Outdoors, Parks & Swimming Holes in Hill Country Day Trip
19 places
Outdoors, Parks & Swimming Holes in Hill Country Day Trip, checked by People of Austin. Swimming holes, trails, parks, pickleball courts, climbing gyms, golf and the Greenbelt, with the details that matter: reservations, parking and when to go.
Pedernales Falls State Park
The Pedernales River tumbles over tilted limestone steps here, with swimming downstream, 20 miles of trails, and a bird blind; day passes sell out on spring weekends.
Krause Springs
A privately run, cash-only swimming hole in Spicewood with a spring-fed pool, a rope swing under a waterfall, cypress shade, and butterfly gardens up top; no reservations, no dogs.
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
A pink granite dome rising 425 feet above the Hill Country, roughly 90 minutes from Austin; day passes must be reserved online and weekends sell out weeks ahead.
Inks Lake State Park
Granite outcrops meet a clear, dam controlled lake at this popular state park, great for swimming, paddling and rock scrambling.
Longhorn Cavern State Park
Guided walking tours lead through a living limestone cavern carved by an underground river, a cool break from the Hill Country heat.
Palmetto State Park
Dwarf palmettos and swampy oxbow lakes give this small San Marcos River park a jungle like feel unlike anywhere else near Austin.
Guadalupe River State Park
Cypress lined banks and rapids on the Guadalupe River draw tubers, swimmers and hikers to this popular Hill Country state park.
Blanco State Park
A compact riverside park in downtown Blanco has calm swimming holes and low dams, an easy small town stop on a Hill Country drive.
Colorado Bend State Park
Remote and rugged, this park's guided hike to Gorman Falls rewards the long drive with one of the prettiest waterfalls in Texas.
LBJ Ranch (Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park)
A driving tour through LBJ's boyhood home, one room schoolhouse and working cattle ranch tells the story of a president rooted in the Hill Country.
Longhorn Cavern State Park Cafe & Trading Post
Underground cave tours through a Hill Country state park landmark, with a trading post and snack stop at the visitor center.
Purgatory Creek Natural Area
Over 1,000 free acres in San Marcos with more than ten miles of trails, including an ADA-accessible section.
Canyon Lake Gorge
A 64-acre gorge carved by 2002 floodwaters with exposed fossils and limestone, visited on guided hikes.
Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
Texas State's center on Spring Lake offers glass-bottom boat tours over the springs and a wetlands boardwalk.
Sewell Park (San Marcos River)
A riverside park on the San Marcos River, which stays about 72 degrees year-round for swimming, tubing, and paddling.
Landa Park
A 51-acre park around Landa Lake with trails, a miniature train, paddle boarding, and mini golf.
Lake Wood Recreation Area
Thirty-five acre fishing lake southwest of Gonzales stocked with catfish, largemouth bass and white crappie.
Come and Take It Paddling Trail
Eleven-mile Guadalupe paddling route from Lake Wood Park to Independence Park.
Independence Golf Course
Nine-hole golf course threaded through 22 acres of native pecan trees beside the Guadalupe River.