Shelby Farms Park Open Water Swim Sessions
Shelby Farms Park - Hyde Lake Boathouse
$15 One-hour swim sessions (restricted to certain Sundays & specific times) + volunteer opportunties
Health & Safety
The healthy & safety of every Park guest & staff member is our top priority. All athletes should follow the guidelines listed here & instructions from lifeguards & coaches at event.
Grab a Season Pass here & save on Sunday morning sessions!
Total of 15 sessions available for the 2025 Season
Full Season Pass | 15 sessions | $150
Half Season Pass | 8 sessions | $100
Mini Season Pass | 5 sessions | $50
Single Sunday Session | $15
Dates & Times of all Sunday Sessions
Open Water Swim Clinics (OWS)
Register for the open water swim clinic to get tips, advice & training from professional swim & triathlon coaches! The clinic is open to a wide range of skill levels: swimmers who are training for their first ever triathlon to swim endurance athletes to those training for the upcoming Ironman. This will give you a great opportunity to grow your confidence and comfort level to increase your ability to swim safely and continuously in open water and during a race/triathlon.
Shelby Farms Park, along with community partners are offering a limited number of sessions and time slots for registered participants to swim a small course in Hyde Lake.
There will be lifeguards on duty, as well as coaches and volunteers near the shore and in the water on kayaks, paddle boards, and/or boats.
A swim cap will be provided for all clinic participants. It is recommended to bring goggles and a towel.
Please note: This is not a “learn to swim” clinic. Participants need to be able to swim independently. All participants must complete a swimming certification to swim in the program. (See below for more details.)
Very special thank you to our planning committee for helping to create this program and volunteering their time!
- Dale Sanford with BPC Performance Coaching
- Pam Routh & Wyndell Robertson with PR Event Management LLC
Volunteers
Register for one of the Safety Volunteers & swim the other clinic time for free! We need your help to keep all our swimmers safe!
Safety Volunteer: Shoreline Spotter
Volunteers will monitor swimmers & alert the lifeguards or In-Water Spotters of any issues.
Safety Volunteer: In-Water Spotter
Volunteers will offer temporary flotation or a “bail out” to swimmers. Please bring own kayak or SUP, if possible.
Rules of the Program
Safety personnel, Shelby Farms Park staff, and qualified coaches have the right to revoke access to the group sessions if they believe a swimmer is not abiding by the rules below. We take safety very seriously, so there will be no warnings if the rules are not followed. Shelby Farms Park has the right to revoke the entire program if they see it as a hindrance to the park and the other park visitors.
- Be kind.Respect the different fitness levels within the group. If you have an opportunity to help a new swimmer, take it! You’ll be helping improve the endurance community as a whole.
- All swimmers must reserve and pay for a specific time slot through the online reservation system. That payment also confirms the participant’s agreement to hold Shelby Farms Park, it’s employees, affiliates, volunteers, and coaches harmless in any adverse event (any damage and/or injury, of any type, arising out of my participating in the activities).
- Each swimmer can only be in the water during their registered time slot. There is no swimming outside the set days and times for the sessions. No exceptions. Swimming outside the set day/times results in immediate expulsion from the program.
- Each swimmer may only register for one session per day.
- All swimmers must exit the water immediately at the end of the timeslot.
- There is no swimming beyond 10 yards (30ft) outside the set swim course.
- Swimmers must follow the swim direction of the day (will alternate clockwise or counterclockwise).
- First time swimmers must report to the safety personnel to complete a swim assessment before swimming.
- No one will be allowed to swim without a “certified swimmer” cap and proper swim attire.
- Please respect the other park visitors by only changing in the bathrooms or an enclosed changing area.
- If participant is under the age of 18, must be pre-approved by program staff.
- Leave no trace. As you enjoy the Park, leave it cleaner than when you arrived.
Swimmer Certification
First time participants must complete a swimming assessment before being able to swim within the program group. Swimming certifications will take place in the first 10 minutes of the session while the others are completing the warm up or a lap in the opposite direction. Assessments will be done on the length of the course closest to the shoreline. Each participant will be monitored and evaluated one on one with a safety personnel or the qualified coach on duty.
The new participant must be able to swim 100 yards without panic or erratic breathing, and must be able to tread water for at least 2 minutes without floatation.
Once the participant successfully completes the assessment, they are free to swim the full course.
Weather Policy
Shelby Farms Park, safety personnel, and qualified coaches have the right to cancel any open water swimming session based on poor weather conditions. This may include but is not limited to:
- Heavy rain, lightning, or thunderstorms
- Heavy or excessive wind
- Tornados watches or warnings
Cancellation will be put out via email and/or the official Shelby Farms OWS Facebook group in the event of cancellation. ALL REGISTERED SWIMMERS WILL BE MOVED TO THE NEXT OWS DATE. You should receive a confirmation email, as well.
Questions? events@shelbyfarmspark.com