Blue Marsh Lake: Swimming, Boating, Trails, and Rules

Blue Marsh Lake is a lake northwest of Reading with a swim beach, three boat launches, and a trail system of more than 50 miles for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. It is a federal project built and run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, not a Berks County park, and there is no entrance or launch fee.

The lake sits on the Tulpehocken Creek near Bernville and Leesport. The Corps built it in the 1970s for flood control, and it now draws close to 900,000 visitors a year. Here is how to use it.

The basics: hours and fees

Blue Marsh is open 365 days a year. The Dry Brooks Day Use Area, which holds the swim beach and visitor center, opens at 8:00 a.m. every day and closes at dusk.

There are no fees charged at Blue Marsh Lake. The day-use area, the swim beach, and all boat launches are free. The only paid items are pavilion rentals, booked through Recreation.gov, which run from $90 to $100.

Swimming

The only designated swimming area is the beach at the Dry Brooks Day Use Area. To spend a day there:

1. Enter at the Dry Brooks Day Use Area off Palisades Drive in Leesport and park in one of the day-use lots.
2. Swim only inside the marked beach area, open 8:00 a.m. to dusk.
3. Plan to watch your own group. There are no lifeguards on duty, and swimming is at your own risk.

Two things to know before you drive out. First, dogs are not allowed in the swim beach area or around the concession stand and bathhouse below Parking Lot F. Second, the Corps closes the beach when bacteria or harmful algae levels run high, which happened as recently as September 2026. Check the current swim beach status on the official Blue Marsh page the morning you go.

The lake also bans most floatables. Tubes, pool rafts, noodles, swim wings, and boogie boards are not allowed, unless a tube is being towed behind a boat. A Coast Guard approved life jacket is always allowed and always a good idea.

Boating

Blue Marsh is an unlimited horsepower lake for boating and waterskiing. That does not mean open throttle everywhere. The lake has posted no-wake zones and speed rules, and rangers enforce them.

The lake has three boat launches: the Dry Brooks Boat Launch, near the day-use area; the State Hill Boat Launch; and the Sheidy Boat Launch. The Corps posts driving directions to each from the Blue Marsh Lake page.

The main boating rules:

1. Stay at no-wake speed within 100 feet of the shoreline, launches, docks, swimmers, downed skiers, and anchored or drifting boats.
2. Waterskiing is allowed only from sunrise to sunset, and a boat may tow only one skier or other device at a time.
3. Powered boats must carry a current state registration. Non-powered boats, including kayaks and canoes, need a launch permit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission or state parks.

Blue Marsh does not rent boats or equipment. Launches fill fast on summer weekends and holidays, so arrive early.

Trails

Blue Marsh has more than 50 miles of trails in all. The main route is the Blue Marsh Lake Trail, a 30-mile multi-use loop that circles the lake. Hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders all share it, so yield and pass with care.

You can pick up the trail at several trailheads and parking areas:

• Dry Brooks Day Use Area, next to the Foxtrot hiking trail
• State Hill Boat Launch
• Stilling Basin and the nearby Water Road parking area
• Highland Road trailhead access
• Church Road

Dogs may be off leash on the trail only if they stay under voice control at all times. If your dog does not reliably come when called, or is not friendly toward other people and dogs, keep it leashed on the trail.

Rules, pets, and hunting

A few lake-wide rules trip people up:

• Alcohol is prohibited anywhere on park property.
• No camping is allowed on land or water.
• Dogs must be leashed in developed areas, including the day-use area and parking lots. They cannot swim near the launches or boat beaches but may swim elsewhere in the lake. For the county license your dog still needs, see our Berks County dog license guide.
• Grills are limited and first come, first served. You can bring your own charcoal grill if you keep it elevated off the ground. Personal grills are not allowed in the swim beach area.

Much of the land around the lake is open to hunting in season under Pennsylvania Game Commission rules, on the surrounding state game lands. Hunting is not permitted in the developed day-use and swim areas. Check the Game Commission for seasons and boundaries before you carry a firearm or bow on the property.

FAQ

Is there a fee to get into Blue Marsh Lake?

No. The Corps charges no entrance fee, no swim beach fee, and no boat launch fee. Only pavilion rentals cost money, and those are booked through Recreation.gov.

Can you swim in Blue Marsh Lake?

Yes, at the designated beach in the Dry Brooks Day Use Area, open daily from 8:00 a.m. to dusk. There are no lifeguards, so you swim at your own risk. The beach can close temporarily when bacteria or algae levels are high, so check the swim beach status before you go.

How long is the Blue Marsh trail?

The main Blue Marsh Lake Trail is a 30-mile loop that circles the lake, open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Counting its side and connector trails, the whole system runs more than 50 miles.

Are dogs allowed at Blue Marsh Lake?

Yes. Dogs must be leashed in the day-use area and parking lots, and they are banned from the swim beach and the concession and bathhouse area. On the trail they may be off leash only if they stay under voice control.

Is there a horsepower limit on Blue Marsh Lake?

No. Blue Marsh is an unlimited horsepower lake for boating and waterskiing. It does have a 100-foot no-wake rule near shore, docks, and other boats, and waterskiing is limited to sunrise-to-sunset hours, all of which rangers enforce.

Sources and contact

• Blue Marsh Lake, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Blue Marsh Lake Rules and Regulations (updated 11/2022)
• Blue Marsh Lake Trail Map and Guide
• Blue Marsh Lake, Dry Brooks Day Use Area on Recreation.gov
• Pennsylvania Game Commission

Blue Marsh Lake Office, 1268 Palisades Drive, Leesport, PA 19533-9750. Phone 610-376-6337.

Blue Marsh is a federal lake, so county offices do not run it. For the services Berks County itself handles, see our guide to how Berks County government works.