Diving into the refreshing chill of a mountain lake. Stargazing from a placid pool in the middle of nowhere. Doing a few laps beside a roaring waterfall.
Wild swimming is celebrated for its sensory rush, nostalgic echoes of childhood and sense of escape. Plenty of state and national parks across the United States offer open waters perfect for dipping a toe or sliding full tilt across slippery rocks.
But unlike a hotel pool, wild swimming can involve specific risks. Check the weather, water quality and currents. Wear water shoes and other gear when necessary. And know your physical limits. Bring a friend for safety — and because it’s more fun that way.
New York
Robert H. Treman State Park
In the heart of the Finger Lakes region, Robert H. Treman State Park is home to a stunning swimming hole at the base of 30-foot Enfield Falls.
In a park less than 15 minutes from Ithaca, N.Y., this developed site includes a diving board, a bathhouse with restrooms and showers, picnic tables and a lifeguard. But the swimming is unmistakably wild: wooded cliffs, a pebble beach, layers of Devonian shale and minnows darting around the cold, crystal-clear water.
Swimming is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from late June through Labor Day weekend. Cars cost $10 to enter the park.
Wyoming
Grand Teton National Park
String Lake, in the center of Grand Teton National Park, was once a local secret, but even after social media exposure, there are still quiet swimming spots along four miles of shoreline.
Much of this channel just north of Jenny Lake is “shallow and crystal clear, so it’s a little warmer, and has dreamy views of the Tetons,” Bruce Rosenberg, the operations director at the Rusty Parrot Lodge & Spa in Jackson, Wyo., said in an email.
Sixteen miles south, Phelps Lake is home to what locals call the “jumping rock,” where you can plunge 25 feet before splashing into the bracing glacial snow melt. Watch out for bears, hypothermia and sunglasses lost in the leap.
Cars cost $35 to enter the park, which is valid for a week.
Arkansas
Buffalo National River
Designated by Congress as an official national river site, Buffalo National River meanders undammed for 135 miles through the Ozark Mountains.
Deep, slow-moving pools stand alongside soaring limestone and sandstone bluffs. Though the water is warm, it’s still a welcome relief from the humidity of July and August.
Take folding chairs, towels and a picnic (glass is prohibited) to the riverbanks at swimming holes like Ponca Low-Water Bridge to spot wild elk, or Steel Creek to gaze at Roark Bluff, a 200-foot wall of multicolored limestone.
There’s no entry fee, but campsites cost $16 to $20 per night.
Pennsylvania
Ohiopyle State Park
At the southern end of the Laurel Highlands, Ohiopyle State Park offers plenty of options for fun in the water, fewer than 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.
The Meadow Run Natural Waterslides, a water-carved flume running for 100 horizontal feet, ends in a swimming hole. Bring jorts, river shoes and steely resolve.
Picturesque Cucumber Falls drops over a dramatic sandstone shelf to a wading pool that’s perfect for searching for buried treasure.
And only 10 minutes away to the north? Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece.
There’s no entry fee.
Utah
Sand Hollow State Park
The contrasting turquoise water and orange-red sandstone formations at Sand Hollow Reservoir, 20 minutes east of St. George, Utah, create a singular, otherworldly landscape.
The scene at Sand Hollow State Park, which surrounds most of the reservoir, is family-friendly and draws water skiers, paddlers, anglers and off-road drivers.
At the red rock cliffs, visitors can get their kicks by cliff jumping (borrow a free life jacket from the visitor center) off ledges five to 35 feet above water.
But with more than 1,300 acres of 80-degree water, swimmers can also find solitude in coves with flat, sandy beaches.
Cars cost $35 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for nonresidents and $20 for Utah residents. Campsites start at $35 per night.
Florida
Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Inside Ichetucknee Springs State Park, the water at its two major springs is 72 degrees year-round: chilly at first, but perfect for a sweltering afternoon.
One of them, the Ichetucknee Head Spring, is a lush, subtropical wonderland — 45 minutes northwest of Gainesville, Fla. — surrounded by bald cypress trees, wild river ferns and live oaks draped in Spanish moss.
Shaped like a bowl, the spring features easy wading with a deeper limestone pool in the center. Snorkel over eelgrass and watch for river turtles, mullet and gar.
A half-mile away is Blue Hole Spring, a deep, cavern spewing an astonishing 67 million gallons of water daily. It’s best enjoyed by strong, experienced swimmers and scuba divers.
Cars cost $6 from 8 a.m. to sundown.
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