Natural pool that was created when the dome of an underground river collapsed due to massive erosion thousands of years ago. Habitat featuring a jade green pool into which a 50-foot (15 m) waterfall flows with water temperatures reaching 50 degrees Fahrenheit
General Information
Time Slots
There is a morning time slot (9am to 12:30pm) and an afternoon time slot (2pm to 5:30pm). Each time slot requires a reservation.
Morning Reservation Period
No entry is allowed after 12:30pm. Recreational activities end at 12:30pm. Visitors must exit the preserve by 1pm.
Afternoon Reservation Period No entry is allowed after 5:30pm. Recreational activities end at 5:30pm. Visitors must exit the preserve by 6pm.
You make your reservation online by paying $12 per vehicle with a credit card. You will also pay additional per person entrance fees when you arrive at the preserve.
Reservation Fee - PAID ONLINE (Required Daily from March to October, and Weekends and Holidays from November to February)
$12.00 ($11.00 + $1.00 credit card service charge) per Vehicle
Day Use - PAID UPON ARRIVAL $8.00 per Person
Day Use for Seniors (62 years and older) - PAID UPON ARRIVAL $3.00 per Person
Day Use for Children (12 years and younger) No Charge
Day Use for Disabled Veteran (50%+ disabled) No Charge
How to Get There
From Austin (30 mi): Take Highway 71 west approximately 23 miles, then turn left onto FM 3238 (Hamilton Pool Road) and continue south about 7 miles to 24300 Hamilton Pool Road on the right.
Overview
Hamilton Pool Preserve is a jade-green swimming hole about 23 miles west of Austin, formed thousands of years ago when the dome of an underground river collapsed. A 50-foot waterfall spills into the grotto-like pool, framed by limestone overhangs, moss, maidenhair fern, and cliff swallows nesting in the rock above. The 232-acre preserve is part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve and remains one of the Hill Country's most photographed natural landmarks.
History
Ranching families worked the land through the 19th century, and by the 1960s Hamilton Pool had become a popular local swimming spot. Decades of heavy visitation and grazing took a toll on the fragile grotto ecosystem, so in 1985 Travis County purchased the property from the Reimers family and began an active restoration and land-management program — including prescribed burns and water-quality monitoring — that continues today.
What to Know Before You Go
Hamilton Pool is a fragile, closely managed ecosystem, so a visit takes a bit more planning than a typical swimming hole.
- Reservations are required every day of the year, booked online in advance for a morning or afternoon time slot.
- Swimming isn't guaranteed. Water quality is tested regularly, and swimming is frequently closed after heavy rain or high bacteria counts, so check the preserve's current status before you go.
- The water stays cool year-round, a welcome break from Hill Country summer heat.
- Wildlife is part of the draw. The surrounding ashe juniper uplands are nesting habitat for the endangered golden-cheeked warbler, making the preserve a worthwhile stop for birdwatchers as well as swimmers.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article and official tourism pages for Hamilton Pool Preserve, used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
