Join us for the 2026 Lake Minnewaska Silver Jubilee Swim on
Saturday, September 19!
Click on this orange link or use QR code to register
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Minnewaska Distance Swimmers Association (MDSA), the event honors a swimmer-led community that has helped make Lake Minnewaska, with its clear water and dramatic cliffs, a beloved place for recreational and distance swimming.
This non-competitive, non-timed swim at Minnewaska State Park Preserve will begin and end at the main (public) beach area, where participants may complete one or more loops of an approximately 0.75-mile marked course over ~3 hours. The course covers parts of the lake that are normally not open to swimmers!
Co-sponsored by New York Open Water and MDSA, the Silver Jubilee Swim offers participants a well-supported opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Lake Minnewaska, celebrate MDSA’s 25-year milestone, and honor the community of swimmers and volunteers who have kept the Minnewaska swimming tradition thriving.
Event Details
- Location: Minnewaska Lake Beach, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Gardiner, NY,
- Date/Time: Saturday, September 19, 10 AM-2 PM
- Cost: $54 per swimmer (park entry not included, $10 per vehicle)
- Age limit: 13 and up
- Registration Link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-lake-minnewaska-silver-jubilee-swim
- Requirements: All participants are required to wear a swim buoy at all times while in the water. Swimmers must bring their own buoy. You can request to borrow a buoy if you prefer not to purchase one before the event.
- Refund policy: Entries are non-refundable.
Event Highlights
- Non-competitive, non-timed swim
- Approximately 0.75-mile marked loop course
- Exclusive lake access for swim participants
- Swim one or more loops over ~3 hours
- Hydration and boxed lunch provided
- Event details will be emailed to participants one week before the swim
Map of the the swim course. Swimmers will be circling a marked course one or more times with the support of safety kayakers and lifeguards.
In 2018, NYOW hosted a swim at Lake Minnewaska in this same format in honor of Terry Laughlin. You can watch a video of that swim to get a sense of the lake, the setting, and the course.