Nestled within five Hoosier State counties – Monroe, Brown, Lawrence, Bartholomew, and Jackson – is Indiana’s largest lake, known as Lake Monroe, Monroe Lake, or the Monroe Reservoir. This 10,750-acre body of water is man-made, but it’s wonderful all the same. It was created and filled up in the 1960s, and by 1967, the lake was being used by the nearby town of Bloomington for its drinking water. Today, it’s still supplying life-giving hydration to denizens of our beautiful state, but it’s also great for something else: recreation. As it turns out, Lake Monroe – and its attached Lake Monroe Spillway – is the perfect destination for a warm-weather adventure-filled kind of day. This perfect little swimming hole in Indiana (okay, maybe not-so-little) is crystal-clear, crisp, and cool despite the rising daytime temperatures, making it ideal for your next outing with friends, family, or on your own.

Every year, Lake Monroe and the Lake Monroe Spillway attract thousands of visitors from all over the Midwest to come enjoy its nice, cool water.
Michael Blow/Flickr
The Spillway is the lesser-known commodity of the region, ensuring that it's always less crowded and much quieter than the main body of water.
How do you access the Spillway? Easy: start at the Salt Creek Recreation Area and take Monroe Dam Road to Valley Mission Road.
Trail Seeds/Flickr
Valley Mission Road takes you right past the spillway, and you can't miss it. It's easy to access, and definitely worth the couple extra minutes in the car.
The Spillway is perfect for swimming, but you can indulge in all sorts of other activities, too.
nessie grace/Flickr
Popular recreation at the Spillway includes fishing (largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill galore - among other things), kayaking, camping, and diving. It's no wonder this little piece of paradise is so beloved among Hoosiers; not only is it breathtakingly lovely, it's also a total blast perfect for the whole family.

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Admire the more than 350,000 acres of beautiful, deciduous forest surrounding the watershed.
Elizabeth Nicodemus/Flickr
Observe the numerous fascinating species of critters that call the lake and surrounding forest home, like white-tailed deer and even wild turkeys. If you're interested in hunting, Lake Monroe is an excellent place for that, too.
But, ultimately, you just can't beat the delights of a cool swim on a hot, humid day.
Trail Seeds/Flickr
Of all the places to get outside and swim in Indiana, we're pretty sure this is one of the best. It's perfect; it's got enough room for quite literally everything Hoosiers like to do here, and that room affords one plenty of acreage for a relaxing dip.
Of course, you'll want to stay until the end of the day, because nothing beats a summer sunset over the lake.
nessie grace/Flickr

So, what do you think? What’s your personal favorite swimming hole in Indiana? Tell us about it by filling out this form, and you might see a feature article about it sometime! If you’ve got any summer plans, tell us about those, too!

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Monroe Lake Spillway, 9981-, 9985 Valley Mission Rd, Heltonville, IN 47436, USA