Blue Marsh Lake: Not Just a Day at the Beach

When I'm planning a day of sun, sand, and surf, I could make a trip to the Jersey shore. But, if I want to beat the traffic and summertime crowds of the beach, I head away from the coast towards Blue Marsh Lake, just outside of Reading, Pa. Awaiting my arrival, the 1,150-acre lake, a privately owned project managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of the Philadelphia District, boasts a sandy shoreline and sparkling blue waves.

Blue Marsh is only an hour and a half from Philly and offers more than just your average day at the beach. I often come prepared with hiking shoes and attire and walk along the 30-mile trail that runs through the woods and fields encircling Blue Marsh Lake. Visitors can also bring a boat or jet ski and have a blast soaring across the lake's rippling waters surrounded by lush forests and green mountains.

The lake is free, except for a three dollar fee for boats, and open to the public from dawn until dusk. On several occasions, I have stayed at Blue Marsh late into the evening just to catch a tranquil lakeside sunset from the water's edge.