Stephens Lake Park Beach
Columbia
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, and Swim
Stephens Lake Park Beach is the free, unguarded swimming beach on Stephens Lake, an 11-acre lake inside 116-acre Stephens Lake Park on the east side of central Columbia, Missouri. Columbia Parks and Recreation runs the park. The lake was enlarged by Stephens College after it bought the old Gordon family farm in 1926 and laid out a nine-hole golf course. After voters approved Columbia's first dedicated park sales tax in 2000, the city bought the land in 2001, and the sand beach opened on August 9, 2004. The park is also a Level II accredited arboretum.
The beach sits at the west end of the lake. The city directs swimmers to the Old Highway 63 entrance and the west parking lot, which is a short walk from the sand. The other main entrance is at 2001 East Broadway, which the city points to for the sled hill. Restrooms beside the beach are open April 15 to October 15. Parking is on paved lots only, and parking on the grass is not allowed.
Swimming is allowed only inside the roped and buoyed area off the sand beach, on the west side of the boardwalk that crosses the lake. There are no lifeguards, so you swim at your own risk, and the posted rules ask people to use the buddy system, keep a close eye on young children, not dive headfirst, and stay inside the buoy lines. Swimming is permitted only during daylight. Rafts and inner tubes are allowed in the swim area only. No food or drink in the water, and no fishing in or around the swim area. Pets, glass, alcohol and smoking are banned inside the fenced beach area, and shade tents or umbrellas can be no larger than 10 by 10 feet and cannot stay overnight.
Admission is free. The city's beach page lists the season as May 1 through September 30, with hours from dawn (no earlier than 6 a.m.) to dusk, though the park FAQ gives Memorial Day through Labor Day, so check before an early or late season visit. The beach gate is locked in the off season. The park itself is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Questions go to the Parks and Recreation office at 573-874-7460.
Stephens Lake is a small city lake and can grow algae in hot weather. In September 2018 the city closed the whole lake after the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services issued a harmful algae advisory, and kept it shut until conditions were judged safe. If the water looks green, scummy or smells off, stay out and keep dogs out. Leave the beach at the first sign of thunder or lightning; the rules point people to their cars for shelter.
Next to the beach is the largest sprayground in Columbia's park system, about 5,800 square feet of push-button spray rings, jets and geysers that use chlorinated recycled water and follow the same free season. East of the boardwalk the lake is open for fishing under Missouri Department of Conservation rules and for non-motorized boats carried in to the launch on the southeast shore. A 0.6 mile paved trail circles the lake and a 1.7 mile paved loop follows the park edge, past three playgrounds, two waterfalls, the amphitheater, the Hindman Discovery Garden and reservable shelters. In winter the east-side hill is Columbia's main sledding spot, and the lake opens for skating when the city declares the ice thick enough.
More Information
Columbia's Stephens Lake Park offers free spraygrounds and lake swimming
Some people in Columbia found a way to beat the heat at Stephens Lake Park on Sunday. The park has a sand beach and a designated roped area for swimming. The lake is unguarded and visitors swim at their own risk. Stephens Lake Park features the largest spraygrounds in Columbia’s park system with nearly 6,000 square feet of space. The spraygrounds have a variety of water spray features, such as spray rings, water columns, stream jets, geysers and bubblers.
https://krcgtv.com/news/local/columbias-stephens-lake-park-offers-free-spraygrounds-and-lake-swimmingStephens Lake Beach (Unguarded) and Spraygrounds - City of Columbia Missouri
Stephens Lake Beach and Spraygrounds are FREE to the public and open from May 1 to Sept. 30. There is a sand beach and a designated roped area for swimming. The lake is unguarded and visitors swim at their own risk. Stephens Lake Park features the largest spraygrounds (5,782 sq. ft.) in Columbia's park system, with a variety of water spray features, such as spray rings, water columns, stream jets, geysers, and bubblers. Stephens Lake Park is centrally located in Columbia and is a family friendly place to cool off and have fun.
https://www.como.gov/contacts/stephens-lake-unguarded/Stephens Lake closed due to harmful algae
Officials at Columbia Parks and Recreation have closed Stephens Lake due to the risk of a harmful algae in the water. According to Parks and Rec, the lake was closed Thursday and will remain closed until conditions are deemed safe. The problem lies in "algal blooms," large growths of algae that choke out oxygen from the water, resulting in elevated toxins and bacterial growth that can cause illness. The algae can cause both people and animals to become sick.
https://krcgtv.com/news/local/stephens-lake-closed-due-to-harmful-algaeStephens Lake Park - City of Columbia Missouri
Stephens Lake Park is the crown jewel of Columbia's park system and is known for its 11-acre fishing/swimming lake, mature trees, and historical significance in the community. It serves as the center for outdoor winter sports, a variety of community festivals, and outdoor concert series at the amphitheater. It has reservable shelters, playgrounds, swimming beach and spraygrounds, art sculpture, waterfalls, and walking trails. This popular park houses numerous tree collections, including red bud, oak, conifer and nut trees, along with the Hindman Memorial Garden, Children's Grove, and demonstration rain gardens, which have earned it a Level II Arboretum Accreditation.
https://www.como.gov/parks/stephens-lake-park/Stephens Lake Park - Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau
Stephens Lake Park is perfect for any time of the year. In summer, use the lake for swimming or fishing, and visit the Spraygrounds with the family. During the winter, sled down the sledding hill or ice skate and ice fish on the lake. Park Facilities 116 acres 4 – Outdoor shelters 6 – Single READ MORE
https://www.visitcolumbiamo.com/directory/stephens-lake-park/Stephens Lake Park - Wikipedia
Stephens Lake Park is a park located in Columbia, Missouri. Today it serves as an ArbNet Level II arboretum with a lake, open play areas and amphitheater spanning 116 total acres. The Arboretum includes a Missouri native plant collection, and oak and maple collections.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephens_Lake_ParkStephens Lake Park FAQs - City of Columbia Missouri
Table of Contents Shelters and Restrooms Are the shelters reservable? Yes. There are two medium (Happy Hollow and Gordon Shelter) and one small (Collins Shelter with firepit) shelters available for reservation. Shelter reservation information. Is the Island Shelter reservable? A Park Special Use Permit is required to hold a special event at the Island Shelter. Read More »
https://www.como.gov/parks/stephens-lake-park/stephens-lake-park-faqs/Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
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- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
- Get directions on Google Maps
A swimmer heads out of the water toward the sand at the Stephens Lake Park beach in June 2013. courtesy of KOMUnews↗ (CC BY 2.0↗)
Visitors leave the beach at Stephens Lake Park after an afternoon at the lake. courtesy of KOMUnews↗ (CC BY 2.0↗)
A beachgoer checks his phone in front of the fenced sprayground beside the Stephens Lake swim beach. courtesy of KOMUnews↗ (CC BY 2.0↗)
Stephens Lake on a rainy day, seen from the shore inside Stephens Lake Park. courtesy of CycoMa↗ (CC BY-SA 4.0↗)
An old black oak above the lake at Stephens Lake Park. courtesy of KOMUnews↗ (CC BY 2.0↗)
The amphitheater at Stephens Lake Park, home of the summer concert series. courtesy of CycoMa↗ (CC BY-SA 4.0↗)
