Hamilton Pool Preserve: A Hidden Gem

As summers are quite hot in Texas, spring is the perfect season for any outdoor activity. If you do not have enough time or budget to plan a holiday like visiting Disney World or Miami, FL then weekend getaways are perfect to take a break from your daily routine. We also planned a weekend getaway to Austin, a beautiful city near Houston. Although we visited many places in two days, Hamilton Pool Preserve was the highlight of the trip.

Introduction

If you like nature, hiking, and water you will love Hamilton Pool Preserve – a beautiful place near Austin, TX. This collapsed grotto – which is surrounded by shady forests – has been turned into a swimming hole, complete with a 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 a canyon-like pool.

Photo by Thomas Brushel on Unsplash

The Drive

We started at around six in the morning on Saturday and It was a three and a half-hour drive for us. It was 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 a 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 toddlers, 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 fish 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 breathtaking and I would advise you to definitely take your camera with you.

Photo ©The Blissful Aura

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.