Swimming Holes on Table Rock
If you haven’t lost your sunglasses in Table Rock Lake, have you really been to Table Rock Lake?! We kid! We kid!
Table Rock Lake has some of the cleanest and most beautiful swimming holes in the country! Because the bottom of TRL is rock and not mud, the sediment is minimal which allow for clean and clear water! The water starts warming up to swimmable conditions in mid-to-late May and can last into the early days of Fall. If beach bumming is more your style, Table Rock Lake has you covered! Slather on some SPF 50 sunscreen, blow up a floatie that looks like a giant piece of pizza, and BYOB because the area beaches are excellent and ready for you and the crew!
Moonshine Beach is located close to the Table Rock Dam and is full of prime real estate, as far as beach life is concerned! This beach includes tons of sand and will give you the beach vibe without driving to the Gulf! Bring your jambox and play some Smash Mouth (“Hey now! You’re an all-star get the game on, go play!”) because it’s the beach! Moonshine Beach is protected from boats and their wakes by a large wrap-around peninsula. They also include a nice bathroom, outdoor showers (for getting all the sand off of you), and grills for BBQing. The charge to get into this VERY popular park is $5 per car load! Inquire about a yearly pass, if you plan on swimming hole hopping through the other Corp’s parks or coming back multiple times per year. Here’s the thing about swimming at Moonshine Beach: It gets incredibly busy and parking can be impossible. The day that we visited, we had to wait for one car to leave before they’d admit another car…THAT busy. However, don’t let that deter you because with a little planning, Moonshine Beach is the perfect place to put your shades on and hang out!
Long Creek Campground is located on Highway 86 and is owned by the Bass Pro Family. For a minimal fee of $8 per car load, you can enjoy a roped off swimming area within eye shot of the Long Creek Bridge. The beach is rocky, but has some raised space for setting up your base. Along the water’s edge, the rocks are large and smooth. You’ll love the huge views of Table Rock Lake from the comfort of your floatie and the kids will enjoy collecting tiny shells too. Pack a cooler or walk over to the marina and pick up food and drinks. They also have a camper turned food-camper that serves up some great eats for your day at the lake! The amenities at Long Creek Campground are top notch and include bathrooms and outdoor showers. Swimming at Long Creek Campground is a relaxing swimming hole that you’ll want to include in your Branson vacation!
Swimming at Cricket Creek involves a short drive into Arkansas to enjoy this quiet section of Table Rock Lake. This is a U.S. Corp campground and for $5, you can get a whole carload in for the day. The beach at Cricket Creek is a pretty level and is the perfect place to put your chair in at the water’s edge. Soak your feet and watch the kids splash around. Be sure to bring your fishing pole because there’s plenty of bank along the lake to try to reel in a whopper or two. You’ll love the gentleness of the water here and the Ozark Mountain views. There’s also a marina that you can access at this location that serves up pizza and beverages. Just hop in your car and take a left when you get to the fork. Cricket Creek is an awesome location to enjoy the sights and sounds of Table Rock Lake!
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have access to a boat while in Branson Country because here are THREE awesome swimming spots that you can jump into!