Swimming Hole

The Swimming Hole is an old silt pond at the top of Lithia Park above the old water tank on Ashland Creek.

Driving

– This 10 minute drive start through Lithia Park on Winburn Way.  You will hit Granite Street so turn left to continue following Ashland Creek uphill.  The road becomes gravel and you’re almost there.  The road intersects with a sweeping left turn that goes around the swimming hole.  Don’t take that! Continue straight and park to your left.

Parking

– Tons of perpendicular parking to your left. Park as close to the swimming hole as you want and walk across the dirt road through the opening in the fence.

The Adventure

– The old community swimmin’ hole conjures up nostalgic images of boys catching frogs and rope swings and picnics. Well, you kind of get that here. I mean, the cops take down the rope swing all the time, and late in the summer the bacteria levels get too high to use the water, but it sure is quaint. Even though it’s unsupervised, there are nice restrooms and a drinking fountain and picnic tables. On really hot days it does get a bit crowded, and kids with no pants do run amok, but there is plenty of room to lay out a towel and read a book and then just jump in the water occasionally to cool off. Hey, this is Ashland, if you can’t find your bathing suit and you just want to splash around in your shorts and a sports bra, this place is awesome.