Hamilton Pool — Attraction in Lakeway

I would give this place a five star review but they have changed their policies during the summer and now require online reservations to get in between the months of May and September. The cost is $26 per vehicle so you should highly consider carpooling if at all possible. There are two time slots available during any given day they have availability. The first slot is the morning slot which is 9am-1pm and the second one is the afternoon slot which is 2pm-6pm. The afternoon slot says 6pm but you actually have to be back up to the parking lot before then since they close the pool at 5:30 and require everyone to leave by 6pm. NO pets are allowed. They are not allowed on a leash or even to be left in your car. Now after ALL that being said ... here is what I have to say about the pool itself : This place is magical. The feel that you get when you look over a beautiful landscape or even a national park is what you get from this preserve. It is so relaxing and if you have a blanket then you can find a spot on the big rocks to just lie down and chill with your friends or fam. We usually bring some light sandwiches and a couple of water bottles. The waterfall is usually flowing at least a little even if there hasn't been a lot of rain but it just depends on the recent rainfall. The water is an interesting color and there are plenty of fish and turtles to watch while you are enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. I imagined it would be smelly and kind of gross but it's really not at all! I am honestly not sure that I would swim in the water but it's also a lot more pleasant and clean than what I had thought it would be. Swimming is not guaranteed due to bacteria levels so you should definitely check their website beforehand and don't forget to make your reservation if it is summer time! Make sure you empty your bladder before going down to the pool. The hike sucks to have to come back just to...

A beautiful place to check out if you're near Austin. Parking is $15 cash only. I came here during the winter time so we were able to get in easily. On their website, it said you don't need to make reservations as of right now. Always check their website for updates as the pool may be closed due to bad weather. Currently right now, there is no swimming. No pets are allowed or alcohol.

After you paid the parking fee, they will give you a parking ticket to display on your dashboard. Keep the ticket because it can get you into other places such as the Hippie Hollow Park. Valid only for that day.

After you've parked, follow the trail to the pool. The beginning of the trail is a bit rocky so make sure you're careful going down the rocks. There is a station with walking sticks. I would suggest getting one. It's quite useful if you're clumsy like me. There are also people coming back from the pool so take turn letting each other go first. On the trail, you get a nice view of nature.

The pool has a small waterfall. Great place to take pictures. The day that I came was especially cold so there were a few icicles hanging. Some areas were blocked off at this time. Not much to do since there is no swimming. You can just enjoy the waterfall and nature. I will definitely have to come back in the summer to get the...

Finally had an opportunity to visit Hamilton Pool Preserve. I was meeting some friends at Commons Ford Park so I made reservations. That has GOT to be the dumbest process. Pay on-line and then pay ONLY cash in person for each person when you arrive. They have been plagued by people reserving all the spots & reselling them. Not sure this new process is helping much. Just collect all money ahead of time and only let the folks in who register. It's how practically everything else in the world works. This place is insanely popular, so it would work and reduce the # of resold tickets. Anyway, that frustration aside, it was a pleasant visit. The place is spectacular even in the dry season when I went. You hike about .25 mile down a very slick path. It's all exposed limestone that has been worn down so be very careful. This is not close to an ADA flat road, so you've been warned. At the bottom, you can go left .75 miles to the river or right a couple hundred yards to the pool. You can no longer walk behind the falls because the ceiling is now unstable but you can still enjoy the scenery. I think you can swim, but it was a no go for me in January! Definitely a place you should attempt to visit, just be prepared for a very Byzantine process and...