Outdoor Pools and Rock Pools Perfect for Lap Swimming

Baton Rouge lap swimmers have added two outdoor facilities to their regular routes this summer, with the Perkins Road Outdoor Pool and the rock-lined basin at the Eastside Fitness Park drawing consistent crowds for early-morning and evening sessions.

The parish recreation department extended pool hours through Labor Day after recording above-average daily use in June, when daytime temperatures routinely climbed past 92 degrees. Residents seeking low-impact cardio have shifted away from indoor gyms toward these open-air options, where water temperatures stay cooler than air and lanes remain marked for timed swims.

Two Baton Rouge spots draw lap swimmers

The Perkins Road Outdoor Pool sits inside the Mid-City neighborhood at the intersection of Perkins Road and Acadian Throughway. Eight 25-yard lanes open at 5:30 a.m. on weekdays, with a separate shallow area reserved for families after 10 a.m. Across town, the Eastside Fitness Park on Florida Boulevard near the old railroad tracks features a rock pool designed with lap lanes carved between natural-looking boulders. The park opened its aquatic section in spring 2025 and added evening lighting last month so swimmers can continue past sunset.

Both sites charge $4 for a single adult lap session or $35 for a monthly pass purchased through the East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation Department. A 2025 parish survey counted 2,800 lap-swim visits across its outdoor pools in the first three weeks of June, up 38 percent from the same period in 2024. Staff at Perkins Road now limit each lane to six swimmers during peak hours to keep traffic moving at a steady pace.

Practical steps for first-time visitors

Swimmers should arrive with a valid parish ID for the resident rate and check the daily schedule posted on the recreation department website before heading out. Lap sessions at both locations run in 45-minute blocks, and kickboards and pull buoys are available at the Perkins Road front desk for a $1 rental. Those new to rock-pool swimming at the Eastside site are advised to start in the outer lane, where the bottom slopes more gradually. The department plans to add a third outdoor lap option at the Highland Road Park site next spring.