This Texas swimming hole stays 68 degrees year-round and the rope swings are legendary

Wimberley’s Blue Hole is the real deal

Forty-five minutes south of Austin, a creek runs cold and clear through a stretch of old cypress trees so thick they block out the sky.

The water comes from springs upstream and holds at 68 degrees, whether it’s March or August.

For the better part of a century, people have been coming to Blue Hole to cool off, and since the town nearly lost it to a 350-home subdivision, they’ve been coming with a little extra appreciation. The rope swings help.

The water stays cold because of what’s underground

Cypress Creek gets its water from Jacob’s Well, an artesian spring about 12 feet across that pulls from the Trinity Aquifer roughly 140 feet below the surface.

That water travels through Hill Country limestone before it reaches Blue Hole, and the rock filters it until it runs clear. Stand at the bank on a calm morning and you can see straight to the bottom.

The water runs blue-green because of the mineral content in the source, not because anyone painted it that way.

A century of swimming, almost lost to development

Wimberley started as a small trading post in the mid-1800s.

By the 1920s, the Dobie family opened Blue Hole to the public, and for decades it ran as an unofficial gathering spot for picnics, family reunions and church events.

In 2003, a developer announced plans for a 350-home subdivision and private tourist lodge on the property. The community pushed back hard.

A local family bought the land and held it while donations were raised. By 2005, the City of Wimberley acquired it with nearly $1.9 million in federal conservation funds.

Old-growth cypress trees line every inch of the bank

Most swimming holes give you a patch of grass and a parking lot.

Blue Hole gives you a cathedral of bald cypress trees, some of them old enough that nobody’s sure how long they’ve been standing.

They grow right out of the creek bank, roots spreading into the water, canopy closing over the swimming area. The water temperature holds because of the constant spring flow, but the shade doesn’t hurt.

Limestone access points were built into the banks specifically to keep foot traffic off those roots.

The rope swings are exactly what you’re picturing

They hang from chains fixed high in the cypress trees over the deep end, which runs about 20 feet down. You grab the ring handle, swing out over the water and let go.

The shallow end gives you room to wade in gradually if that’s more your speed. A grassy swim lawn runs along the bank for stretching out between swims.

Floats and inner tubes are welcome. Glass containers, grills and pets are not, so plan your cooler accordingly.

This park was built as a sustainability experiment

Blue Hole was selected as one of 25 pilot projects worldwide by the Sustainable Sites Initiative, which basically means it became a test case for how parks can be built without wrecking what makes them worth visiting.

Designers used cedar and stone pulled from the property itself. A rainwater collection system on the bathhouse roof waters the landscaping.

They removed invasive cedars, replanted native species, and kept paved surfaces to under 8 percent of the total site. That last number set a new benchmark for parks in the region.

National publications have taken notice

USA Today put Blue Hole in its top 10 swimming holes in the country in 2018. Travel + Leisure had it on their list of the top 12 best swimming holes back in 2010.

Texas Monthly ranked it second-best in the state in 2008.

TripAdvisor gave it a Travelers’ Choice award, landing it in the top 10 percent of attractions worldwide. The Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals handed it a Project Excellence Award in 2015.

That’s a lot of recognition for a spring-fed creek in a town of a few thousand people.

There’s more here than just the swimming hole

Beyond the water, the park runs 126 acres with a community pavilion, playscape, basketball court, sand volleyball court and soccer fields.

An amphitheater hosts concerts, outdoor movies and community events throughout the year. Summer brings nature camps for kids.

On select nights, the park teams up with the Wimberley Valley Dark Sky Committee and the Texas State Astronomy Club for star parties.

Everything outside the swim area, including trails, fields and the amphitheater grounds, is free and open without a reservation.

Plan your swim visit carefully

Swimming season runs from May 1 through Labor Day, plus weekends in September. Reservations are required and can be made through the Wimberley Parks and Recreation website.

Half-day passes cover either 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., so pick your window and book it before you make the drive.

If bacteria levels or water visibility drop below safe thresholds, swimming gets suspended for the day.

The trails, picnic areas and other recreation spots stay open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset, except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The creek connects Blue Hole to the rest of the valley

Cypress Creek doesn’t begin or end at Blue Hole. It starts at Jacob’s Well, flows through the center of Wimberley, passes through the park and eventually empties into the Blanco River.

Jacob’s Well Natural Area is a separate 81-acre preserve managed by Hays County, open to visitors and worth the side trip.

The spring there, 12 feet across and dropping 140 feet straight down, has been pulling water from deep underground for longer than anyone’s been around to measure it.

Wimberley Square has no chain stores and no apologies

Downtown Wimberley runs on independent businesses.

The square holds boutiques, art galleries and chef-owned restaurants, and you won’t find a single chain in the mix.

On the first Saturday of each month from March through December, Wimberley Market Days takes over with nearly 500 vendor booths.

Cypress Creek runs right through the square, lined by old cypress trees that look like they grew there on purpose.

The state gave Wimberley a Texas Cultural District designation for the arts scene, which is about as official as that kind of thing gets.

Old Baldy, glassblowing and a dance hall from 1870

Old Baldy is a short climb up 218 rock steps to a summit with 360-degree views of the Wimberley Valley. Cypress Creek Nature Preserve connects to Blue Hole on foot and adds more creekside trail.

Down in nearby San Marcos, Wimberley Glassworks runs live glassblowing demonstrations and keeps a gallery open alongside.

Within 50 miles of Wimberley, you’ll find several historic Texas dance halls, including Twin Sisters Hall, which has been going since 1870 and still hosts events.

Hit the trails at Blue Hole Regional Park

To swim at Blue Hole, head to 333 Blue Hole Lane in Wimberley. The park sits about 45 minutes south of Austin and roughly 90 minutes northeast of San Antonio.

Book your swimming reservation through the official Wimberley Parks and Recreation website before you go, and pick your half-day window early because slots fill up fast on summer weekends.

The 4.5 miles of hiking and biking trails are always free with no reservation needed, open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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