Quarry Lakes Swim Center

Quarry Lakes Swim Center is a great controlled introduction to open water swimming. With clear, warm water, close proximity to shore, lifeguards (most of the time), it is great for anyone who gets bored in a pool but is scared of the cold and murky waters of the SF Bay. The swim center is best accessed via the main park entrance on Isherwood Way. Go to the left hand parking lot after going through the gate.

There is a separate gate for the swim center, which you will see as a one story brown and gray building at the southwest edge of this parking lot. Signs also point the way. Admission is $3 for adults. Quarry Lakes has issues with water levels, but this summer so far everything seems good.

The swim center has a large grassy area that slopes downhill to the beach. The swim area is actually divided into three sections. Two squares side by side about 25 yards x 25 yards each. These are great areas for kids to play and for those who need to get comfortable with open water.

Past those squares is a long rectangle shaped roped off area that is about 50 yards x 10 yards. It is in this area where the adults serious about swimming tend to congregate. The water is about 15 feet deep here usually, with visibility to the bottom. I last visited in mid May, and estimated the water temperature to be about 70-75 degrees. The visibility will help tame the worries of a new-to-open water swimmer.