Splash into summer at Spring Lake, Russian River

The summer season officially kicks off this holiday weekend with the opening of Spring Lake Regional Park’s lifeguarded swimming lagoon, inflatable floating Water Park and standup paddle and boat rentals, as well as the return of free loaner life jackets at Russian River beaches.

Starting Saturday, May 25, the Spring Lake swimming lagoon, 393 Violetti Road, Santa Rosa, is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with lifeguards on duty. Swimming and playing on the beach is always free, with no reservations needed and free life vests available. Water in the swimming lagoon is chlorinated, filtered and tested to ensure quality exceeds state standards.

The Spring Lake Water Park features inflatable, floating play structures on a portion of the swimming lagoon. There are three two-hour sessions daily: 10:30 a.m.; 1 p.m.; and 3:30 p.m. Admission is $10 per person, per session. Children must be 6 or older, at least 42 inches tall and know how to swim. Tickets are limited, and some sessions may sell out; online reservations are highly recommended. Reserve at SoCoParks.org/Aquatics.

On Spring Lake, paddleboards and single and tandem kayaks can be rented by the hour ($14 to $18), starting at 10:30 a.m., with the last rental at 5 p.m. Online reservations are highly recommended. Reserve at SoCoParks.org/Aquatics. Like the swimming lagoon and Water Park, boat rentals are located at the bottom of the park’s Violetti Road entrance.

On the Russian River, swimmers and paddlers will find Regional Parks life jackets available for free use at Del Rio Woods, Forestville River Access, Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, and Steelhead and Sunset beaches. Visitors can borrow one for the day and put it back when they leave the beach. Using a life jacket is highly recommended; there are unseen hazards and changing conditions on the river.

The Russian River patrol, a roving team of lifeguards, will visit Del Rio Woods, Forestville River Access, Steelhead and Sunset beaches Fridays through Mondays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. They share information with visitors about staying safe on the water, avoiding dangerous situations and help swimmers fit free loaner life jackets.

The temporary dam at Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach will be installed by early July, creating a popular swimming area along the park's wide, sandy beach. Lifeguards are on duty Saturdays and Sundays through June, then daily once the dam is installed. Beach admission is free.

Summer parking fees range from $7 to $10. Regional Parks members park for free.

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Media Contact:

Tina Luster, Marketing Specialist

Sonoma County Regional Parks

Tina.Luster@sonoma-county.org

(707) 565-3803