Hamilton Pool Preserve

Not a hot spring

Hamilton Pool shows up in searches for Texas springs, but there is no warm water here. It is a cool swimming hole in a collapsed limestone grotto, with a creek waterfall dropping over a curved cliff into a jade-green pool. Travis County, which runs it as a nature preserve, notes that the water can fall below 50°F10°C in winter and spring. In summer it feels refreshing; the rest of the year it is cold.

For actual hot water in Texas you need to go far west: Chinati Hot Springs near Ruidosa (see our Chinati Hot Springs page), the hot spring in Big Bend National Park (its road has been closed until further notice since October 2026, so check before you go), or the spring-fed pool at Balmorhea. Closer to Austin, Krause Springs is another cool, spring-fed swimming spot.

What to expect

The grotto formed when the roof of an underground river collapsed, leaving a half dome of limestone overhanging a round pool. Water from Hamilton Creek spills over the lip of the cliff, and in wet periods the fall is a heavy curtain; in dry spells it can thin to a trickle. Ferns and moss hang off the rock, and a small beach on one side is where most people sit.

The county is clear that this is a nature preserve first and a swimming hole second. Swimming is allowed when conditions permit, and often they do not. Two things decide it:

• Bacteria. Rain washes wildlife waste into the creek and pushes bacteria levels up. The county tests the water daily and closes swimming when levels are high, which happens often after heavy rain. In 2023, for example, the whole pool closed in May and only a quarter of it reopened in late July.
• Falling rock. Parts of the overhanging cliff have been shedding rock. Only a very limited part of the pool, near the beach, is open for water access, and the trail that runs under the overhang (the path behind the waterfall) is closed while the county consults geologists.

When swimming is closed, the preserve stays open for the walk and the view, and you still need a reservation. Many visitors are disappointed only because they assumed a reservation meant a swim. It does not.

There is no lifeguard, no food service and no camping.

Getting there

The preserve is at 24300 Hamilton Pool Road, Dripping Springs, TX 78620, west of Austin in the Hill Country. From Austin, take TX 71 west past Bee Cave and turn left onto Hamilton Pool Road, then follow it to the signed entrance. The roads are paved and suit any car.

Have your reservation ready at the gate, along with cash for the entrance fee. The booth does not take cards.

From the parking lot it is about a quarter mile to the pool on a steep, narrow trail with rocky, uneven steps. Most people take about 30 minutes for the round trip. Wear real shoes; flip-flops are a poor choice on the climb back up.

When to go

Late spring to early fall is the swimming season in practice, simply because the water is warmer. Book early: summer slots fill weeks ahead, and the county opens reservations several months in advance (as of October 2026, dates through November 2026 were open).

After a dry spell gives you the best odds of a swim, since rain is what drives bacteria closures. The trade-off is a thinner waterfall.

Weekdays and morning slots are calmer. Each reservation covers one of two windows: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (no entry after 12:30) or 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (no entry after 5:30). The preserve occasionally closes for flooding or other hazards.

Check the county status page or the information line (512-854-2581) on the morning of your visit; a 2026 guide says it is updated by about 8:30 a.m. The swimming status there is the only one that counts.

Rules and fees

• Reservation: $12 per vehicle (one vehicle, up to 8 people), booked online. Motorcycles each need their own. Walkers and cyclists can reserve for up to 8 people. You can reschedule until midnight before your date, not on the day.
• Entrance (cash only, on arrival): $8 ages 13 to 61, $3 ages 62 and up, free for children 12 and under and for veterans rated 50% or more disabled. All fees are non-refundable.
• Not allowed: pets of any kind, glass containers, public display of alcohol, tobacco, camping, cooking, ground fires, drones and fireworks.
• Stay in the open area. Do not climb past barriers toward the closed section under the cliff.

Where to stay nearby

There is no camping or lodging at the preserve. Dripping Springs, Bee Cave and Spicewood have hotels, B&Bs and rentals, and Austin is within an easy drive. Pair the trip with Krause Springs in Spicewood, a privately owned spring-fed swimming area with campsites, or with Travis County’s Milton Reimers Ranch Park, which is close by on the same side of the river.

Safety notes

• Cold water: Even on hot days the pool can be chilly. Get out if you start shivering.
• No lifeguard: Watch children closely.
• Falling rock: The closed areas are closed for a reason. Stay out from under the overhang.
• Bacteria: If the county says swimming is closed, do not go in, even to wade.
• The trail: It is short but steep and uneven. Take it slowly, especially on the way back up in summer heat.