Three Rivers Marathon Swim

Water temperatures in these three rivers average around 72°F (22°C) in late August, though the massive volume of the Ohio, Monongahela, and Allegheny systems can cause thermal fluctuations following heavy rainfall. The current is generally manageable, yet the confluence at Point State Park serves as a dynamic hydraulic junction where local river traffic and potential headwinds on the Monongahela and Allegheny can create choppy surface conditions. Swimmers must maintain a strict 12-hour completion pace, as the final kilometers require heightened visibility for support crews as twilight approaches on the busy waterways.

Historical currents of the Point

As you begin with a water start near the fountain at Point State Park, you are treading over the literal foundations of 18th-century conflict. Granite slabs embedded in the park ground map the footprints of both the British Fort Pitt and the French Fort Duquesne, whose subterranean drains and post molds remain buried just beneath the bank. While navigating the initial 10K leg toward Brunot Island, you pass the site where the 1763 siege unfolded, a grim chapter involving the distribution of smallpox-contaminated blankets from the fort’s hospital. The river history here is visceral; the nearby waters also hosted the 1755 disaster where General Braddock’s forces collapsed during the Battle of the Monongahela, a conflict where a young George Washington first learned the tactical realities of the frontier.

The skyline and the expedition route

Turning back toward the city, the 'Golden Triangle' rises above the river level, dominated by the 841-foot U.S. Steel Tower. This stretch of the Allegheny serves as a modern backdrop to a legacy of exploration, as Pittsburgh marks the official embarkation point for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Meriwether Lewis purchased his first keelboat here in 1803 to begin the trek that would eventually conquer the Missouri River. You finish your 30K journey by passing the Fort Pitt Block House, constructed in 1764 and holding the distinction of being the oldest authenticated structure west of the Allegheny Mountains. This annual marathon, now in its 14th year, limits participation to eight swimmers, ensuring the support of dedicated kayak teams and powered escorts throughout the entire course.