(North Blenheim, NY) Mine Kill State Park, located on Route 30 in North Blenheim, New York, is once again offering its annual “Learn to Swim” program at the Olympic-sized pool complex within the park.  These lessons are available to both children and adults and will be taught by certified Water Safety Instructors, based on American Red Cross guidelines.

The program includes the Infant and Preschool Aquatic Program (IPAP) Stages 1 and 2 for children aged 6 months to 4 years, followed by instruction Levels 1-6 for ages 4 and up. The lessons will be held in two 4-week sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 4 pm and 5:40 pm, with varying individual lesson times.

The first session will take place from June 26 to July 20, followed by the second session from July 24 to August 17. To enroll in this fantastic opportunity to learn how to swim and stay safe in the water, please contact the Office Manager at Katrina.Vance@parks.ny.gov, or call the park office at 518-827-8690. Alternatively, you can sign up online at https://bookwhen.com/minekill. Don't miss out on this essential life skill that everyone should learn!

The park overlooks a Power Authority's Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project and has a reservoir that provides amazing fishing and boating opportunities. There are also eight miles of trails, including the Long Path, which are perfect for hiking, biking, and birding. The park is named after the picturesque Mine Kill Falls, which cascade 80 feet through a narrow gorge. Additionally, the park has an Olympic-sized swimming pool with separate wading and diving pools.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 individual parks, historic sites, recreational trails, and boat launches, which were visited by a record 79.5 million people in 2022. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit parks.ny.gov, connect on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.