Get ready to take a swim at the beach, all without leaving Western Colorado. This local hot spot opens in a few weeks.

Have you been to the Highline Lake Swim Beach? I feel bad saying this, but I haven't been there in over a quarter of a century.

I'm a lifelong Grand Junction resident, yet I haven't visited the Highline Lake Swim Beach since 1993. I was babysitting a friend's three children, and took them there for the day. Those kids are now grown up and have families of their own. That's way too long between visits.

According to their post on Facebook:

The water is a great place for kids and adults alike to play and float. With turf grass and lots of shade trees near the beach, swimmers and sun lovers alike will be content. Swimming is ONLY allowed in the buoyed-off swimming area of Highline Lake. Dogs and glass are not permitted on the Swim Beach.

You would be wise to observe the part about dogs not being permitted. During that last visit in 1993, there was a person at the beach with dogs, and a park ranger busted him. By "busted" I simply mean he was asked to remove his dogs from the area.

The Highline Lake Swim Beach opens Friday, May 10. Operating hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. What is needed to visit the beach area? A valid Day Pass or Annual Pass is required to enter the park. Please note: the rest of the lake is already open for boating and fishing. May 10 is opening day for the swim beach.

  • Daily Vehicle Pass: $8.00
  • Daily Individual Pass:  $4.00

This is a fun, convenient, and in my case, often overlooked family place here in Western Colorado. With all the stress, deadlines, and frustration in life, why not set aside a few hours and hit the beach? If you crunch the numbers, you'll discover a drive from downtown Grand Junction to Highline Lake comes in at 24.5 miles and a 34-minute drive. What's stopping you?

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