United States Dive Sites

1,024 mapped sites

Best dive sites in United States

Showing 841–852 of 1,024

Wilson Lake (Hell Creek dive area)

Kansas · 1.5–19.8 m

Wilson Lake, a 9,000-acre reservoir on the Saline River in the Smoky Hills, is widely regarded as the clearest lake in Kansas and is the state's most-used open-water dive site. Most divers use the area just past the Hell Creek bridge in Wilson State Park, where there are small underwater ledges, rocky cliffs and a sunken dive platform. Visibility typically runs 1-5 ft in summer algae blooms but improves to 10-15 ft in late May to early June and in fall.

Shore + boat

Atlantic City - VICKI-PAT

New Jersey · 15.5–21.9 m

Artificial reef built from 64' Clam Dredge - "Vicki-Pat" NJDEP deployment record: Ship, material: 64' Clam Dredge - "Vicki-Pat", deployed 1989.

IntermediateBoat entry

Ancient Mariner

Florida · Up to 21.3 m

Artificial reef built from 165' Steel US Coast Guard Cutter, the "Nemesis"

IntermediateBoat entry

Australasia Shipwreck

Wisconsin · 3–6.1 m

The Australasia, a 285-ft wooden bulk steamer, burned and was lost in October 1896 while carrying 2,200 tons of coal, grounding south of Jacksonport near Cave Point. The remaining wreckage lies in about 20 ft of water 350 yards off the Whitefish Dunes State Park beach, with bow and stern sections partially intact. A seasonal WHS mooring buoy marks the site, which is popular with beginner divers, snorkelers and kayakers.

Shore + boat

Philips Quarry (Philips Outdoor Center)

Indiana · 3–16.8 m

Philips Quarry is a 2.5-acre flooded limestone quarry on the east side of Muncie, mined until 1917, run as a Philips-family swimming hole from 1922, and used for scuba training continuously since about 1959-1960. Now operated as the non-profit Philips Outdoor Center, depths reach about 55 feet with attractions including six boats, two cars and a Cessna fuselage, and zebra-mussel filtering has produced exceptional visibility, up to 75 feet or more in winter. Access must be arranged in advance through Tom Leaird's Underwater Service, which controls entry and collects the site fee.

Shore entry

Hanover Wreck

Wisconsin · 5–8.2 m

The schooner Hanover, a 100-ft grain carrier built in 1853, grounded on a shoal south of the Strawberry Islands during a November 1867 storm while running light from Chicago to Oconto, and settled in 27 ft of water. Rediscovered and documented in 2014 and added to the National Register in 2015, the wreck's bow, centerboard trunk, stern and rudder are visible in clear water, though sand and mussel shells cover varying amounts of the site from year to year. An easy boat/snorkel dive near Fish Creek.

Boat entry

SS George M. Cox Wreck (ex-Puritan)

Michigan · 4.6–30.5 m

Built in 1901 as the passenger steamer Puritan (serving in WWI as USS Puritan), this elegant ship was refitted and renamed George M. Cox in 1933 — then ran hard onto Rock of Ages Reef at 17 knots on May 27, 1933, on her first voyage under the new name; all 125 aboard were rescued by the lighthouse keeper. Today her twisted hull lies on the reef's east side in 15-100 ft, boilers at 40 ft under the NPS mooring, with the stern rolling inverted down to 100 ft and luggage carts, sinks, and her propeller shaft still visible. A bow debris field scatters across the shallow shoal in 10-20 ft, making this a rich two-part dive at Isle Royale's western tip.

IntermediateBoat entry

Success Wreck

Wisconsin · 2–3 m

The scow schooner Success, built at Manitowoc in 1875 for the lumber trade, was driven ashore at Whitefish Bay, Door County, during a November 1896 storm; her entire crew was rescued by local fishermen in a daring small-boat effort. Her remains lie in about 8 feet of water 500 feet south of Whitefish Dunes State Park. The shallow sandy site is an easy beach-entry snorkel or novice dive on calm days.

Shore + boat

OAR/Wakulla DZ 3 (6)

Florida · Up to 19.8 m

Artificial reef built from 315 Culverts, 67 Concrete Slabs and 5 Cement Mixers, 6 loads Here, also - 7/2,/7/1,6/30,6/29,and 6/28

IntermediateBoat entry

Sea Girt - Rockland County

New Jersey · 17.4–21.9 m

Artificial reef built from 95' Tugboat - "Rockland County" NJDEP deployment record: Ship, material: 95' Tugboat - "Rockland County", deployed 1986.

IntermediateBoat entry

Clint Water's Reef at Cook's Point

Maryland · Up to 7 m

Artificial reef built from Reefballs

Boat entry

Lowell Point

Alaska · —

Lowell Point is a black-sand beach community a couple of miles south of Seward on Resurrection Bay and the area's standard shore dive. Swimming straight out from the beach reaches a 'car reef' of sunken vehicles that has accumulated marine growth, and the surrounding bay is known for invertebrate life, rockfish and occasional encounters with sea otters and Steller sea lions. It also serves as the staging area for boat dives further out in Resurrection Bay.

IntermediateShore entry