Best Denver metro area swim beach

Recreation is important for good health. The beach is one of my favorite ways to rejuvenate. I have to use caution, due to Lupus. So, I use a beach umbrella at all times when I'm not in the water. I also use a homemade sunscreen with coconut oil and zinc. You might be wondering how one finds a beach in the Denver metro area. After all, we're not exactly on the coast, are we?

Denver is hot and dry in the summer, leaving us longing for a little beach fun. Unfortunately, there are few natural bodies of water with swim beaches. We do, however have some very nice reservoirs. In my opinion, the best Denver reservoir swim beach is at the Aurora Reservoir.

I was transplanted to Denver from upper NY state, where I was accustomed to the fabulous swim beaches in the Thousand Islands area. The sand was pristine and the water there was clean due to the natural lime river bed of the St. Lawrence River. When I came to Denver I was disappointed with the lack of swim beach venues comparable to home.

When I came upon the Aurora Reservoir, I was pleasantly surprised. True, it is man made, but also extremely well maintained. It's not at all like the other Denver area reservoirs. My main disappointment with other swim beach venues in Denver is the dirty look to the water and the lack of “real” sand.

The first thing I noticed at the Aurora Reservoir was the sparkling white sand swim beach. No rocks, pebbles or mud, just silky sand everywhere. This is the type of sand you want to sink your toes into. This lovely sand immediately made me feel at home. The sand is not, however, the only thing that makes the Aurora Reservoir swim beach my favorite Denver area swimming venue.

The water at the Aurora Reservoir is always sparkling clean. There may be a few stray pieces of seaweed floating at this Denver beach but the water is so clear, you can see through it to the bottom. At other Denver swim beach locations, I worry about what I am going to “pick up” while swimming there.

In fact, my daughter picked up a nasty case of ringworm at another popular Denver swim beach.
The atmosphere at the Aurora Reservoir swim beach is much like a back east boardwalk venue. The little store and restrooms are spotless and painted in seashore style. If I heard the sound of foghorns and the flash of a lighthouse beacon it would fit right into the scene. This Denver area swim beach makes me feel like I have been transported back to the East Coast.

In addition to the great swim beach, the Aurora Reservoir has other welcome features. There is plenty of shaded picnic space and built in grills. There are low wake boats for rent and a nice area to use them in. We like to rent the three wheeled boat tricycles. These things are just as fun as they look.

Most Denver area swim beaches have an area for jet skis and power boats. These are not allowed at Aurora Reservoir. This makes things very pleasant for people with sail boats, canoes, paddle boats and the tricycle boats. It's very nice to use a canoe without getting washed over by waves from power boats, as we recently did at another Denver swim beach. But that's a story for another time.

If you're looking for a swim beach in the Denver metro area, the Aurora reservoir is your best bet.