Quick Tips Before Visiting Hamilton Pool Preserve
We recently made a quick trip to Austin, TX to see my sister and brother-in-law who invited us to visit Hamilton Pool Preserve. After living in Texas for most of my life, I was excited to see this place for the first time. It was prettier than I had imagined! The water was a beautiful greenish blue, you could see turtles swimming around and there was a beautiful 50-foot waterfall in the distance you can also walk behind. The pool itself was formed from thousands of years of water erosion, leaving a grotto or canyon area.
If you’ve never visited Hamilton Pool Preserve, here’s what you need to know:
Book a reservation…several months in advance! You can’t get in without a reservation and they WILL ask you for your receipt upon entry. It’s $11 per vehicle. Weekends book out far in advance, so plan ahead. It’s worth it!
Be prepared not to swim. Often times swimming is closed due to bacteria in the water. I promise it’s still worth the trip out there though, even to just walk around. After asking the park ranger why this happens, she explained it’s due to agricultural runoff, typically after a big storm, from the pastures above the pool.
Pack a picnic! It’s a great spot to hangout for a while, especially if swimming is closed. There’s a small rocky “beach” that makes a great spot to lay a towel out and relax.
Bring drinking water with you. It’s not accessible at the park and with the Texas heat, you’ll want to be prepared.
It takes roughly 30 minutes to walk to the pool and back to the parking lot. The terrain is pretty easy and can be done in regular tennis shoes or even supportive sandals.
Your reservation also grants you access into Reimer’s Ranch (1 mile drive down the road) for free the same day. You can swim, climb and hike there. If you’ve never been, this is a great spot as well. To learn more about Reimer’s Ranch, visit here.
To learn more about Hamilton Pool Preserve and book a reservation, visit here.
Have you visited here before? Tell me what you thought!
Cara