Hamilton Pool Preserve

There are some beautiful places to visit near Austin, Texas and Hamilton Pool Preserve is one of them. Spring is back in Texas! And people who love to travel and visit places can not stay at home during this season. Last spring we went to Disney World and Miami, FL. With not enough time to plan a holiday this year, we decided on a weekend getaway to Austin, since it is very close to Houston. Although we visited many places in two days, the Hamilton Pool Preserve was the highlight of the trip.

Introduction

If you like nature, hiking, and water you will love Hamilton Pool Preserve - one of the truly beautiful places around Austin, TX. This collapsed grotto - which is surrounded by shady forests - has been turned into a swimming hole, complete with refreshing waterfall. It’s also a short, 20-minute drive from Austin - perfect for hipsters who want a swimming solution that’s a little less mainstream. The pool has a long history. It was once an underground river, until the dome collapsed due to erosion, forming the canyon-like pool.

The Drive

We started at around six in the morning on Saturday. It was three and a half hour drive for us. It is stunning and so worth the drive. Since we were able to reach a little early, we managed to get a parking spot. Otherwise, it is impossible to get a spot since they have limited parking and only let additional cars in when one leaves once the parking lot gets full. We had to wait for our turn as well, but it was so worth it.

The Place

Once you have parked the car, there is a little hike from there and few steep steps to go down. We were able to manage our 3-year-old quite well since she was riding on daddy’s shoulder all the time.

Make sure to wear good hiking shoes and don’t bring huge coolers because it is a mile walk down the rocks. If you are planning to go with kids or toddler, pack snacks and drinks as you can not find anything close to this pool.

Once we reach there our first reaction was - “WOW! What a spectacular natural wonder!!!”. We loved hiking the trails along the creek as well. Featuring a gorgeous grotto and natural swimming area, this is a glorious place to swim in cool and bluish green water so clear that you can even see the fishes in the pool. We walked inside the walls of collapsed grotto, stepped under a waterfall and had a picnic on the very small beach area. There is no better way to spend a few hours in the sun. The place was pretty crowded that day and people were enjoying swimming in the pool. That’s when we realized that we forgot to pack our swimming costume!

Photo ©The Blissful Aura

This place is just like paradise on Earth, with clear waters, deep in some points and with outstanding small waterfalls. We spent around four hours here. The landscape surrounding the place is just breath taking and I would advise you to definitely take your camera with you.

Conclusion

I really loved this place, it was more beautiful than we had hoped. It is definitely one of the coolest places I have ever been. If you are planning a trip to the Hamilton Pool, remember to wear sturdy shoes for the hike down and bring a swimsuit. Be aware, that sometimes the place may be closed due to the high percentage of bacteria, therefore it would be nice to contact the people responsible for the place in order to avoid getting there and not being able to enter. All in all, a great place if you are looking for a cool spot during the hot summer days in Texas.

More Information

For more information about timings and closures, I would recommend you to visit the official page.