Blue Hole Regional Park

Not a hot spring

Blue Hole appears on some Texas hot spring lists, but there is no warm water here. It is a swimming hole on Cypress Creek, a clear Hill Country creek shaded by old bald cypress trees. It is a creek swim, not a soak. The city of Wimberley does not publish a water temperature, so we have not listed one. If you are after a hot soak, look at Camp Hot Wells in San Antonio or the natural spring at Big Bend Hot Springs, whose access road has been closed until further notice since October 2026, so check before you go. For another cool spring-fed swim nearby, Barton Springs Pool in Austin is open year-round.

What to expect

The swim area is a stretch of Cypress Creek under a canopy of bald cypress, with a grassy swim lawn above the water. The city describes the creek as crystal clear and says depth runs from about 1 foot to more than 18 feet depending on where you are. Flow and water level drop in dry years.

Blue Hole Regional Park covers 126 acres around the swim area, with more than five miles of trails, a playscape, a pavilion, sports fields and an amphitheater. The park design won a 2011 ASLA Texas Chapter honor award, and Texas Monthly ranked Blue Hole the second-best swimming hole in Texas in 2008. The rare chatterbox orchid grows here, and the park is a stop for migrating birds.

There are no lifeguards. Small personal inflatables are allowed in the water. Large rafts and other oversized floats are not. Climbing or jumping from the cypress trees is banned, and staff will remove people who do it, without a refund. That rule protects the trees as much as the swimmers.

Getting there

The park is at 333 Blue Hole Lane in Wimberley, a short drive from the town square in Hays County. Wimberley sits between Austin and San Antonio in the Hill Country. From Austin, the usual route is south on US-290 to Dripping Springs and then RR 12 south into Wimberley. From San Antonio or San Marcos, take RR 12 north from I-35 at San Marcos.

Parking is free. The main lot is about a three-minute walk from the swim area. On busy days you may be sent to overflow parking, which is a 5 to 10 minute walk.

When to go

Swim season runs from May 1 through Labor Day, plus weekends in September. The 2026 season ended on the last weekend of September, and the city says swimming resumes on May 1, 2027. This is a normal yearly break, not a closure: the city rests the swim lawn and creek banks each fall so grass, soil and riparian plants can recover. In 2026 it also noted that dry weather had lowered Cypress Creek noticeably.

Off season, the park and trails stay open from 8 a.m. to sunset, except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The swim lawn is open for looking at the water when it is not closed for restoration or a private event.

Crowds: the city reported 66,423 half-day swim reservations in 2026, and the swim area sold out most days. Book as soon as you know your dates, especially for weekends and holidays. Early season weekdays are the easiest to get.

Prices and booking

• Half-day passes: from $15 in 2026, for either the 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or the 2 to 6 p.m. session. Reservations are required.
• Season passes: from $175 in 2026. Wimberley residents can buy from March 1 and non-residents from April 1.
• Wimberley Nights: a residents-only evening swim, from $2 per person, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. between May 1 and Labor Day.
• Refunds: if the city closes the swim area for half or more of your session, or for any reason it chooses, half-day passes are refunded. Season passes are never refunded.
• Free areas: trails, the playground and picnic areas cost nothing and need no reservation.

Book through wimberleyparksandrec.com, or call 512-660-9111.

Rules and etiquette

• No alcohol and no glass. No personal grills.
• Food and small coolers are fine on the swim lawn.
• No pets on the swim lawn. Leashed service animals are welcome but cannot enter the water. Pets are allowed in the rest of the park.
• No climbing or jumping from trees.
• Kids: children 12 and under must be supervised by an adult 18 or older at all times. During Wimberley Nights, anyone under 18 needs an adult.
• Weather: the park does not close for rain, but if lightning is within 10 miles the swim area is cleared for at least 30 minutes.

Where to stay nearby

There is no camping or lodging in the park. Wimberley itself has inns, bed and breakfasts, cabins and vacation rentals, many within a few minutes’ drive of Blue Hole. San Marcos, to the southeast, and Dripping Springs, to the north, have more hotels.

Safety notes

• No lifeguards. Watch kids closely, especially where the bank drops into deep water.
• Water quality: the city tests the creek and posts results on its Blue Hole water quality page. The swim area can close for high bacteria, pollutants or poor visibility, so check before you leave home.
• Footing: wet banks and tree roots at the water’s edge are slippery.
• Lightning: follow staff instructions when the swim area is cleared.
• Heat: summer afternoons in the Hill Country are hot and humid. Bring water and shade for the lawn.

Nearby stops worth adding

Jacob’s Well Natural Area, a Hays County park, protects a well-known artesian spring on Cypress Creek upstream of Blue Hole; check the county’s site for its own swim reservations. The Wimberley town square has shops and restaurants a few minutes from the park.