Hamilton Pool
Travis CountyA grotto waterfall into a green pool. Reservation required; swimming depends on water testing.
Experience
Swimming Holes & Spring Rivers
The Edwards Aquifer keeps Hill Country water cold and clear all summer — the region’s single best antidote to a Texas July.
The lay of the land
Rain falls on the Edwards Plateau, sinks into the limestone, and surfaces miles away as springs that stay in the 60s and 70s year-round. The result is a region full of jade-green swimming holes and float-ready rivers — the Hill Country’s defining summer pleasure.
The famous spots require reservations now, which is the price of their popularity. Book ahead, go early, and have a backup in your pocket.
Where to go
Featured spots
Jacob’s Well
WimberleyA perfectly clear artesian spring over a deep cave system. Seasonal, reserved swimming.
Blue Hole
WimberleyA cypress-shaded swimming hole with rope swings on Cypress Creek. Reserved in summer.
The Comal River
New BraunfelsSpring-fed and ice-cold; the shortest river in Texas and a classic family tube float.
The Guadalupe River
Gruene / Canyon LakeLonger, livelier floats below Canyon Dam, with outfitters all along the banks.
Krause Springs
SpicewoodA privately-run, photogenic set of spring pools and a swimming hole under cypress, with camping.
Know before you go
A few good tips
- Reserve famous spots (Hamilton Pool, Jacob’s Well, Blue Hole) days to weeks ahead.
- Go early — parking and day passes fill by mid-morning on summer weekends.
- Water shoes help on limestone; the rocks are slick and sharp.
- Check water-quality and flow status before you drive out.
Where to base
Destinations for this
Hamilton Pool & the Pedernales
30.342°N 98.126°WTravis County
A collapsed grotto where a 50-foot waterfall spills into a jade-green pool. Reserve ahead — this is the most-photographed swimming hole in Texas.
Wimberley
29.997°N 98.099°WHays County
An arts town built around water — Jacob’s Well, Blue Hole, and the Cypress Creek. Market days, galleries, and the bluest swimming in Texas.
Gruene & New Braunfels
29.738°N 98.104°WComal County
A 19th-century river town wrapped around the oldest dance hall in Texas, with the Guadalupe and the spring-fed Comal running right past the door.
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