Swimming holes near Austin
Sourced below, last checked November 4, 2026. Confirm with the City of Austin or the park office before you go.
Right now the easy answer is Barton Springs Pool: it is free until March 13, 2027, and lifeguarded from 8 am to 10 pm except during Thursday cleaning. Hamilton Pool is closed for bacteria, Krause Springs is in its winter break, and McKinney Falls and Pedernales Falls allow creek or river swimming without lifeguards.
| Barton Springs Pool | City pool in Zilker Park; free now, fees resume Mar 13, 2027; about 9 min (3 mi) [1] |
|---|---|
| Barton hours | 5 am to 10 pm; unguarded 5 to 8 am; closed Thursdays 9 am to 7 pm for cleaning; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas [1] |
| Barton water | 68 to 70°F; 0 to 18 ft deep; 3 acres [1] |
| Barton rules | No pets, glass, alcohol, food or coolers [1] |
| McKinney Falls SP | Swim in Onion Creek, which floods after rain; $6; gate 8 am to 10 pm; about 21 min (11 mi) [2] |
| McKinney Falls rules | At Upper and Lower Falls: no food, alcohol, glass, coolers, speakers, hard balls or pets in the water [2] |
| McKinney weekends | Day passes sell out [3] |
| Pedernales Falls SP | $6 for ages 13+; about 1 hr 5 min (44 mi) [4] |
| Pedernales swim area | Reached by a strenuous hike of a quarter mile or more with steep stairs; no swimming or wading at the Falls [4] |
| Pedernales closures | Hunts Nov 21 to 24, Dec 13 to 17, Jan 18 to 22 [5] |
Drive times are approximate: OSRM routing without traffic, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Barton Springs
The city's spring-fed pool is the only option here with lifeguards for most of the day. Weekend and holiday parking costs $3 an hour from March 1 through Labor Day; weekday parking is free. When admission returns, adult residents pay $5 and non-residents $9.
McKinney Falls and Pedernales Falls
McKinney Falls sits inside the city limits, about 13 miles from the Capitol by TPWD's count, and gets busy. Pedernales Falls is a longer drive west and asks more of your legs: the falls themselves are off limits for swimming and wading, so use the designated swimming area. Flash flooding is common on both waterways.
Water data
- USGS 08159000, Onion Creek at US 183: 3.67 cfs, 4.64 ft gage height at Nov 4, 2026 7:20 PM CT (provisional, captured when this page was built).
- USGS 08153500, Pedernales River near Johnson City: 28.7 cfs, 10.35 ft gage height at Nov 4, 2026 7:00 PM CT (provisional, captured when this page was built).
Readings show flow or level, not water safety.
Closed or seasonal right now
- Hamilton Pool, about 52 min (31 mi): swimming closed for bacteria; reservations required.
- Krause Springs, about 54 min (38 mi): usually closed Nov 1 to Feb 15.
- Blue Hole Wimberley, about 54 min (38 mi): swim season reopens May 1.
- Devil's Waterhole, about 1 hr 23 min (65 mi): open, unguarded.
Back to the Texas hub.
Common questions
Is Barton Springs free?
Yes, for now. The city says it is free and that charging resumes March 13, 2027.
Can you swim at McKinney Falls?
Yes, in Onion Creek, at your own risk. The creek floods after rain.
Sources
- City of Austin: Visit Barton Springs Pool. Last checked November 4, 2026.
- TPWD: McKinney Falls State Park. Last checked November 4, 2026.
- TPWD: McKinney Falls park alerts. Last checked November 4, 2026.
- TPWD: Pedernales Falls State Park. Last checked November 4, 2026.
- TPWD: Pedernales Falls park alerts. Last checked November 4, 2026.