Texas is full of hidden outdoor treasures. You may need to hike a bit to reach some of them, but when you finally reach them, it makes any hiking obstacle worth it. Hamilton Pool Preserve is a natural pool that was created when the dome of an underground river collapsed due to massive erosion thousands of years ago. The pool is located about 23 miles west of Austin, Texas off Highway 71. Since the 1960s, Hamilton Pool has been a popular summer swimming spot for Austin visitors and residents. Hamilton Pool Preserve consists of 232 acres of protected natural habitat featuring a jade green pool into which a 50-foot waterfall flows. The pool is surrounded by large slabs of limestone that rest by the water’s edge; large stalactites grow from the ceiling high above. The ceiling and surrounding cliffs of the grotto are home to moss, maidenhair fern and cliff swallows. The Ashe juniper (cedar) uplands of the preserve are home to the endangered golden-cheeked warbler. The natural pool and creek are not chemically treated, so water quality is monitored regularly and swimming is occasionally restricted. Hamilton Pool is part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve and is a protected environment.
Things to know about Hamilton Pool
- Call 512-264-2740 to find out the status of the preserve. Sometimes the preserve closes due to recent rain and hazardous trail conditions.
- Reservations are required to visit on dates starting May 1 and ending September 30. You make reservations online by clicking here.
- Reservations are to be paid with a credit card and an additional entrance fee in cash when you arrive at Hamilton Pool Preserve.
- Entrance fees upon arrival at the preserve are $15 per vehicle, or $5 per vehicle if vehicle has a senior citizen (62 years) or a disabled vet (60%).
- When you arrive, cash and most checks are accepted and credit and debit cards are not.
- Pets are prohibited. No exceptions.
- No Lifeguard is on duty. Swim at your own risk, when swimming is allowed.
- Reservation periods run from 9 am – 1 pm and 2 pm – 6 pm. Recreational activities end at 12:30 pm and 5:30 pm. No entry is allowed after 12:30 pm or 5:30 pm. All visitors must exit the preserve by 1:00 pm or 6:00 pm.
- Bring drinking water. There are no concessions or drinking water available.
- The trail to hike to the pool is scenic, a bit steep, and rocky; it’s also a quarter of a mile long.
- No glass bottles or public display of alcohol consumption.
History: Prior to the 1800s, Tonkawa and Lipan Apaches lived in the area. In the mid-1860s, Morgan C. Hamilton owned the property now known as Hamilton Pool Preserve. His brother, Andrew Jake Hamilton (the 10th governor of Texas), evidently visited this beautiful grotto while he was governor. In the 1880s, the Reimers, an immigrant family from Germany, bought the property to raise sheep and cattle. Legend has it that their eight-year-old son discovered the collapsed grotto.
