Swim with Us!

Founded by the Human Access Project in 2012, the River Huggers is a public advocacy swim team that builds visibility and awareness that it is safe (and encouraged) to swim in the Willamette. All intermediate swimmers are welcome meaning you should be able to swim 1 mile in a pool in 45 minutes without stopping. If you are new to the Huggers, you must complete the pre-qualification questionnaire here in order to sign up for your first swim.

The River Huggers swim June through September. The 2026 season will begin Monday, June 1st.

We offer swims Monday-Friday at 7:00am and 7:45am, Tuesday & Thursday evenings at 6:00pm and on Saturday at 9:00am. Holiday's we swim one time at 9:00am regardless on what day it falls. The weekday morning swims cross the Willamette River and back; advanced swimmers are welcome to take a second lap. The Tuesday evening and Saturday swims heads to the Morrison Bridge and back. The Thursday evening swims go to the Duckworth Dock which is a one mile swim each direction. The Saturday swim is a slower paced and more relaxed swim. 

Each swim is limited to 30 swimmers. That number includes three slots for first time swimmers.  

The Huggers meet at the Station 21 Fire House on the Eastside Esplanade, near Hawthorne Bridge on time for a mandatory safety talk before swimming. It takes 25-30 minutes to swim across to the west side and back, 1/4 mile each direction.

Interested in joining the River Huggers? Complete the pre-qualification questionnaire here!

SWIMMING IN A POD FOR AWARENESS AND SAFETY

River Huggers is not a competitive swim group, it’s a fun, intermediate level swim. 

We swim together as a pod to draw attention and create public awareness that it is safe to swim in the Willamette River. Safety paddlers accompany the group. Each swim is non refundable and costs $6. Whistles, swim buoys, goggles and bright caps are safety requirements. 

All first time participants must complete a chaperoned Newbie Swim on their first swim with the team. The fee for first time River Huggers is $20, which includes the Angel Swimmer support, a River Hugger cap, and the use of a swim safety buoy if you don’t have one.  The first time swimmers will be given a loaner pink cap to distinguish first time swimmers for safety.  After your first swim please exchange the pink "Newbie" cap for the team green Hugger cap.

PORTLAND’S “OPEN WATER SWIMMING AMBASSADORS”

In July of 2018, a Mayoral proclamation was issued approving the “HAP River Huggers Swim Team as the City of Portland’s ambassadors for open water swimming safety and Official Open Water Swim Team.” In addition, July 11th was named River Hugger Swim Team Day in recognition of the work of the Human Access Project.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow us on Facebook at Human Access Project River Huggers swim team or in River Hugger Instagram.   We usually post our pre-swim picture for each day. There may be last minute changes due to weather or water conditions - check out either of these platforms for last minute updates and other Hugger-relevant info.