Pope Beach

First attempt was later in the late morning/noon-ish. It was July and a Saturday, I know, stupid. The gate was long closed, and there was no street parking in both directions. Undeterred, we returned at 8 am the next day, and got in no problem. The beach was pretty empty at that time and we easily found a good spot. The beach is pretty big, sandy, but also wooded, so you can easily put a blanket or a hammock. The water was very clear, with shallow water edge, great for swimming and kids to play in safely. There are some picnic tables. You can also rent kayaks (we didn’t). There are bathrooms, but only 1 was open and it violently smelled of old urine. Overall we had a wonderful day and we returned the next day.

Outstanding water quality—crystal clear! Beautiful mountain views, with huge pine trees right along the sandy beach. I strongly recommend coming early in the morning, before the crowds, when you can have the beach almost entirely to yourself. It’s incredibly relaxing to walk, swim, and enjoy nature. Clean and very well maintained. Highly recommended

Nice beach with clear waters. Parking was $12. Lots of parking and near a camp too. Lots of geese visitors. Beautiful view.