Lake Tahoe Marathon Swimming

Professional Pilots on Lake Tahoe

Course Information

Where can I swim in Lake Tahoe?

Aside from the three marathon swim courses we pilot, there are many great spots on Lake Tahoe to swim.

We're happy to help answer questions and point you to some great swim areas on the lake. We'll also have some pleasure swims (1-hour guided swims) over the summer that we don't post on our booking calendar. Please contact us for more information.

Lake Tahoe has a great deal of boat and jet ski traffic and sadly, most boaters simply aren't watching for swimmers in the water. If you aren't swimming in a protected area, please consider having a kayak or boat guide.

Where do the swims take place?

Depending on the course you are swimming will determine where you meet the boat for your swim. We will provide you with logistics information prior to your swim regarding parking, swim start, and swim finish.

Length Swims
Length swims either meet our boat in Homewood, CA on the west shore of Lake Tahoe or at Camp Richardson (swim starting location) in South Lake Tahoe, CA. Depending on your swim date and assigned vessel will determine if after the swim completion the boat goes back to Homewood or South Lake Tahoe.

True Width and Vikingsholm Swims
Swimmers will meet the boat and be returned to Homewood, CA on the west shore of Lake Tahoe.

Please view the course description page for each swim which includes helpful information such as distance, estimated duration (time) of the swim, location start and finish, and course notes.

If you have any other questions about swimming in Lake Tahoe (marathon or just for fun), please feel free to contact us.

What’s the distance of each Lake Tahoe swim?

There are three officially recognized coursed on Lake Tahoe for marathon swimming. The course description page for each swim includes helpful information such as distance, estimated duration (time) of the swim, location start and finish, and course notes.

If you have any other questions about swimming in Lake Tahoe (marathon or just for fun), please feel free to contact us.

Can I swim the course in the opposite direction?

Yes, if you like. Please discuss with us as we can tell you the pros and cons of swimming a specific course in the opposite direction.

How long will my swim take?

There are three officially recognized coursed on Lake Tahoe for marathon swimming. The course description page for each swim includes helpful information such as distance, estimated duration (time) of the swim, location start and finish, and course notes.

You can also view the results of past swims by course here.

If you have any other questions about swimming in Lake Tahoe (marathon or just for fun), please feel free to contact us.

What if I want to swim a different route or course than listed?

We are happy to discuss piloting any swim course but defer to the Lake Tahoe Open Water Swimming Association for recognizing marathon swims and courses on Lake Tahoe.

We do pilot adventure swims and non-marathon swims on the lake for those simply looking to get out for a safe and fun relaxing swim.

Can I do a low-key pleasure swim or training swim and not a marathon swim?

Yes! We pilot adventure and training swims all the time. We give the same high level of commitment to your safety whether you are looking to swim for an hour or 24 hours.

Contact us for availability on Lake Tahoe as we don't post these on the booking calendar.

What is the Trans Tahoe Relay?

The Trans Tahoe Relay is a relay race organized by the Olympic Club. Race information for 2023 can be found here.