Hamilton Pool is a beautiful oasis of cool, turquoise waters and cascading waterfalls set in the midst of the Texas Hill Country. This natural pool is easily accessible from Austin, just 30 miles away, yet sits in a tucked away location off the beaten path. Sitting in the middle of a 232-acre nature preserve, the pool is a hotspot for swimming, hiking, and simply enjoying the natural surroundings.
Most of the visitors to Hamilton Pool make the scenic, quarter mile hike down to the natural pool to enjoy a refreshing swim in the fresh waters and enjoy the amazing beauty of the 45- foot waterfall cascading down into the sunken grotto. The pool was formed thousands of years ago when erosion on Hamilton Creek caused a natural rock dome over an underground river to collapse, creating the cascading waterfall and pool that today are a picture-perfect vision of natural beauty. Visitors to the pool area are also rewarded with breathtaking views of the waterfall from all angles, as the hiking trail takes you around the grotto and behind the waterfall, making a full loop back to the beach area.
Visitors to Hamilton Pool can also take a 0.80 mile hike on a scenic trail that winds naturally with the contour of the land next to the Hamilton Creek. This lovely trail takes you to the point where the Hamilton Creek feeds into the Pedernales River. There are several benches located along this trail that are strategically located to provide you with excellent views while you rest. You can also take short jaunts down to the creek on several side trails. This section of the Hamilton Preserve is often less-visited than the pool area, giving you the perfect opportunity to enjoy the serenity and beauty of this natural area.
With just 75 parking spaces available, the number of people visiting the park at any one time is kept down and ensures it is never overcrowded. While the small beach area at the pool can get busy, it's not hard to find a quiet area to yourself along the hiking trails. When the parking lot is full, entrance to the park is permitted only as parking spaces become available. On warm spring and summer days, it is not uncommon to see a long line of cars waiting to enter the park. To avoid the line, plan to arrive at the park earlier in the day.
The park is dedicated to preserving the natural beauty and ecosystem for future generations, and enforces strict rules to ensure this goal is met. In addition to limiting entrants to the park to 75 cars at a time, the park also does not allow glass containers, alcoholic beverages, or pets. The park has chemical toilets in the parking area and along the trail, but the park is not equipped with picnic tables or running water.
Before you visit the park, plan to call the park's information line to get information about trail and water conditions. Because of the steep grade of the trails and the relatively enclosed space of the pool, the park closes in times of drought or after heavy rains when trail or water conditions are deemed unsafe.
Hamilton Pool is one of Austin's best kept secrets, and is truly one of the most beautiful natural areas in the Texas Hill Country!
in Texas
