Luckily, just within a few miles off the city of Austin, you can easily find a place to take a dip and cool off and the best part of it all is that these pools are natural!
But, even within the city limits, there are some top-notch options to choose from.
Summers here in Texas get to be really really hot and when I speak of hot I mean you can’t breathe because of the humidity in the air. You feel like someone is pointing at you a huge hairdryer the whole time, just awful.
Austin's natural pools can allow you to escape this dreadful summer heat.
The first one I mention is a great beach but preferably in spring or autumn as swimming is no longer allowed here for unknown reasons.
It’s called Secret Beach but it isn't much of a secret, it's still a great secluded escape from the city. Although swimming is not possible, lounging on the sand is and you can access Secret Beach through a short hike from a nearby green area.
It’s a nice shore along the Colorado river with plenty of shaded areas.
Hamilton Pool in Dripping Springs is one of Austin's favorite natural pools, with a tall waterfall and refreshing cold water to escape the summer heat. It's also a wonderfully romantic spot to have a picnic after your swim. Reservations are required to visit the Hamilton Pool as it may get very crowded.
The place was created by erosion which caused the dome of an underground waterway to collapse giving way to a spectacular semi-circular waterfall cascading into a turquoise pool.
It has been used as a location for some films thanks to its natural beauty and it has been open to the public since the 60s. Unfortunately, the pool closes from time to time due to local flooding or because sometimes the levels of naturally occurring bacteria show up under certain climatic conditions.
Blue Hole is one of the prettiest pools in Central Texas, complete with rope swings and large trees. Surrounding the water are hiking trails, clean public restrooms, and lots of wildlife.
Only a certain number of visitors are allowed each day to avoid overcrowding just like Hamilton Pool so planning in advance is needed.
Jacob's Well is a long standing spring which now serves as a popular swimming spot with the locals. Below the creek is a cave that drops about 30 feet, then breaks off and continues another 120 feet. Sadly, many divers lost their lives exploring the cave, but it is thanks to them and the surviving cave divers that we know the depth of the cave today. Swimming is by reservation due to the size of the spring.
Last, but not least, Barton Creek with its many streams, beautiful limestone cliffs, and wooded areas for hiking, is a popular outdoor destination which stretches along Zilker Park to the Westlake subdivision. The creek is named after William Barton Rogers, who settled in the area in the 19th century. Barton Rogers is known as the founder of the famed Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and he used to be a very famous American geologist.
