Best Swimming Holes in Texas Hill Country
20 natural swimming holes · 2026 guide
West of Austin and north of San Antonio, limestone country gives Texas its swimming holes: spring-fed pools on the Guadalupe, Comal, Blanco, and Llano rivers, grotto pools shaded by cypress, and clear creeks that stay cool when the plains bake. This is the densest swimming-hole country in the state — many of these spots sit within an hour of each other.
Top swimming holes
- Barton Springs Pool
Austin's beloved 68-70 degree spring-fed pool sits in the heart of Zilker Park and draws crowds year-round.
- Black Rock Park
An LCRA park on the west shore of Lake Buchanan with a long, rocky shoreline and a small sandy swim beach.
- Blanco State Park
A mile of the spring-fed Blanco River runs through this small park, with CCC-built dams forming calm swimming pools.
- Blue Hole Park
A dammed bend of the South San Gabriel River creates a lagoon of warm, deep water beneath a limestone bluff in downtown Georgetown.
- Blue Hole Regional Park
Towering bald cypress trees shade this bend of Cypress Creek, where rope swings arc over deep, cool water.
- Brady Lake Park
A city park on 2,000-acre Brady Lake with 25 miles of shoreline.
- Canyon Lake at Comal Park
The Army Corps park on Canyon Lake's south shore has a designated swim beach with famously clear Hill Country water.
- Canyon Park (Canyon Lake)
A 485-acre Water Oriented Recreation District park on the north shore of Canyon Lake with a pea gravel and sand beach.
- Castroville Regional Park
A large Alsatian-town park on the banks of the tree-lined Medina River west of San Antonio.
- Comal River at Landa Park
The shortest river in Texas is also one of its clearest, spring-fed and 72 degrees all year.
- Devil's Waterhole
A narrow canyon on the edge of Inks Lake State Park holds a chain of small waterfalls and swim pools.
- Garner State Park
The Frio River is cold all year, and at Garner it runs clear and shallow over limestone, perfect for floating and wading.
- Guadalupe River State Park
Four miles of Guadalupe River frontage give swimmers long, clear runs of water between limestone banks.
- Hamilton Pool Preserve
A collapsed limestone grotto with a jade-green pool fed by a 50-foot waterfall, one of the most photographed swimming holes in Texas.
- Hippie Hollow Park
Texas's only legal clothing-optional public park sits on a steep Lake Travis shoreline of limestone terraces.
- Inks Lake State Park
Inks Lake holds water year-round, making its swim areas reliable even in drought when other Highland Lakes drop.
- Jacob's Well Natural Area
A 140-foot-deep artesian well opens like a blue eye in Cypress Creek, one of the longest underwater caves in Texas.
- Krause Springs
Thirty-two springs feed a natural swimming pool, a manmade pool, and a chain of waterfalls and grottos across 115 private acres.
- Lake Bastrop South Shore Park
A 176-acre LCRA park on 900-acre Lake Bastrop with designated swimming areas.
- McKinney Falls State Park
Onion Creek spills over limestone ledges into two beloved swim pools, the Upper and Lower Falls, minutes from downtown Austin.
Looking for more? Browse swimming holes in all 50 states or explore by travel region.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to swim in Texas Hill Country?
April through October. Spring-fed pools stay cool all summer; river spots are at their best after normal spring rains, and can run low in late-summer drought.
Do Texas Hill Country swimming holes require reservations?
The famous ones often do in season — Hamilton Pool requires advance reservations, and popular river parks can close when parking fills. Check each listing first.
Are Texas Hill Country swimming holes safe?
Never swim in flooded rivers — Hill Country creeks rise extremely fast after storms. Check conditions, respect posted closures, and watch for slippery limestone.