I’m so grateful to my friend Matt who lives in Austin for sending me loads of helpful recommendations and tips for our trip. Of all the things he clued me in to, Hamilton Pool Preserve was an absolute gem. Hamilton Pool is a natural pool surrounded by a collapsed grotto and it is an amazing place to explore! Swimming in the pool is often possible but the day of our reservation, bacteria levels were too high and swimming was prohibited. Even so, it was a really fun place to explore. We had a blast!

The important thing to know is that you need a reservation to get into the preserve, and they fill up quickly. You can reserve for the morning or afternoon in four hour time blocks. I made mine more than a month ahead of time and even so, all the dates of our trip were full or nearly full by the time I secured my spot. Read on below for more details and lots of photos.