Length – 21.3 Miles (34.3 km)
The Length of Tahoe course covers 21.3 miles (34.3 km) from Camp Richardson beach in South Lake Tahoe, California, to the shore at Incline Village, Nevada. It’s a true test. The crystal-clear waters sit 6,200 feet (1,890 m) above sea level and run straight across the lake.
Most attempts begin at sunset or dusk to stay ahead of early morning winds. Your escort vessel tracks a nearly perfect northbound route, with your crew managing feeds through the night and into dawn. You’ll swim under stars, into sunrise, and finish with the sun high but hopefully before the daily late morning breeze kicks up. The Sierra Nevada rises on both sides, while shifting currents and evening breezes add to the challenge.
This swim pushes stamina, tests preparation, and demands physical and mental grit. Nail your pacing. Stick to your feed plan. Trust your team. This course earns you a spot among open water’s most challenging alpine swims. Many who’ve completed it call it the toughest swim they’ve ever faced.
2025 Fees Solo: $525, Tandem: $625
True Width – 12 Miles (19.3 km)
The 12-Mile True Width swim crosses Lake Tahoe from Homewood, California, to Glenbrook, Nevada. It covers 12 miles (19.3 km) from the quiet west shore to the rocky, pine-lined east. The route runs straight across deep alpine water.
This course isn’t easy, but it’s achievable for well-prepared swimmers looking to earn their stripes. It’s a chance to test stamina, refine feeding strategies, and build confidence for longer marathon swims or future channel attempts. You’ll face altitude, cold water, and shifting conditions, but in return, you’ll complete one of open water swimming’s most iconic freshwater crossings.
Like all of our courses, this one starts and finishes at fixed, verified points. It’s a clean, honest line across the lake with nothing added and nothing taken away. The name “True Width” matters. Others have used the term loosely. We don’t. This is the real deal, and after you swim across it successfully, you’re on the ladder to bigger swims.
2025 Fees: Solo: $395, Tandem: $495
Vikingsholm – 10.6 Miles (17.1 km)
The Vikingsholm swim covers 10.6 miles (17.1 km) from Cave Rock, Nevada, to the beach below the historic Vikingsholm Castle in Emerald Bay, California. It’s a scenic course with wide-open water and tight navigation, especially at the narrow entry to the bay.
While slightly shorter on paper than the 12-Mile True Width, this route tends to swim just as long and rarely as clean. Conditions shift quickly, and recreational boat traffic inside Emerald Bay adds real complexity. It’s one of Tahoe’s most beautiful swims and one of the trickiest.
We don’t recommend this as your first Tahoe swim. It’s best approached as the final leg of the Lake Tahoe Triple Crown—for swimmers who’ve already proven themselves on more stable routes.
We continue to observe on this course out of respect for its history, but we believe the True Width offers a better experience and a more reliable challenge. If you’re choosing a single Tahoe course, start there.
2025 Fees: Solo: $395, Tandem: $495
Fees, Verified Swims, and Accountable Process
IMPORTANT: Like nearly every nonprofit open water swimming association worldwide, you are responsible for securing your own escort vessel and crew. These are not included in the swim fee.
This Association was created to bring structure and accountability to Lake Tahoe marathon swims at a time when no reliable standards or oversight existed. For years, swims were organized informally, often without clear rules, qualified observers, or consistent acknowledgment. The result was confusion, inconsistency, and unverified records.
In 2018, we stepped in to change that. Our goal is to ensure every swim is properly observed, aligned with published rules, and credible enough to stand on its own, regardless of who swam it.
As of the end of 2024, we have supported more than 260 Lake Tahoe marathon swims, with over 2,200 hours of observed swimming. That’s over 93 full days of cumulative swim time across all attempts. During peak season in July and August, we often have multiple swims underway each day, most of which are reserved nine months or more in advance.
Swim fees support the cost of a trained, independent observer who remains on board for the full duration of your swim, typically 10 to 12 hours on the True Width and up to 16 or more on the Length. Fees also cover post-swim ratification, official documentation, and a certificate of completion. These swims are governed by the Lake Tahoe Open Water Swimming Association, a program of the Northern California Open Water Swimming Association, a 501(c)(3) volunteer-run nonprofit.
We operate professionally. No one draws a paycheck. We file taxes, carry insurance, and work with legal and financial professionals to ensure everything stays above board. Observers receive a modest stipend to help offset personal costs, but they volunteer their time. Our focus is on safety, fairness, transparency, and swimmer success.
Our fees are modest by design and significantly lower than those of comparable organizations. We do not run banquets, give out trophies, or host year-end galas. We focus on the swims. If you value clean, recognized results in one of the most iconic bodies of water in the world, we are here to help make that happen.