Atwater Park

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Atwater Beach, only a short drive from Milwaukee, is located on Lake Michigan. You are greeted by the beautiful 5 acre park, with plenty of space for all sorts of activities. Whether you take the paved path or the stairs, you will be met with approximately 800 ft. of sandy beach. Lifeguards, restrooms, a playground, chairs and picnic tables are available.

The beach is open from 5am to 10pm.

Dogs are allowed at Atwater Park, but not beyond the gate leading down to the beach.

Please read and obey all posted regulations during your visit.

Prior to your day at the beach, be sure to check the local Weather Forecast at https://www.weather.gov/mkx/ and pay attention to changing weather and water conditions.

Get directions to this beach

Water Quality

Meets water quality standards
Current Status
This status is based on the latest sample, taken on May 30th, 2023. Milwaukee Riverkeeper updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on May 30th, 2023 at 12:55 PM.

For water quality icon legend, click:

Current Weather

29°C

Clear and sunny

View this beach on Great Lakes Guide

Report Pollution

Monitoring Frequency

Source Information

Heath Units in Wisconsin test beaches from May through September. When sample results are posted on the Wisconsin Beach Health website, Milwaukee Riverkeeper updates Swim Guide.

Recreational public beaches in Wisconsin are tested May through September. High priority beaches are sampled at least five times per week. They are posted when a single sample exceeds 235 E. coli / 100 ml or when the geometric mean of samples collected over a 30-day period exceeds 126 E. coli / 100 ml. Medium priority beaches are sampled at least twice per week. Low priority beaches are sampled at least once per week. They are posted when a single sample exceeds 235 E. coli / 100 ml. All beaches will be closed if E. coli in a single sample exceeds 1,000 / 100 ml.

In the USA, the Environmental Protection Agency has two sets of recommendations for freshwater and marine beaches. A single sample at a freshwater beach should not exceed 235 E. coli / 100 ml of water. A single sample at a marine beach should not exceed 104 Enterococci / 100 ml of water. The geometric mean of 5 samples from a freshwater beach should not exceed 126 E. coli / 100 ml of water. The geometric mean of 5 samples from a marine beach should not exceed 35 Enterococci / 100 ml of water. States may choose to use this standard or they may substitute a standard that is "as protective as" the EPA's recommendation. The Beach Act is the nation's primary beach protection law.

Water Quality Graph