mi) - Turn right onto 413th Ave (4.6 mi)
- Turn left to merge onto I-90 EPassing through MinnesotaEntering Wisconsin(397 mi)
- Slight right to stay on I-90 E (92.3 mi)
- Keep right to stay on I-90 EToll roadEntering Illinois(103 mi)
- Keep left to stay on I-90 EToll road(24.5 mi)
- Keep left to stay on I-90 EToll road(17.4 mi)
- Keep right to continue on I-90 E/
I-94 E (4.8 mi) - Keep left to continue on I-90 E, follow signs for Indiana Toll RdToll roadPassing through IndianaEntering Ohio(274 mi)
- Take exit 110 for OH-4 toward Sandusky/
Bellevue Toll road(0.9 mi) - Turn left onto OH-4 N (0.8 mi)
- At the traffic circle, continue straight to stay on OH-4 N (3.7 mi)
- Turn right onto the ramp to Cleveland/
Cedar Pt (0.3 mi) - Merge onto State Rte 2 E (7.3 mi)
- Continue onto State Rte 2 E/
US-6 E (0.2 mi) - Take exit 143 for US-6 E toward Huron (0.7 mi)
- Continue onto US-6 E (0.3 mi)
- At the traffic circle, continue straight to stay on US-6 E (0.3 mi)
- Turn left onto Center St (0.5 mi)
- Center St turns right and becomes Wall St (56 ft)
Other Swimming Holes and Kayaking Areas Nearby
Nickel Plate Beach
Huron
0.6 miles ECity of Huron public sand beach on Lake Erie at the mouth of the Huron River. Shallow sandbar swimming, $7 parking fee, no lifeguards and a red flag warning system for rip currents.
Kayak, Swim
Main Street Beach
Vermilion
9.9 miles EVermilion's free city beach on Lake Erie at the north end of Main Street, with a sandy swim area, a new comfort station with restrooms and showers, a kayak launch and the Vermilion Lighthouse replica.
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Kelley's Island State Park
Kelleys Island, Ohio
16.9 miles NWLake Erie's Emerald Isle offers unique geological, ecological, and archaeological features alongside recreational hiking, beaches, and picturesque landscapes on 677 acres.
Camp, Hike, Mountain Bike, Swim
Clare-Mar Lakes Campground
New London, Ohio
27.5 miles SEA 75-acre lake surrounded by 220 acres of rolling terrain, with 1,000 feet of sandy beach, swimming, boating, fishing, and planned activities for the whole family near Wellington, Ohio.
Camp, Canoe, Swim
Huntington Beach
Bay Village
32.6 miles EGuarded Lake Erie swimming beach below the bluff in Cleveland Metroparks' Huntington Reservation in Bay Village, with sand pockets between stone breakwalls and free entry and parking.
Hike, Kayak, Swim
Wallace Lake Beach
Berea
36.1 miles EA free, lifeguarded summer swim beach on Wallace Lake, a flooded 1941 sandstone quarry in Cleveland Metroparks' Mill Stream Run Reservation, a short walk from downtown Berea.
Hike, Kayak, Swim
Edgewater Beach
Cleveland
42.6 miles EFree, lifeguarded Lake Erie swimming beach in Cleveland Metroparks' Edgewater Park, about 2.5 miles west of downtown Cleveland, with a 1,000-foot marked swim area and skyline views.
Hike, Kayak, Swim
Maumee Bay State Park Beach
Oregon
46.9 miles NWTwo free sand beaches in one Ohio state park east of Toledo: an open Lake Erie shore on Maumee Bay, and a sheltered 57-acre inland lake a short walk behind it, with marsh boardwalk and 300-plus bird species beyond.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, SwimNearby Campsites
Kelley's Island State Park
Kelleys Island, Ohio
16.9 miles NWLake Erie's Emerald Isle offers unique geological, ecological, and archaeological features alongside recreational hiking, beaches, and picturesque landscapes on 677 acres.
Camp, Hike, Mountain Bike, Swim
Clare-Mar Lakes Campground
New London, Ohio
27.5 miles SEA 75-acre lake surrounded by 220 acres of rolling terrain, with 1,000 feet of sandy beach, swimming, boating, fishing, and planned activities for the whole family near Wellington, Ohio.
Camp, Canoe, Swim
Maumee Bay State Park Beach
Oregon
46.9 miles NWTwo free sand beaches in one Ohio state park east of Toledo: an open Lake Erie shore on Maumee Bay, and a sheltered 57-acre inland lake a short walk behind it, with marsh boardwalk and 300-plus bird species beyond.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim