Swimming holes near San Antonio
Sourced below, last checked November 4, 2026. Confirm with the park office before you go.
The nearest public river swimming to San Antonio is Guadalupe River State Park, about 53 min (39 mi) from the Alamo, with 4 miles of river. Garner State Park on the Frio is about two hours west. Both are unguarded TPWD parks. Blue Hole in Wimberley is closed until May.
| Guadalupe River SP | 4 miles of river frontage; $7 entry; gate 8 am to 10 pm [1] |
|---|---|
| Guadalupe river rules | No glass or foam (Styrofoam) in the river day-use area [1] |
| Guadalupe alert | Most trails closed as of the Oct 31 alert [2] |
| Garner SP | 2.9 miles of the Frio River; $8 for ages 13+; 8 am to 10 pm; about 2 hr 0 min (91 mi) [3] |
| Garner rentals | Tubes and paddle boats [3] |
| Garner alert | Swimming permitted at your own risk, no lifeguards; Blinn River trail closed [4] |
| Blue Hole Wimberley | Season May 1 to Labor Day plus September weekends; about 1 hr 18 min (62 mi) [5] |
| Statewide | Pets and glass not allowed in Texas state park swim areas [6] |
Drive times are approximate: OSRM routing without traffic, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Guadalupe River State Park
North of the city near Spring Branch, the park fronts 4 miles of the Guadalupe. Foam coolers and glass are banned in the river day-use area, and most trails were shut by an October 31 alert, so check before planning a hike and swim day.
Water data
- USGS 08167500, Guadalupe River near Spring Branch: 122 cfs, 2.54 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.
Garner State Park
Garner covers almost 3 miles of the Frio River, with tube and paddle boat rentals in season. Its October 9 alert confirms swimming is allowed with no guards on duty.
Water data
- USGS 08195000, Frio River at Concan: 72.2 cfs, 3.71 ft gage height at Nov 4, 2026 7:30 PM CT (provisional, captured when this page was built).
Readings show flow or level, not water safety.
Also within reach
Blue Hole Wimberley reopens for swimming in May. Krause Springs (about 1 hr 46 min (88 mi)) and Hamilton Pool (about 1 hr 58 min (89 mi)) are closer to Austin. For a road trip, Balmorhea's spring pool is open. City spots such as Landa Park in New Braunfels are not listed because we could not load the city page to verify them today.
Common questions
Where can you swim in a river near San Antonio?
Guadalupe River State Park is the nearest TPWD option; Garner State Park on the Frio is farther west.
Is Garner State Park open for swimming?
TPWD's October 9 alert says swimming is permitted at your own risk with no lifeguards.
Sources
- TPWD: Guadalupe River State Park. Last checked November 4, 2026.
- TPWD: Guadalupe River park alerts. Last checked November 4, 2026.
- TPWD: Garner State Park. Last checked November 4, 2026.
- TPWD: Garner park alerts. Last checked November 4, 2026.
- Wimberley Parks and Rec: Blue Hole swimming. Last checked November 4, 2026.
- TPWD: State park rules. Last checked November 4, 2026.