Hamilton Pool Waterfall — 50ft Plunge in Texas

Hamilton Pool Waterfall is a 50-foot plunge waterfall in Travis County, Texas, reached by an easy walk over 1 miles.

Hamilton Pool Preserve is a 50-foot grotto waterfall in a collapsed limestone cavern in Travis County, Texas — about 30 minutes west of Austin in the Hill Country. The natural pool below the grotto is one of central Texas's most iconic swimming spots, with the falls dropping into the pool from the partial dome ceiling above. Travis County runs a strict reservation system to protect the fragile ecosystem; without a reservation, you cannot enter. Swimming permitted seasonally (May-September typically), depending on bacteria levels which the county tests regularly.

What to expect

Reserve day-use access weeks ahead at travelcounty.com (reservations open 30 days out, sell out fast for summer weekends). Drive to Hamilton Pool Preserve. Enter at your reserved time slot. The 1-mile trail descends into the canyon and ends at the grotto pool. Swimming is allowed when bacteria levels are safe (county posts current status). Lifeguards are not present. Pair with nearby Pedernales Falls State Park or wineries in the Texas Hill Country.