The Best Swimming Holes Near Los Angeles

Some of the most famous spots in the world are accessible to people who live in or travel to Los Angeles, but few are aware of the city’s wealth of other amenities. There are many swimming holes close to the city where you may cool down from the Southern California sun if you want to expand your horizons and try a new body of water. You can even get in a quick workout while exploring Mother Nature’s hidden treasures, in typical Angeleno style!

Malibu Creek Rock Pool

At the mouth of a magnificent gorge, there is a place called Rock Pool. This location is ideal for a picnic and some downtime by the reflected waters because sycamores and bays offer wonderful shade. A sloping gorge upstream with porous rock walls serves as a paradise for rock climbers and daring hikers.

The Rock Pool is a beautiful location that is simple to access for people of all ages and one of the most well-liked attractions in Malibu Creek State Park. The Grassland Trail, which is located on Mulholland Highway slightly west of Las Virgenes Road and offers street parking, is the quickest route to the Rock Pool. 

The Rock Pool is perilous, thus California State Parks, which oversees the Park, cautions visitors against diving or jumping in. However, the area is pretty lovely and exploring it is undoubtedly enjoyable. Many popular movies and television shows have been filmed here, including M*A*S*H and Planet of the Apes. 

Cooper Canyon Falls

For visitors spending the night at Buckhorn Campground or heading into San Gabriel Mountains National Monument for a retreat or day trip, Cooper Canyon boasts a tranquil summer waterfall. To get to the flowing falls, hikers must drop 745 feet over a three-mile roundtrip route through a picturesque old-growth forest and into a mountain valley. 

Along the incline that leads to the creek, two paths diverge. The route to the waterfall is as follows. Step down slowly. Hikers can lower themselves the last ten feet with the aid of a rope fastened to a tree near the bottom.

There are relaxing rocks and a wading pool below the falls. The water is calm and knee-high, where little trout swim. Cooper Canyon Falls won’t dazzle you with its majesty because it is only a little over thirty feet tall. Rather, its tranquility will entice you.

Hermit Falls

The stream above Hermit Falls makes a fantastic swimming place in the summer. There are smooth stones that are ideal for lounging and ledges from which to jump. A pair of cascades above the falls create a natural water slide when there is enough flow. 

There is no genuine path to the bottom of the waterfalls, but those up for a tough climb can down a sheer rock wall beside the falls. Like the separate trip to Sturtevant Falls, the trail starts from Chantry Flat. 

Despite being closer and shorter than Sturtevant, Hermit Falls is frequently less busy. But that doesn’t mean you’ll have it all to yourself. Hermit is still a popular destination, especially with younger audiences that come to the beach to swim.

Silverwood Lake

Angelenos frequently travel to the Silverwood Lake Recreation Area, which is located in the San Bernardino National Forest north of San Bernardino, to climb, fish, swim, and paddle in Silverwood Lake’s cold waters. 

The recreation area offers a wide range of fun things to do, like campgrounds for camping out, boat ramps and rentals for fun on the lake, swimming beaches, and multi-use paths for horseback riding, cycling, and mountaineering. Silverwood Lake Recreation Region is a great weekend getaway because it is so close to the Los Angeles metropolitan area and only 80 miles from the city center.

The Cleghorn Swim Beach on Silverwood Lake’s southernmost tip is a terrific area for kids and is staffed by lifeguards during the entire summer. Children can swim in safely here because the water is shallow and not accessible to motorboats. 

Additionally, there are picnic tables here that are great for an afternoon snack, as well as running water. Similar to Silverwood Lake Swim Beach, powerboats are permitted there. 

Big Bear Lake

Just about everyone in Los Angeles loves to travel to Big Bear to get away from the bright lights and busy life of the big city. Everyone enjoys swimming in Big Bear Lake in the summer since it is cool and relaxing. Meadow Park is the ideal location for parents looking for a family-friendly swimming area.

The swimming area has sand, a lifeguard, a dock with floating toys, a snack bar, and public facilities. The most daring swimmers can locate all sorts of swimming and wading locations throughout the lake, but note there are no lifeguards and Lake Management (MWD) mandates that visitors swim within 50 feet of the shore.

Another well-liked swimming spot is the region surrounding China Island, also known as Garstin Island. Here, you may swim close to the rocks and the brave can scale the rocky outcrop behind China Island to make an exhilarating leap into the ocean below.

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