The pool with one of the campus water towers in the background

Location
Northwest corner of Hutchison Drive and La Rue Road
Spring Hours
Summer Hours
Holiday Hours
April 13-June 15, 2014
June 16-September 30, 2014
July 4 (Independence Day) and
Mon-Thur 1:00-6:00 PM
Mon-Thur 1:30-6:30 PM
September 1 (Labor Day), 2014
Fri-Sun 12:00-7:00 PM
Fri-Sun 12:00-7:00 PM
Open 12:00-7:00 PM
Phone
(530) 752-2695, in-season
(530) 752-1706, off-season
Website
http://campusrecreation.ucdavis.edu/content.cfm?contentID=47&

The Rec Pool , short for Recreation Pool, is one of three on-campus swimming pools. Being unheated, it is open daily from April through September (see dates above). It is free for students, and open to the public for a fee. The Rec Pool offers adult and youth swimming lessons. Registration is on-going and done in person at the Rec Pool or online.

The Rec Pool is one of the largest free form pools west of the Mississippi and features 500,000 gallons of water, a sunbathing island, two large lap lanes (40 yards at the longest point) and two diving boards. The spacious lawn features shade trees and hills, while the deck area holds picnic tables and benches for lounging. The veranda to the west is a nice place for small, private celebrations. The wading pool was a replica of the main pool, with an island in the center, before its removal in 2011 due to leaks.

It is the largest freeform swimming pool on the West Coast at a length of 40 yards. It's a great place for families, as well as a large representation of the student body. The Rec Pool also has a lodge which is available to reserve for events. "Freeform" simply means that it isn't a regulation size — for instance, Hickey Pool is the competition standard "short course" — but rather built in whatever shape the planners decided. Despite not being a standard pool size and shape, there are two odd-sized lap lanes down the middle of the Rec Pool. They are approximately 40 yards long.

The Rec Pool no longer owns a BBQ and does not permit users to bring their own BBQ, however people do barbecue outside the adjacent Rec Pool Lodge

Rates

Daily Admission: Students & ARC member(s): Free (bring your reg card or ARC card) Continuing Student(s): $2 (students not enrolled in summer school but returning in the Fall) General Public: $4.50 Youth (3-17): $4.00 Youth (2 & under): Free

Pass Information: One month pass: $40.00 Add family member(s): $15.00 per person Season Pass: $80.00 Add family member(s): $40.00 per person

Parking: Spring

The closest lot to the Rec Pool is Lot 30. During the spring parking is free on weekends when special event parking attendants are not present, and after 10 p.m. (but the Rec Pool closes by 7 p.m.).

If you are a monthly or season pass holder you can purchase a thirty consecutive days permit, valid 12–10 p.m., at TAPS for $39. In addition, patrons enrolled in out youth and adult swim lesson can purchase a permit valid 5-10 p.m. only on class dates for $13 at TAPS. Bring your receipt.

Parking: Summer

The closest lot to the Rec Pool is Lot 30. During the summer (June 16-September 14) parking is free on weekends, (so long as there is not a special event), and after 5 p.m. There is also a $3 "Half Day" permit valid from 12 - 5pm. You have to pick the correct yellow permit dispenser as there are two in Lot 30.

If you are a monthly or season pass holder you can purchase a thirty consecutive days permit, valid 12–5 p.m., at TAPS for $22. In addition, patrons enrolled in youth and adult swim lesson can purchase a 2-week permit, valid 8am-5pm, for $14.25 at TAPS.

During late summer and early fall watch out for parking congestion when there is a home football game at Aggie Stadium.

Comments:

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2007-05-08 16:59:10   The life guards at the rec pool are always super chill, and the rec pool is I think the only public pool in the city that doesn't trip if you do inwards or reverses off the diving boards —StevenDaubert


2008-05-19 19:20:57   Does anyone know how long this pool is? It doesn't seem to be the standard length. —hankim

  • 2008-05-19 20:03:20   hankim do you mean the lap lane area, or the pool itself? —StevenDaubert

2008-05-19 21:34:14   Is there a time of day that one can do laps and not be surrounded by sharks looking for meat? —SunjeetBaadkar

  • I sympathize. Summer is usually a little better than Spring in my experience since fewer students are in Davis, but as trade off you get a bunch of summer camp kids. Hickey Pool is usually a better bet for lap swimming. —SRB
  • 2008-08-06 22:59:30   LOL. are u serious? yea, the summer is a better time tho, i went for the first time today, it was the perfect temperature/crowd from like 6 pm till about close at 7 pm.I'm gonna go everyday from now onwards!u should try it too...=D —PalakKapasi

2008-08-06 22:09:34   I loved going to the rec pool for the first time in the 4 yrs that I have been at Davis...so i've decided to go everyday from 6-7 pm. =) all summer long. feel free to join! —PalakKapasi


2008-08-07 01:08:27   I wish I knew how to swim :( —shawn650


2008-11-10 22:23:58   Is the rec pool heated during the winter? ...wait...is it even open during the winter? Why don't we have any indoor pools around here!!! —ArianeMetz

  • The Rec Pool is closed during the winter and we have the Hickey Pool that is open year round. —CampusRec

2009-08-01 16:09:25   Isn't Hickey Pool heated? —IDoNotExist


2009-09-18 14:49:41   What exactly is a "freeform" pool? —EdWins


2010-02-24 12:17:01   Hickey Pool is heated year round to 80 (+/-2) degrees. —jannatolla