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Texas swimming holes near Austin – 10 watering holes for a fun swim this summer

June 24, 2022 by Clarett C. Leave a Comment

swimming holes in texas

Texas Swimming Holes Near Austin| Image Credit: Burger’s Lake (Fort Worth) havingfuninthetexassun.com

If you have been looking for free places to swim in Austin or googling ‘swimming holes near me’, you are in the right place!

Texas is known for a lot of things and one of them is relentlessly hot summers. The temperatures are rising in Austin and across the state. Luckily, there are also many beautiful, refreshing, clear rivers, lakes, and even spring-fed pools that will offer a relaxing reprieve from the heat. Sometimes nothing will do, other than a dip into some crisp, cool water.

Whether you prefer waterfalls, lakes, or pools, here are some of the best swimming holes in Texas.


Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in HoustonOnTheCheap.com. Content has been modified for Austinot readers. 


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Texas Swimming Holes near Austin – Under an hour from Austin! 

1. City Tube Chute – Comal River (New Braunfels)

city tube shoot

Image Credits: NBTexas.org

The City Tube Chute is an experience that is definitely worth checking out. Visitors can hire a tube and float along the Comal River. While the waves are lazy and calm upstream, as you float down towards the chute, things will get wilder. The chute is a built-in slide that’s part of the dam. As you might expect, the City Tube Chute is a prime party spot on the weekends. If you’re looking for a lazy, calm experience you might want to visit in the morning or earlier in the week to avoid congestion. The park is currently open from 9 am to 8 pm daily with limited capacity.
Where: 250 Meusebach St, New Braunfels, TX 78130
Distance from Austin: ~ 47 mins.


2. Krause Springs (Outside Austin)

swimming holes in texas

Image Credits: Krause Springs FB Page

Krause Springs is so much more than just a swimming hole. Located about 30 miles outside of Austin, in a campground, Krause Springs is a swimming hole surrounded by more than 30 natural springs. Above the swimming hole there is a strong waterfall. Part of the springs feed into a man-made pool. Families can also visit the Butterfly Garden or check out the tree swing to launch into the end of the natural swimming hole. Krause Springs is an excellent spot for a family day trip.

They have instituted some new rules and guidelines for visitors to follow, such as staying 6 feet apart, hand sanitizer stations throughout the facilities, and more.
Where: 424 County Road 404, Spicewood, TX 78669
Distance from Austin: ~ 45 mins.


3. Jacob’s Well (Wimberley)

jacobs well

Image Credits: Jacob’s Well website

Most families in Texas know of or have been to Jacob’s Well. This beloved swimming hole is practically a Texas institution as it has been used since before the days of early settlers. Jacob’s Well is four meters wide and pumps thousands of gallons of water into the Cypress Creek, which flows throughout Wimberley. Complete with a cavern for expert divers, Jacob’s Well is considered a unique feature of the state, as caverns aren’t common in the area.

Jacob’s Well reopened on June 1 and will remain open until the end of September.
Where: 1699 Mt. Sharp Rd. Wimberley, TX, 78676
Distance from Austin: ~ 47 mins.


4. Hamilton Pool (Dripping Springs)

swimming holes in texas

Image Credits: parks.traviscountytx.gov

Note: Hamilton Pool is temporarily closed due to COVID-19.

It’s hard to do justice to Hamilton Pool in just words. At one point, the body of water that is Hamilton Pool was located underground. However, after eons of time, the ceiling collapsed, and it left the pool partly covered by a dome-style roof. Water flows over the roof, creating an amazing waterfall that feeds the pool below. There are plenty of spots to relax in the sun, too. You’ll want to make a reservation if you plan to experience the wonder of Hamilton Pool.
Where: 24300 Hamilton Road, Dripping Springs, TX 78620
Distance from Austin: ~ 43 mins.


Texas Swimming Holes near Austin – Under 3 hours from Austin! 

5. Tonkawa Falls (Crawford)

swimming holes in texas

Image Credits: KXXV Site

Tonkawa Falls offers a magnificent 15-foot waterfall that rushes into a natural swimming hole. You’ll enjoy overhanging bluffs, the spray of the waterfall, and the natural beauty of this serene spot. The Falls are located in a city-owned park. There is a picnic area available, with grassy spots and rock tables for when you’re not in the water. The park also allows for swimming during the rainy season.
Where: 524-550 E 4th St, Crawford, TX 76638
Distance from Austin: ~ 1 hr. & 57 mins.


6. Blue Lagoon (North of Huntsville)

swimming holes in texas

Image Credits: Blue Lagoon FB Page

Blue Lagoon is often compared to the Caribbean, thanks to the bright blue waters. This swimming hole can be found at the end of a ranch road, so it also serves as a hidden secret for everyone that’s not from the area. The limestone quarry features scuba training. This is one of the closest swimming holes to Houston, which will be a benefit if you want a fast day trip. Blue Lagoon is open year-round. Reservations are required for scuba clients. This swimming hole is for swimming only, so no boats, fishing, or dogs are allowed.
Where: 649 Pinedale Road, Huntsville TX 77340
Distance from Austin: ~ 2 hrs. & 54 mins.


Texas Swimming Holes near Austin – Over 3 hours from Austin! 

7. Lake Houston Wilderness Park

swimming holes in texas

Image Credits: Lake Houston Wilderness Park

Lake Houston Wilderness Park (LHWP) is a beautiful, lushly forested expanse of nearly 5,000 acres, located three miles east of New Caney (approximately 30 miles north of Houston) off Hwy-59. Lake Houston Wilderness Park is the only park in the department that allows overnight stays in cabins and campsites.

Most of the park is heavily forested with over 20 miles of trails which provide a quiet escape from the bustling city. The park offers a variety of outdoor experiences for people of all ages including camping, hiking, trail running, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, birding, fishing and horseback riding trails (visitors must bring own bikes, fishing equipment, watercraft, and horses).
Where: 25840 FM 1485, New Caney, TX 77357
Distance from Austin: ~ 3 hrs. & 14 mins.


Texas Swimming Holes near Austin – Over 3 hours from Austin! 

8. Lake Longhorn

swimming holes in texas

Image Credits: Lake Longhorn FB Page

Lake Longhorn serves the Houston area and the entire Texas Gulf Coast. If you enjoy scuba diving, triathlon training, open water swimming, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, or anything else needing a large body of water then Lake Longhorn is the multisport lake for you. Lake Longhorn is a 49-acre freshwater lake and has 20 acres of green space dedicated to serving the lake in League City, Texas for your enjoyment. We offer recreational scuba diving, scuba diving training, triathlon swimming, triathlon swim training, (SUP) Stand up paddle boarding and kayaking in the Houston and Texas Bay Area. Lake Longhorn is striving to become the best scuba diving training lake in Houston dive site and open water training lake in the Houston area and Texas Gulf Coast.
Where: 2391 Gun Range Road, League City, TX 77573
Distance from Austin: ~ 3 hrs. & 16 mins.


9. Burger’s Lake (Fort Worth)

swimming holes in texas

Image Credits: havingfuninthetexassun.com

Burger’s Lake will take you back to the days of summer camp. The outdoor feel is phenomenal and there are plenty of available activities for the entire family. This one-acre lake features water slides, water chutes, fountains, diving boards, and a trapeze to launch yourself into the cool water. Multiple beach areas are available, and the large trees provide some shade, when needed. Picnic tables and grills are on-site, though as you might imagine, they fill up fast. Admission is $15 per person (all ages)
Where: 1200 Meandering Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76114
Distance from Austin: ~ 3 hrs. & 38 mins.


10. Balmorhea State Park (Toyahvale)

balmorhea state park

source: Balmorhea State Park

The Balmorhea State Park might be surrounded by miles of West Texas desert, but that makes the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool seem that much more inviting! The water is always a comfortable 72-76 degrees year-round. 15 million gallons of water flow through the pool every day, so the water is fresh. It’s also so clear that you can spend the day scuba diving or snorkeling. If you want to make a weekend of it, there are more than 30 campsites in the area, as well as an on-site lodge.
Where: 9207 TX-17, Toyahvale, TX 79786
Distance from Austin: ~ 6 hrs. & 2 mins.

 

What’s your favorite way to cool off? Let us know your favorite Texas swimming holes in the comments!


Stay up to date on all fun things going on in Austin with our weekly updates to Things to do in Austin this Week, Things to do in Austin this Weekend, & Things to do in Austin with Kids this Weekend

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Filed Under: Kids, Outdoor, Things to do, Travel Tagged With: texas swimming holes

Ghost towns in Texas: 10 abandoned places for a fun road trip from Austin

June 4, 2022 by Austinot Contributor 1 Leave a Comment

Ghost towns in Texas | Lobo Texas

Ghost towns in Texas | Image Credit – Lobo, Texas FB page

A visit to any one of these haunting ghost towns in Texas will provide you with an unforgettable adventure unlike any other! Get away from the crowds and explore new regions of the state that you might not have been aware of. When you travel to these Texas ghost towns, you will not only get a glimpse of some amazing architecture but also of the state’s extensive history, which is simply asking to be studied.

It’s always intriguing to find out what happened to these deserted towns in Texas, who used to live there, and what events occurred that converted the place into one of the well-known ghost cities in Texas. In Texas, there are a number of popular ghost cities.


Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in HoustonOnTheCheap.com. Content has been modified for Austinot readers. 


Ghost Towns in Texas – 10 Abandoned Places

Throughout the course of the history of the state, these towns were subjected to the growth and unpredictability of a variety of businesses, including the oil industry, mining, agriculture, and others. As a result, lots of deserted and eerie Texas ghost towns were left behind.

Regardless, these ghost towns on the map of Texas have become a destination for travelers of all kinds, including Texans themselves. Some of these communities have even been maintained so that tourists can continue to learn about their fascinating histories. When planning your next vacation from Austin, be sure to consult both this list and this map of Texas ghost towns.

Some of these can be covered in a day and are right here in Central Texas, others may need a weekend, and some others are way across the other side of Texas and therefore will require a loooong drive!

Ghost Towns in Texas – Under 6 hours drive from Austin

1. Sherwood

Location: Texas 76941

Drive time from Austin: ~ 4 hours

sherwood tx

Known as one of the more picturesque ghost towns in the state, Sherwood used to be the county seat in Irion County. It had a post office, courthouse, and other amenities. However, when the railroads were built, they bypassed the town of Sherwood to a new railroad town called Mertzon, and later a new state highway was also established through Mertzon. As a result, Sherwood lost its county seat to Mertzon and eventually, the town became a tiny rural community. However, the beautiful courthouse that features a false clock with its hands set to the hour of Abraham Lincoln’s death still stands.


2. Indianola

Location: Texas 77979

Drive time from Austin: ~ 3 hours

indianola tx

This port city on Matagorda Bay was founded in 1844 and was originally seen as a possible future competitor to Galveston and New Orleans. The population reached more than 5,000 people in the 1870s, but the town was brutalized by hurricanes in 1875 and 1886. The town was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1963. Although the old city is gone, there’s still a lot to see, including a granite monument dedicated to the French explorer La Salle.


3. The Grove

Location: 453 The Grove Ln, Gatesville, TX 76528

Drive time from Austin: ~1.5 hours

the grove tx

The Grove was founded in the 1850s and named after a grove of beautiful oak trees growing in the area. It’s located about 16 miles southeast of Gatesville and not far from Temple, Texas. Soon after its founding, it had two general stores, a cotton gin, and a church. The church still exists today. The Grove had a population of about 400 people at its peak, but today it’s a ghost town and is listed by The Smithsonian Institute as a historic Texas town.

Today, there are plenty of great photo opportunities around this little ghost town in Texas.


4. Catarina

Location: Texas 78836

Drive time from Austin: ~ 3 hours

ghost towns in Texas

The town of Catarina was founded as a railroad junction. According to legend, it was named after a woman who was killed in the area, when a standoff occurred during the 1700s. The town had a post office, schools, and a thriving population. Unfortunately, the town’s economic decline is due to a shortage of water and a generally bad economy. There are still residents in the area, but there are just less than a hundred, making it one of Texas’ semi-ghost towns.


5. Bluffton

Location: Bluffton, Texas 78607

Drive time from Austin: ~ 1 hour and 15 minutes

bluffton texas ghost town

The Buchanan Dam is a massive and majestic construction built in Hill Country. It effectively sifts the waters of the Colorado River, and when most communities perished because of a lack of water, Bluffton had plenty. However, the abundance led to the town drowning due to rising seas and flooding. When the water levels start to dry up after a few years, the remaining vestiges of the settlement were unearthed. What once was a lively town has now become a place known for driving four-wheelers or going birdwatching.

Have you been to any of these or other ghost towns in Texas? Share your experiences by commenting below.


Ghost Towns in Texas – Over 6 hours of drive from Austin

6. Terlingua

Location: Texas 79852

Drive time from Austin: ~7.5 hours

terlingua tx

credit: Big Bend National Park

Not far from Big Bend, Terlingua might be the state’s most famous ghost town. It was first home to Native Americans, and then to Spanish and Americans. The town boomed in the early 1900s as a mining town and used to have schools, a hotel, mail delivery, and everything else you’d expect from a small town. However, mineral prices plummeted after World War II and the end of the area’s financial prosperity led to the town’s demise.

Today, Terlingua is a ghost town tourists visit on a trip to the nearby Big Bend National Park.


7. Lobo

Location: Texas 79855

Drive time from Austin: ~7 hours

lobo tx

Lobo is a much more modern ghost town than others on this list as it wasn’t abandoned until the late 1960s and the years after. It’s located in Culberson County, Texas in the Trans-Pecos area of West Texas. The area was known for cotton farming and as the only reliable source of water for many miles, and it was a thriving desert town for decades. But as the cost of agriculture became too expensive, the town slipped into a sharp decline. Efforts to save and revive Lobo were abandoned in 1991, and today,

Today, Lobo is private property and “not intended for settlement.”


8. Glenrio

Location: Texas 79045

Drive time from Austin: ~9 hours

ghost towns in texas

Glenrio was once a thriving town located along the popular Route 66 near the Texas and New Mexico border. It was established in the early 1900s and grew over the years until Interstate 40 was built during the 1950s. A town that once had thousands of travelers come through withered away, and by the mid-80s, only 2 residents remained. An abandoned gas station and a few other buildings still stand today.


9. Toyah

Location: 79785

Drive time from Austin: ~6.5 hours

Small town Toyah, Texas boasted a population of 90 people after the 2010 census. Toyah finds its inception as a trading post for large local ranchers, however, before long Toyah had a post office. After that, Toyah became a major cattle shipping destination and even had a population of 771 in 1910. Unfortunately, the Great Depression knocked out the majority of Toyah’s thriving population and the town has yet to recover. This Texas Ghost town is a living history of what that difficult time in American history did to many.


10. Barstow

Location: Texas 79719

Drive time from Austin: ~6 hours

Ghost towns in Texas

Barstow, founded in the 1800s got its name from George E. Barstow. He was a pioneer in the irrigation sector. He was recognized for his agricultural prowess with grapes and was even honored during the 1904 World Fair. The town enjoyed a brief period of fame before becoming one of the ghost towns in Texas. This happened when a dam in a nearby area collapsed, flooding everything in its path. Several government buildings, homes, schools, and a few private enterprises were left standing.


Stay up to date on the events, activities, and entertainment in the Austin area through our weekly updates to Things to do in Austin this Week, Things to do in Austin this Weekend, and Things to do in Austin with Kids this Weekend!

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Filed Under: Culture, Discoveries, Things to do, Travel

5 Reasons to Rent an RV from RVshare For Your Next Family Getaway From Austin

August 27, 2021 by Austinot Contributor 1 Leave a Comment

Family in front of RV
Rent an RV from RVshare For Your Next Family Getaway

The pandemic and remote work have completely changed the way we approach work and school. Families have realized they could do their jobs from anywhere in the country. With summer winding down and cooler temperatures beckoning, many families are wondering what vacation will look like in this new world. We’re giving you the top five reasons why you should rent an RV from RVshare  for your next family getaway from Austin!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Save Money, Travel

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