For several years, visitors to Rend Lake have known the North Marcum Day Use Area as a Boat-in Rest Area. When the area opens on June 26, 2020, it will return to its intended purpose as a designated swimming area, while not forgetting the boaters that have come to love it. The redefined North Marcum Beach will include the sand; associated picnic area and parking lots; and the entire “No Wake” cove north of the breakwater. The improvements completed to develop the new North Marcum Beach will enhance the safety and security for all the area’s visitors.
As people come to the North Marcum Beach for the first time this summer, they will encounter many changes to the area that were needed to make it functional for all visitors. The first big change they will see is the large expanse of sand on the north end of the beach that very few users enjoyed has been be moved south to improve the beach and large boat mooring area and has been replaced with grass. Previous users of the area will recognize that the drainage problems around the north end of the sand and across the beach area are now corrected. New buoy lines and safety zones have been installed to separate the boats and swimmers in order to increase the safety for both. Finally, additional picnic sites will be added to the grass around the beach.
In addition to physical changes, North Marcum Beach goers will also experience new ways to enjoy the area. The area will have areas for boaters, swimmers, and, for the first time, pet lovers.
Boaters will have an improved sandy mooring area south of the marked swimming area to beach their boats and offload their passengers to use the swimming area. Swimmers will have a safe buoyed area that separates them from boats to swim in. Finally, except for the marked “dog free” sand and water area, the entire North Marcum Beach area will allow dogs. South Sandusky Beach will remain pet free and will also include an enlarged and improved boat mooring area.
As North Marcum returns to a designated swimming area, it will have many of the same rules as South Sandusky Beach. Within the entire beach area, alcohol will not be allowed, including the entire cove north of the breakwater. All swimming, wading, and any other activities in the water must be within the buoyed area only. Because the entire cove is included, user will not be able to swim from their boat or enter the swim area from the water. As it is at South Sandusky Beach, all boaters must come to shore to let swimmers enter and swim in the designated area. As with all beaches, food and glass will not be allowed on the sand. Unlike South Sandusky Beach, dogs will be allowed to come into the majority of the beach area. Just like the rest of Rend Lake, all dogs will remain restrained at all times in accordance with Title 36, CFR 327.11a, on no longer than a 6 ft. leash or otherwise physically restrained.
We invite you to visit the new North Marcum Beach with your entire family, including Spot, to make new Rend Lake memories. The North Marcum Boat Ramp will remain closed until further notice. For more information call the Rend Lake Project Office at 618-724-2493.
