7 Best Swimming Holes Near Austin
From a spring-fed pool that stays 68 to 70 degrees all year to a collapsed grotto you have to reserve, these are the best swimming holes near Austin.
Austin summers are long, and locals cope the same way they always have.
They find cold water and get in it.
From a spring-fed pool in the middle of the city to Hill Country creeks an hour or so out, here are the swimming holes worth the drive.
Fees, hours and reservation rules below come straight from each park's official site. Water access can change with rain and bacteria levels, so check before you go.
1. Barton Springs Pool
The City of Austin calls it one of the crown jewels of Austin, and it is hard to argue.
The pool covers three acres inside Zilker Park and is fed by underground springs that average 68 to 70 degrees, so it works year-round.
The City says Robert Redford learned to swim here at age five while visiting family in Austin.
- Location: 2201 William Barton Dr., Austin, TX 78746
- Hours: Daily, 5 AM to 10 PM. Thursdays it closes for cleaning from 9 AM to 7 PM.
- Cost: Adults $5 for residents, $9 for non-residents. Kids and seniors pay less, and honorably discharged veterans swim free.
- Note: 5 AM to 8 AM is swim at your own risk, with lifeguards from 8 AM.
2. Hamilton Pool Preserve
Travis County describes the pool, collapsed grotto and canyon here as formed by thousands of years of water erosion.
A waterfall spills over the edge of the grotto into a green pool, and the trail down to it is a steep quarter mile.
Swimming is never guaranteed with a reservation. The county says only a limited part of the pool is open for water access because of falling rocks.
- Location: 24300 Hamilton Pool Road, Dripping Springs, TX 78620
- Reservations: Required every day. Morning slot 9 AM to 12:30 PM, afternoon slot 2 PM to 5:30 PM.
- Cost: $12 per vehicle to reserve online, plus $8 per adult (13 to 61), $3 per senior and free for kids 12 and under, cash only at the gate.
- No pets, not even in your car.
3. Krause Springs
Krause Springs, near Spicewood, bills itself as a Texas swimming hole and campground.
It is privately run, with RV and tent camping on site if you want to make a night of it.
- Location: 424 County Road 404, Spicewood, TX 78669
- Hours: Open daily, 9 AM to 8 PM
- Cost: See the Pricing & Policies page on its website before you go
4. Blue Hole Regional Park
The swimming hole in Wimberley is fed by the clear water of Cypress Creek, according to the park.
The rope swings are the star, and the trails, playground and picnic areas are free and open to everyone.
- Location: 333 Blue Hole Lane, Wimberley, TX 78676
- Season: May 1 through Labor Day, plus weekends in September. Reservations are required for the swim area in season.
- Swim slots: 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 6 PM
- Cost: Half-day passes are $15 for adults (13 to 59), $10 for youth 4 to 12 and seniors 60 and up
5. Pedernales Falls State Park
Texas Parks and Wildlife says the park is about 30 miles west of Austin, where the Pedernales River runs over huge slabs of limestone.
The swimming area is a strenuous quarter-mile hike down steep rock stairs with no handrail. Swimming and wading are not allowed in the falls area itself.
The park warns that the river can rise from a calm stream to a raging torrent in a few minutes, so leave if the water starts rising.
- Location: 2585 Park Road 6026, Johnson City, TX 78636
- Cost: $6 per person 13 and older, kids 12 and under free
- Tip: The park often reaches capacity, so reserve a day pass online
6. McKinney Falls State Park
The park calls itself Austin's backyard, just 13 miles from the state capitol.
You can swim in Onion Creek, but the park warns the creek can flood after rain, so call ahead for current conditions.
- Location: 5808 McKinney Falls Parkway, Austin, TX 78744
- Cost: $6 per person 13 and older, kids 12 and under free
- Tip: Check day-pass availability online before you drive out
7. Devil's Waterhole at Inks Lake State Park
Inks Lake State Park, near Burnet, lists swimming, paddling and fishing on its lake.
Its Devil's Waterhole is a small canyon you can hike or swim, and when Valley Spring Creek is running there are waterfalls upstream.
There are no lifeguards on duty, so swim with a buddy.
- Location: 3480 Park Road 4 West, Burnet, TX 78611
- Cost: $7 per adult 13 and older for day use, kids 12 and under free
Natural water in Texas changes fast after a storm, and closures happen.
Check each park's page or alerts on the day you go.
Which one is your go-to on a 100-degree day? Tell us in the comments.
Sources
- City of Austin, Visit Barton Springs Pool (hours, admission, address)
- Austin Parks and Recreation, About Barton Springs Pool
- Travis County Parks, Hamilton Pool Preserve (reservations, fees, rules)
- Krause Springs (hours)
- Krause Springs, directions and address
- Wimberley Parks and Recreation, Blue Hole Regional Park
- Wimberley Parks and Recreation, Blue Hole half-day passes
- Texas Parks and Wildlife, Pedernales Falls State Park
- TPWD, Pedernales Falls entrance fees
- Texas Parks and Wildlife, McKinney Falls State Park
- TPWD, McKinney Falls entrance fees
- Texas Parks and Wildlife, Inks Lake State Park
- TPWD, Inks Lake entrance fees
Photos are credited under each image with their license. Details like hours, fees and addresses can change, so check the official page before you go.
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