No swimming at Hamilton Pool for foreseeable future

One of Central Texas’ most beautiful watering holes is open, but you can’t swim there any time soon. Hamilton Pool Preserve, just across the northern Hays County line in Travis County, has announced no swimming is allowed for the foreseeable future due to falling rocks. This is one of multiple factors that have resulted in other area swimming holes like Blue Hole and Jacob’s Well reaching capacity seemingly everyday.

“Following the big freeze in February rocks have been falling with increased frequency at many locations in and around the pool,” a statement on the Hamilton Pool website reads. “We are working with geologists to assess the hazard. We do not expect swimming to be allowed this summer.”

Additionally, Travis County Parks has closed off the trail that runs under the overhanging cliff. The Saturday morning guided hikes at Hamilton Pool Preserve are also suspended until further notice, although park officials hope to resume them later this summer. Visitors can access the beach, but cannot walk all the way around the pool to below the waterfall.

This is one of the things that has caused a strain on local swimming holes like Jacob’s Well and Blue Hole.

“There are only so many places to swim in Hays County or nearby,” Richard Shaver, parks director for the city of Wimberley said. “Once you close down one of the Texas-gem swimming holes, for even a week, much less the entire summer, you can see effects on all of the others.”

Both Shaver and Jay Taylor, park lead for Hays County Parks, said demand for swimming in the Wimberley Valley has gone through the roof. They said the closure of Hamilton Pool had an impact, but they also felt it was the rush of people getting outside following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Typically we see our reservations book out two weeks in advance; however, this summer we are looking at two months in advance,” Taylor said. “We are thinking the underlying cause is people trying to get out since they have been cooped up over the last year due to Covid. I think that is the majority of the reason behind it. Having Hamilton Pool close would add to that effect, but there is no real way to gauge how much. I would imagine it has contributed… We are seeing unprecedented levels of attendance for the swimming season.”

Whatever the cause is, the result is a jam-packed swim season.

As of this week, every swimming reservation at Jacob’s Well is booked for the next two months and every weekend is booked for the rest of the swimming season. Reservations for Blue Hole, which has more capacity than Jacob’s Well, is also nearly booked out on weekends for the rest of the swim season. Reservations are available during the week, but they are now starting to reach capacity on weekdays also.

“We would normally sell out a week in advance for a weekend,” Shaver said. “Most of the time we wouldn’t sell out at all during a weekday. There is exponential growth from 2019 to 2021.”

While reservations may be hard to come by, there are options available for locals. Locals get a discount on reservations during the week, which cost $6 a person. But, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights, the swimming area at Blue Hole Regional Park is closed and emptied. Starting at 6:30 p.m., only those with a 78676 zip code are allowed in and the price is discounted to $2 a person for Wimberley Nights. Swimming continues until 8:30 p.m.

“We’ve had great attendance for Wimberley Nights,” Shaver said. “We have reached capacity a few times. It is first come first serve, but I’d say if you show up at 6:30 there is a pretty good chance you’ll get in.”

Proof that you live in the 78676 zip code is required to attend Wimberley Nights.

To make reservations at Blue Hole Regional Park, visit https://bluehole.checkfront.com/reserve.

To make reservations at Jacob’s Well Natural Area, visit http://jwna.checkfront.com/reserve

Even though swimming is not allowed at Hamilton Pool, reservations are still required to enter the park. Visit https://parks.traviscountytx.gov/reservations.

“Typically we see our reservations book out two weeks in advance; however, this summer we are looking at two months in advance… We are seeing unprecedented levels of attendance for swimming season.”

Jay Thompson

Park Lead for Hays County Parks