Chasing an Endless Summer

by Chris McKinley

Summer weather in Southern Illinois can be sweltering. Heat combined with stifling humidity can put the heat index in the triple digits, making it difficult to enjoy the outdoors-- that is, unless you’re soaking in some cool water... and Southern Illinois has plenty of it.

Public beaches throughout the region provide relief from the heat, plus sand and scenery lacking at concrete municipal pools. Beaches are a great place to spend time with families and friends with picnics and swimming.

**Cedar Lake.**

Cedar Lake, located just south of Carbondale off Cedar Creek Road, boasts a large sandy beach on one of Southern Illinois’s most scenic lakes. Cedar Lake Beach is open to the public from Memorial Day to Labor Day Mondays through Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free for children younger than four and $1.50 for others. If you plan on being a frequent visitor to the beach, you can buy a twelve-visit pass for $12 or a twenty-five-visit pass for $20.

Cedar Beach has restroom and changing facilities, a concession stand with beverages and snacks, and two lifeguards on duty at all operating hours. Large shade trees and grassy picnic areas surround the perimeter of the beach area, creating cooler green places in which to take refuge from the sun.

**Crab Orchard Beach.**

Cedar Lake Beach is managed by the city of Carbondale, which can be reached at (618) 549-5302 for more information.

Crab Orchard Beach is the only public beach located on expansive Crab Orchard Lake. Just a few miles east of Carbondale, Crab Orchard Beach is open to the public every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.. Lifeguards are on duty, and concessions, restroom, and shower facilities are available.

During the hottest days of the summer, one-hundred to 150 daily visitors find relief at Crab Orchard Beach. The swimming area is shallow, reaching a maximum depth of less than six feet, which makes Crab Orchard well suited for kids. Of course, children should always be supervised, and anyone younger than seventeen must be accompanied by an adult.

Picnic areas are sparsely scattered around the perimeter of the beach with picnic tables and some shade trees. Visitors are encouraged to bring picnic supplies, and if you forget any necessities, the concession stand sells ice, soda, and snacks.

Call (618) 985-4983 for more information on the Crab Orchard Beach.

Johnson Creek Recreation Area, on the north end of Kinkaid Lake near Ava, provides a sandy beach that’s free to the public. The beach is open daily May 15 to September 15 from 6 a.m. to dusk. There are no lifeguards on duty at Johnson Creek, so keep safety in mind. The recreation area also consists of shady picnic sites, a boat launch, hiking trails, campgrounds, fishing piers, and the Port of Ava marina.

Johnson Creek Recreation Area is located northwest of Carbondale off Route 151 and is managed by the Murphysboro District Forest Service. For more information on the area, call (618) 687-1731.

Lake Glendale beach is open Memorial Day through Labor Day Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays noon to 7 p.m. Admission is $2.50 for those six and older, $1.50 for ages one to five, and free for those younger than one. The lake is on Illinois 145 north of Illinois 146. Paddleboats and fishing boats are available for rent. The beach has volleyball nets, a picnic area, and concessions. Campsites are available near the beach. For information, call (618) 949-3356.

Beaches at Rend Lake opened May 1 and will remain open until September 30. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates two public beaches at Rend Lake; a third at the Dale Miller Youth Area is available only by reservation. South Sandusky and North Marcum beaches have plenty of sand, shower buildings, nearby picnic shelters, and other amenities. The standard day-use fee is $1 per person with a maximum charge of $3 per car. Children twelve and younger are admitted free. An annual day-use pass may be purchased for $25 at the Rend Lake Visitor Center or the Rend Lake Project Office. Golden Age and Golden Access discounts apply to day-use fees.

North Marcum Beach is on the east side of Rend Lake off Illinois 37 north of Benton. South Sandusky Beach is on the west side of the lake, just off Rend City Road. Water-safety programs are offered nearly every Sunday at each beach. Corps of Engineers beaches are not supervised by lifeguards.

**The beach at Campus Lake.**

Pounds Hollow beach is on the twenty-eight-acre Pounds Hollow Lake in the Shawnee National Forest. It is in Gallatin County near the Hardin County line and can be accessed from Illinois 1 or Illinois 34. The beach is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Weather permitting, it may stay open on weekends beyond that date. Admission is $2.50 per person for adults, $1 for children six and younger, and free for infants who aren't yet walking. The beach is open Sundays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The beach has lifeguards, showers, a picnic area, and paddleboat rentals at $2.50 per person.

The Campus Beach at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale is open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free to SIU cardholders and costs fifty cents for sponsored community members. For more information, call the SIU Recreation Center information line at (618) 536-5531.

Public beaches must abide by state health regulations, and are accessible to the disabled. Pets, alcohol, glass containers, and fires are not allowed; inflatable rafts, laughs, sand castles, watermelon, cameras, coolers, friends, and fun are.