The Most Dangerous Places to Swim in the United States

Beautiful Water That Doesn't Forgive Mistakes

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Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death in the United States, and it rarely happens where people expect. It happens on calm-looking beaches with hidden rip currents, in cold lakes where cold water shock cripples strong swimmers, and below dams and in quarries that look inviting on a hot day. The U.S. Lifesaving Association estimates that rip currents kill more than 100 people on American beaches every year. Local conditions matter more than swimming ability: tides, sandbars, steep drop-offs, cold temperatures and sudden waves all change the risk from hour to hour. The 11 places below are known for repeated rescues, closures or deaths, and for the kinds of hazards visitors tend to underestimate. This isn't a call to avoid the water, just to learn the hazards, respect flags and local warnings, swim near lifeguards and keep a wary eye on the conditions.

Panama City Beach, Florida

Panama City Beach is often described as one of the deadliest beaches in the country, thanks to a combination of strong rip currents, sandbars and heavy summer crowds. The National Weather Service logged seven rip-current deaths there over a ten-day stretch in June 2023, and rip currents are the leading weather-related killer in Florida, where authorities reported at least 31 rip-current deaths that year. Flag warnings change daily: double red flags mean the water is closed to the public, and ignoring them is illegal in the city. Rip currents are narrow channels of water flowing away from shore, and the right response is to swim parallel to the beach until you leave the current, then angle back in. Fighting directly against the current wears out even strong swimmers. Swim near a lifeguard stand, check the flag color before wading in and keep kids within arm's reach in the surf.

Monastery Beach, California

Monastery Beach near Carmel is nicknamed "Mortuary Beach" for good reason. The beach sits above a submarine canyon that comes very close to shore, so the seabed drops off steeply just feet from the sand, and waves can rise suddenly. Steep, coarse sand makes it hard to climb out of the surf, and strong undertow can pull people back down after a wave. The water is cold year-round, which saps strength quickly. The beach is part of the Point Lobos area on the Monterey Peninsula and is popular with scuba divers, who enter the water from a more protected spot. Surf conditions can change rapidly with swell direction and tides. Local rangers and divers advise staying out of the water unless you're experienced and the conditions are very calm. For most visitors, the scenery is the reason to come, and the beach is for watching rather than swimming.

Lake Michigan Piers and Beaches

Among the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan recorded more drownings and rescues than any of its neighbors from 2010 through 2016, according to the National Weather Service. Strong structural currents form along piers, jetties and breakwalls, and winds blowing toward shore can produce dangerous waves and rip currents even on sunny days. Cities like Chicago, Milwaukee and Michigan and Indiana beach towns see many of the incidents, and the Great Lakes are cold enough to cause cold water shock that can disable a swimmer within minutes. The Great Lakes also use a flag system and the NWS issues beach hazard statements, which are worth checking before you go. The safest practice is to stay off the piers during high waves, swim only where lifeguards are on duty and always wear a life jacket when boating or paddling. A calm morning can turn into hazardous surf by afternoon.

Hanakāpīʻai Beach, Kauaʻi

Hanakāpīʻai Beach sits two miles along the Kalalau Trail on Kauaʻi's Na Pali Coast, and signs at the trailhead warn visitors not to swim there. The beach faces open ocean with no reef to break the swells, and strong rip currents and powerful shore break can drag people out very quickly. Hawaii officials have tallied many deaths at the beach over the years, and the stream crossing on the way to it can also flood suddenly after rain upstream. The scenery tempts hikers into the water after a muddy trek, but the sand slopes steeply and waves can reach far up the shore. Rangers and local guides advise admiring the beach from higher ground and never turning your back on the surf. If you're hiking in, check the weather and surf forecast, because the trail may close during high surf or heavy rain.

Sandy Beach, Oʻahu

Sandy Beach Park on Oʻahu's southeast coast is famous among bodysurfers for its explosive shore break, which lifts waves and slams them straight onto the sand. The waves break very close to shore in shallow water, so swimmers and bodyboarders can be driven headfirst into the bottom, and the beach has a long record of neck and spinal injuries. Lifeguards there make a large number of rescues, and the beach regularly has warnings posted for high surf. Rip currents form in the gaps between breaking sets, and the bottom drops off quickly. Local bodysurfers have years of experience reading the waves, which is exactly what visitors lack. If you want to swim in Hawaii, start at a beach with lifeguards and calm conditions, check the surf report and avoid places labeled for experienced bodysurfers only. Sand and waves can be much more powerful than they look from the shore.

The Oregon Coast

Oregon's cold, rocky coast has some of the highest rescue rates per beachgoer in the nation, according to a study based on U.S. Lifesaving Association data from 2021 through 2023. Water temperatures stay in the 50s Fahrenheit even in summer, and strong currents, sandbars and unpredictable "sneaker waves" make wading risky. A sneaker wave is a surprisingly large wave that surges much farther up the beach than the ones before it and can knock people off their feet or drag them off logs and rocks. Large driftwood logs on the beach can roll in a surge and crush anyone nearby. Few Oregon beaches have lifeguards, so rescue often depends on bystanders or the Coast Guard. Visitors should never turn their backs on the ocean, stay well away from logs and rocks near the waterline and keep dogs and children close. Check local surf advisories before beach walks.

Rockaway Beach, New York

Rockaway Beach in Queens is the city's main surfing and swimming beach, and it draws huge summer crowds. Rip currents form along the sandbars and groins there, and New York has been ranked among the nation's more dangerous states for swimming. Two teenagers drowned off Rockaway in a well-publicized incident, and lifeguards make many rescues in summer. Swimmers are allowed only in designated areas during lifeguarded hours, and the beach is often closed to swimming when the water is rough or conditions are unsafe. Surfers sometimes get a separate area to avoid collisions. Jetties and groins channel water and create strong currents along their sides. Outside lifeguard hours or in closed zones, there's no one to help. The easiest rule is to swim only where and when lifeguards are on duty, and never go out alone in the surf, even if it looks tame.

Outer Banks, North Carolina

North Carolina's Outer Banks are a popular vacation destination with a long history of drownings. The barrier islands sit at the edge of the Atlantic with shifting sandbars and steep drop-offs just offshore, so rip currents form in the gaps and can be strong enough to carry swimmers out quickly. Many beaches have few or no lifeguards, particularly on the less developed stretches and in the early or late season. Hurricanes and offshore storms send swells that create dangerous surf even when the weather at the beach looks great. Local officials issue rip current forecasts and post warning flags in some towns. Visitors should check conditions each morning, swim where lifeguards are posted and learn how to escape a rip current. Cape Hatteras National Seashore and other National Park Service areas typically have limited lifeguard coverage, so planning ahead matters.

Lake Superior

Lake Superior is the coldest and deepest of the Great Lakes, with surface temperatures that often stay in the 40s and 50s Fahrenheit well into summer. Cold water shock, which causes an involuntary gasp and rapid breathing when the body hits cold water, can make even strong swimmers drown within minutes. After about ten minutes, swimming muscles lose strength and coordination, so a short swim can become life-threatening. Rip currents and waves can also build quickly along its sandy and rocky shores, and the lake has a long history of shipwrecks for good reason. Pictured Rocks and the Apostle Islands are beautiful, but beaches there seldom have lifeguards. Wearing a life jacket, staying close to shore and limiting time in the water are the basic rules. Kayakers should dress for the water temperature rather than the air temperature.

The Colorado River Below Glen Canyon Dam

The Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam near Lees Ferry in Arizona is released from deep in Lake Powell, which keeps it cold and nearly constant, in the high 40s Fahrenheit, no matter how hot the desert air gets. That sets up a classic danger: visitors in a sun-baked canyon jump into the clear, inviting river and are hit by cold water shock. The current is stronger than it looks, and water releases from the dam change the flow during the day, raising the river without warning. Rafters and anglers on the river usually wear life jackets and carry gear for sudden cold exposure. Even a short swim can lead to hypothermia. Park Service rangers advise wading carefully, wearing a life jacket and checking the dam release schedule before going in. Treat the river as a cold, swift mountain stream, not a desert swimming hole.

Flooded Quarries

Abandoned rock quarries filled with water look like perfect swimming holes, with clear blue-green water, cliffs to jump from and few crowds. They're also some of the most dangerous places to swim. The water is often far colder than the surface suggests, with sharp temperature drops a few feet below the top. Depths are unpredictable, and jagged rock, old machinery and sunken debris can hide beneath the surface. Steep, slick walls make it nearly impossible to climb out, and there are rarely any lifeguards. Quarry owners and local officials usually ban swimming, and many have fenced or posted the sites after drownings. Cliff jumping adds the risk of hitting submerged ledges or landing awkwardly. If a quarry is legally open to the public with a lifeguard, such as a licensed swim club, the risk is lower. Otherwise, it's best to look rather than jump.

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