Lincoln State Park Beach to Remain Closed for Memorial Day Weekend

The lake was drained for dam repairs last year, with hopes that the beach would reopen for Memorial Day Weekend. While that's not the case, there's still hope the beach will open this summer.

In 2025, Lincoln State Park began a project to repair the Lake Lincoln Dam. The lake was drained to make repairs to the dam during the project. Because of the repairs, the nature center, Pine Hills Group Camp, and group cottages were closed. Along with those facilities, the beach at Lincoln State Park was also closed because, how can you swim if there isn't any water?

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According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the planned opening of the beach and boat rental is Memorial Day weekend 2026, but that will be dependent on the amount of rain received to refill the lake. I grew up swimming at Lincoln State Park's beach. It was one of my favorite things to do during the summer. A tradition that I wanted to continue with my kiddos this year. However, Lincoln State Park gave us an update on if the beach will be open on the projected reopening date.

Will Lincoln State Park's Beach Be Open Memorial Day Weekend 2026?

According to an update by Lincoln State Park, the beach will not be opening on Memorial Day weekend. Here's what the post says:

Due to unusually low lake levels, the swimming beach will be closed over Memorial Day weekend. We’re hopeful that upcoming rainfall will raise the water level enough to open the beach later this season, but this will depend entirely on future weather conditions.
While swimming and boat rentals won’t be available for the holiday weekend, there are still plenty of great ways to enjoy your visit. Guests are welcome to explore our scenic hiking trails, plan a relaxing picnic, or enjoy fishing at Weber Lake. We also encourage stopping by the Nature Center or taking a beautiful hike up to the fire tower for a great view of the park.
Please remember that the dam remains restricted to foot traffic. To complete Trail 1, be sure to use the road below the dam rather than crossing over it.
We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you for a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend at Lincoln State Park.

While we won't be able to enjoy Lincoln State Park's beach on Memorial Day weekend, there is still hope that the lake will open during the summer. That is, of course, if Mother Nature provides us with more rain to help fill the lake. We will keep you posted if and when the beach at Lincoln State Park opens in 2026.