The Most Amazing Swimming Holes in Austin, TX

Jacob's Well

As you approach the GPS location of Jacob's Well through a quiet neighborhood of the Austin suburb of Wimberly, you might feel as if you've taken a wrong turn. Continue following the directions, however, and in just a few minutes you'll lay eyes on a delightful and bizarre deep water hole in Austin TX. A karstic spring that's as important for recreation as it is for feeding Austin's main source of drinking water, Jacob's Well is an Austin swimming hole that is quite literally overflowing.

Hamilton Pool Preserve

What happens when erosion causes the dome of an underground waterway to collapse? Head to Hamilton Pool to find out. Located near the city of Dripping Springs, about an hour from Central Austin, this Austin swimming hole presents itself in a surreal way, with a dramatic, semi-circular waterfall spilling into a turquoise-colored pool.

Before you make the trek out to Hamilton Pool, consult the Travis County Parks website to make sure it's open; it closes from time to time due to local flooding, as well as naturally occurring bacteria levels under certain climactic conditions.

UPDATE: As of May 2016, the City of Austin will begin requiring reservations in order to visit Hamilton Pool, due to chronic overcrowding there, even on days where bacteria levels preclude swimming. Click here to make a reservation.

Krause Springs

Austin probably isn't the first place in the world you think of when you hear the phrase "cliff jumping," but when you show up at Krause Springs, located in the Austin suburb of Spicewood, that's exactly what you'll be expected to do. OK, so maybe that's an exaggeration – you aren't obliged to jump off a cliff at Krause Springs, a deep water hole in Austin TX.

However, once you see the emerald water of this Austin swimming hole below you, the dramatic cedars rising around on all sides, and feel the scorching Texas air start to burn your body, it's difficult to imagine why you wouldn't volunteer. A word to the wise, however: Only jump if you've chosen not to engage in the, um, libations locals tend to enjoy while out at Krause Springs. Safely jumping off cliffs requires a level of judgment that intoxication blurs!

Devil's Waterhole

Located in Inks Lake State Park about 90 minutes northwest of downtown Austin, Devil's Waterhole takes its name from the sinister-looking red, pink, and orange rock formations that rise above its vibrant water. Thankfully, there's nothing else evil about the wonderful swimming hole, except for the way the Texas summer heat sears your skin like, well, a hot pitchfork.

Make a day of your trip to this Austin swimming hole and head upstream to check out beautiful waterfalls nearby, which tend to be the most spectacular in the days after it's rained. If you head to Devil's Waterhole in the morning, make sure to stop by Lake Travis on the way back to downtown. The water there won't compare to the majesty of what the devil offered you, but you can enjoy a meal and one of Austin's best sunsets at the Oasis.

Barton Springs Pool

With crystalline blue water that runs at 68ºF year round and a carefree energy that screams summer, Barton Springs Pool would be a world-class place to swim in any context – it just so happens to be located less than a mile from downtown Austin. After you work up the courage to jump into the pool the first time, make sure and take a look to the north, where you can actually see some of Austin's skyscrapers.

You'll never look at ordinary swimming pools the same again after visiting this Austin swimming hole, except perhaps for Austin's own Deep Eddy, which is a nice alternative on Thursdays, when Barton Springs is closed. Alternatively, there is a "free" section of Barton Springs just beyond the spillway of the main pool, and it's always open.