How to swim in the Hudson River this summer
The Hudson River is right there, cleaner than you might think and as easy to get into as falling out of a boat
New York is a city of water. We can admire our waterfronts, ride the ferries between boroughs, and swim across 14 miles of public beaches within city limits.
But what if you don’t want to leave Manhattan to go for an open swim? This isn’t Copenhagen, where locals can infamously swim in the local harbor in summer months. But once upon a time, New Yorkers did swim in the Hudson and East Rivers for recreation, including in floating baths, until the 1920s when environmental degradation became unbearable.
Thankfully, water quality has improved vastly due to environmental protection efforts. So much so that there are a few options if you want to swim in the Hudson River in 2026. With rising temperatures, you may find yourself dreaming of jumping in the water after exiting a boiling hot subway station. Or you might want to get away from crowded city pools, and connect with nature. I just find something innately appealing about living on an island and actually getting to access the water surrounding us.
The Hudson River Foundation’s State of the Estuary shows positive trends for “swimmable” waters since the 1980s. Closer to shore, Hudson River Park’s latest Water Quality Report showed that 69% of all water samples had low enough pathogenic bacteria levels for recreation in the last 13 years. Poor water quality is mainly caused by heavy rain, which overwhelms city sewers and leads to CSOs, “combined sewer overflows” (when raw sewage is discharged without treatment).
In general, swimming is prohibited in waters around Manhattan (for practical reasons including dangerous currents and vessel traffic). The “Plus Pool” initiative is attempting to design a floating pool that would filter river water and provide a contained place to swim off the coast of Manhattan (specifically, the Lower East Side). But given that this has been underway for 15+ years, I wouldn’t count on it if "swimming in the Hudson” is on your bucket list.
With all this in mind, here are some of your options for Summer 2026, ranked by my own personal difficulty ranking based on various sea creatures:
Head North to get your feet wet
Do not be tempted by the sandy waterfronts in Brooklyn Bridge Park or Bushwick Inlet Park. The East River is turbulent and heavily trafficked. Instead, head farther up the Hudson to Croton Point Park in Westchester. It’s a 50 minute, $11.75 off-peak train ride from Grand Central to Croton-Harmon, where there is a designated river swimming area at Croton Point Park.
This option is good for beginners, including GUPPY level swimmers.
Join a boathouse and go overboard
The public can kayak for free on the Hudson at the Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26 and the Manhattan Community Boathouse at Pier 96. These non-profit organizations rely on volunteers, which I recommend! Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and spend more time outdoors (and off your phone).
Another perk of volunteering is that you can join guided kayak trips after completing required safety training. At the Manhattan Community Boathouse, safety training includes completing a kayak rescue: demonstrating that you can get back in your boat after flipping over, and also helping someone else who flipped. This means submerging yourself in the Hudson. It takes time and effort (approximately eight orientation hours and 10 volunteer hours) to get to this point. But the outcome is that you can take pride in your new kayaking skills, and safely gaze in wonder at the Manhattan skyline from the salty river water.
Boathouses are a safe and cost-effective local option, for energetic OTTER-like water-lovers looking for fun.
Hit the open water in an urban swim
Urban Swim is hosting eight open swims this summer, ranging from .6 miles (under the Brooklyn Bridge) to 28.5 miles (circumnavigating the entire island of Manhattan). There is a PRIDE Swim on June 13 at 8am. Participants will swim 1.5 miles from the West Village to Gansevoort Peninsula. Registration is $200, and fundraising benefits Team New York Aquatics, an inclusive community for aquatic athletes.
You must be a strong swimmer with open water experience to participate, and able to swim a mile in under 30 minutes. As a sedentary office worker, I wondered if I could realistically swim a mile with zero preparation. My friend gifted me a pool guest-pass, and the answer is yes. But my leisurely pace took 45 minutes, so leveling up to a 30-minute mile would be a big undertaking.
Add in the unpredictability of open water, and my conclusion is that you must be an actual MERMAID or MERMAN to complete an urban swim.
Train hard for a triathlon
The New York City Triathlon had a bad luck streak between the pandemic, bad weather and poor water quality, causing shortened or canceled swims. Then there was no triathlon in 2024 and 2025.
The Big Apple Triathlon is bringing it back for 2026, and it will indeed be big, maxing out at 2,500 participants on Oct. 10. It is also expensive: currently $375 (plus $14.99 membership) for an individual to register for the shorter “sprint” course, or $533 (plus $24.99 membership) for the longer “Olympic” course. The swimming portion is 1500 meters, just shy of a mile, between West 79th Street and West 99th Street. The swim is followed by cycling and running.
This option is for TUNA-like swimmers, aka very athletic and always in motion.
Befriend a Navy SEAL
The NYC SEAL Swim is taking place Aug. 15. I accidentally discovered this event last year, while sailing on the Schooner Pioneer in New York Harbor (one of the Groove’s “Summer Tips”). Our sailboat passed a crowded barge full of shirtless men. What I assumed was a wild party was actually a designated stop for swimmers attempting the NYC SEAL Swim from Liberty State Park (in New Jersey) to Battery Park City in Manhattan.
Up to 400 swimmers (active-duty military, veterans, first responders, and civilians) can participate but must meet strict requirements (proving that you can swim 3+ miles, or having a Navy SEAL vouch for you). Registration costs $200 and the suggested $2,000 fundraising goal benefits Beyond the Brotherhood, a non-profit supporting Navy SEALs throughout and after their service journey. As if swimming 3.5 miles weren’t enough, participants must also complete 100 push-ups and 22 pull-ups at each “rest” stop.
My verdict is that you must be a downright SHARKBOY for this adventure.
Tim Donnelly
Tim Donnelly
Comments ()