Matthews Beach Park
Seattle, WA
Matthews Beach Park is Seattle's largest freshwater bathing beach, stretched along Lake Washington on the Burke-Gilman Trail with a floating summer dock, low and high diving boards, and lifeguards in season. A water quality contamination closure carried into spring of a recent year, so current status is worth a check before a visit.
Genuinely the biggest freshwater beach in the city with real diving boards and a floating dock, a strong claim even accounting for the occasional water quality closure.
How we score beachesConfirm current water quality status before swimming; the city posts closures when bacteria levels require it, and this beach has had one recently.
The 2026 lifeguard season ran June 22 through September 2.
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