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Natural, Cooling, and Fun
NHamilton Pool Preserve, a historic public swimming hole, was
designated a preserve by the Travis County Commissioner’ s Court in 1990. Hamilton Creek spills over natural limestone outcroppings to create a 50 foot waterfall as it plunges into the head of a steep box canyon. The waterfall never completely dries up, but in dry times it does slow to a trickle. However, the pool’ s water level stays pretty constant, even during periods of drought.
The preserve is home to the Golden-Cheeked Warbler, and a great variety of other birds. The diverse vegetation of Hamilton Pool ranges from semi-arid species in the uplands to riparian species in the canyon. Several rare plant species including canyon mockorange, red bay( western-most colony of this eastern species), and chatter box orchid are known to occur in the canyon areas along Hamilton Creek.
Hamilton Pool Preserve is a part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve( BCP). The BCP is a 30,428 acre system of endangered species habitat owned by Travis County, the City of Austin, The Nature Conservancy, the Lower Colorado River Authority, Travis Audubon Society, as well as privately owned lands. The BCP represents a regional effort to balance protection of endangered species habitat with economic development.
Public swimming is accessed along a 1 / 4 mile trail. Hamilton Pool is located West of Austin on Hamilton Pool Road, off Hwy 71. Bring your towel, but remember no pets allowed( but check out our list of great local dog parks).
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