Kelsey Bradshaw|Austin 360
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Temperatures are rising, and you know what that means.It's time to break out the swim gear and get your bod in some water.
We've rounded up public pools and swimming holes in Austin and the Central Texasarea. It's not all of them, but these should definitely be enough to keep you occupied this summer.
But be aware. A slew of Austin's public pools are currently closed, as they open seasonally; five are open year-round: Barton Springs, Deep Eddy, Big Stacy, Bartholomew and Springwoods pools.
In early May, Austin Parks and Recreation's aquatic team had 185 lifeguards on staff. The team needs 750 lifeguards to fully operate its pools for the summer, said Kanya Lyons, a Parks and Recreation spokeswoman. As of Saturday, 207 lifeguards were ready to start work, according toAquatic Supervisor Aaron Levine.
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Because ofthe lifeguard shortage, community pools will have tiered openings during the summer. The first pools to open starting June 6 will be:
- Balcones,12017 Amherst Drive
- Dick Nichols,8011 Beckett Road
- Dove Springs,5801 Ainez Drive
- Garrison, 6001 Menchaca Road
- Govalle,5200 Bolm Road
- Montopolis,1200 Montopolis Drive
- Northwest,7000 Ardath St.
- Rosewood,2300 Rosewood Ave.
- Shipe,4400 AvenueG
- Westenfield,2000 Enfield Road
The following Austin pools are currently closed, with opening dates not announced:
- Brentwood, 6710 Arroyo Seco
- Canyon Vista, 8455 Spicewood Springs Road
- Civitan, 513 Vargas Road
- Dittmar, 1009 W Dittmar Drive
- Dottie Jordan, 2803 Loyola Lane
- Gillis, 2410 Durwood Ave.
- Givens, 3811 E. 12th St.
- Kennemer, 200 Dawson Road
- Mabel Davis, 3427 Parker Lane
- Martin,1626 Nash Hernandez Sr. Drive
- Metz, 2309 Canterbury St.
- Murchison, 7022 Hart Lane
- Parque Zaragoza, 2611 Webberville Road
- Patterson, 4200 Brookview Drive
- Ramsey, 4201 Burnet Road
- Reed, 2614 Pecos St.
- Stacy Wading, 1401 Sunset Lane
- Walnut Creek, 12138 N Lamar Blvd.
- West Austin, 1317 W. 10th St.
Bartholomew, Barton Springs, Deep Eddy, Garrison, Mabel Davis, Northwest, Springwoods and Walnut Creek pools all require an entry fee. Fees start at $2 and can go up to $9.
News and updates about city pools, including how the lifeguard shortage is affecting openings and hours,can be found online ataustintexas.gov.
AUSTIN SWIMMING POOLS
Barton Springs Pool
2131 William Barton Drive
You know it, you love it, we love it. Barton Springs Pool is an Austin must for visitors and residents alike. The water is always cold,and there's plenty of lounging room on the grass for tanning, napping, reading and chatting. Bring your water, but not your outside food. More information can be found ataustintexas.gov/department/barton-springs-pool, where you also can keep up with the latest hours.
Deep Eddy Pool
401 Deep Eddy Ave.
This one's a gem, and not just because it's right next to Deep Eddy Cabaret and Pool Burger. The water is cool and the grassy space is shaded. We could spend the whole day here, jumping in for a minute or two and then getting out to dry off on the grass.
Deep Eddy is closed on the first Tuesday of each month. The pool is open every day from 9 a.m. to noon for lap swimming and noon to 8 p.m.for swimming. The shallow side of the pool is open at noon on weekdays.
More information:austintexas.gov/department/deep-eddy-pool.
Big Stacy Pool
700 East Live Oak St.
Check out this neighborhoodfamily-friendly spot for a nice, chill day. It haslap lanes and trees for shade and, best of all, it's free. More information:austintexas.gov/department/big-stacy-pool.
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Bartholomew Pool
1800 East 51st St.
If you've been itching for a thrillbut you don't feel like driving to a waterpark, we suggest Bartholomew Pool. It has water slides, as well as a wading pool and a lap pool. The parking lot next to the pool is nice and big, and the park comes with outdoor showers.More information:austintexas.gov/department/bartholomew-pool.
Springwoods Pool
13320LyndhurstSt.
Springwoods Pool is another spot with a water slide, thank goodness. It has lap lanes, too. Bring your goggles and floaties. More information:austintexas.gov/department/springwoods-pool.
Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park
614 Commons Ford Ranch
Your day in the sun at Commons Ford comes with a lot of history. The area was originally occupied by Native Americans from the Comanche and Tonkawa tribes before white settlers moved in. In the 1890s, a spring north of the park was a popular tourist attraction, where steamer ships would visit daily. The water was thought to be medicinal. (We're pretty sure that's still true today, though we don't have concrete proof.) The land was then privatized in the early 20th century, and a working cattle ranch began operating on the property. In 1983, the land was sold to the city.The Resaca Ranch and other buildings can still be found at the park today.
You can learn more about Commons Ford ataustintexas.gov/department/commons-ford-ranch.
Emma Long Metropolitan Park
1600 City Park Road
There's much to love about Emma Long Park. You can lay out right next to the water in soft grass. The park was called City Parkand was renamed for Emma Long in 1984. Long was an Austin City Council member starting in 1948. She reactivated the Parks Board and was the first woman to serve as mayor pro tem in 1967.
The park is open every day from7 a.m. to 10 p.m. More information:austintexas.gov/department/emma-long-metropolitan-park.
SWIMMING HOLES AND TUBING IN CENTRAL TEXAS
Bring cash for county park entry fees, which start at $5 and can go up to $7. Never jump into a swimming hole or other body of water before testing the depth, even if you've jumped into it in previous years.
Hamilton Pool Preserveis closed toswimming
Well, y'all. Hamilton Pool, truly a crown jewel of the Hill Country, is closed for the foreseeable future as rocks have been falling in and around the pool, Travis County officials said.
The county is working with geologists on the issue. The trail under the cliff that hangs over the pool is also closed.
"We do not expect to allow swimming this spring or summer," officials said.
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Bob Wentz Park
7144 Comanche Trail
You can scuba dive just 30 minutes from downtown Austin at Bob Wentz Park, according to Travis County officials. It has a rocky shoreline, grills, sand volleyball courts, showers, covered picnic tables and more.The park is open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. More information:parks.traviscountytx.gov/parks/bob-wentz.
Hippie Hollow Park
7000 Comanche Trail
Clothes are optional at this spot. Yes, you read that right. Something to keep in mind: You may need more sunscreen than usual if you plan to take a dip in the nude. The park is open everyday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. More information about the park, which sits on Lake Travis, atparks.traviscountytx.gov/parks/hippie-hollow.
Pace Bend Park
2805 Pace Bend Road North in Spicewood
Pace Bend Park has more than 9 miles of shoreline along Lake Travis. It has rocky coves and limestone cliffs, and according to Travis County officials,it's one of the most popular areas in the Highland Lakes region.The park is open every day from sunrise to civil twilight. More information:parks.traviscountytx.gov/parks/pace-bend.
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Sandy Creek Park
9500 Lime Creek Road in Leander
Take some time off to relax at Sandy Creek Park, which is in one of the quieter coves at Lake Travis. You can swim, camp and look for birds, like the endangered Golden-cheeked warbler. The park is open from sunrise to 8 p.m. More information:parks.traviscountytx.gov/parks/sandy-creek
Tom Hughes Park
12714 Hughes Park Road
You'll feel transported to a far-off coast at Tom Hughes. Be ready to hike and climb down rocks to get to the water's edge. The water is sparkling, and the lounging spots are aplenty—just pick a rock. The park is open every day through Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to civil twilight. More information:parks.traviscountytx.gov/parks/tom-hughes.
Mansfield Dam Park
4370 Mansfield Dam Park Road
Are you looking for an easy day? Perhaps one that does not require a hike? Head to Mansfield Dam Park. The water, at least the last time we went, was the perfect, perfect temperature— not too warm and not too cold. It's also easy to park at Mansfield Dam. More information:parks.traviscountytx.gov/parks/mansfield-dam.
Arkansas Bend Park
16900 Cherry Lane in Lago Vista
This park is on the north shore of Lake Travis near Lago Vista. Take a swim and then use one of the park's shaded picnic tables to eat lunch.The park is open every day from sunrise to civil twilight. More information:parks.traviscountytx.gov/parks/arkansas-bend.
Fritz Hughes Park
3100 Fritz Hughes Park Road
Head to Fritz Hughes for a relaxing day, we say. It is below Mansfield Dam on Lake Austin and has wooded and grassy areas for picnicking, fishing and basketball.
"Because of the narrow width of Lake Austin in this area, Fritz Hughes Park preserves much of the feel of the original steep-sloped Colorado River bottoms," Travis County officials said.
More information:parks.traviscountytx.gov/parks/fritz-hughes.
McKinney Falls State Park
5808 McKinney Falls Parkway
Take a hike and then take a dip at McKinney Falls State Park. You can swim in Onion Creek at the park. The park entrance fees are $6 per adult and free for kids 12 and younger. Park officials suggest making a reservation online so you can get a spot. More information:tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/mckinney-falls.
San Marcos River
401 East Hopkins St. in San Marcos
If you're looking for clearwater, rapids, endangered wild rice and tubing, you should head south to San Marcos to visit the river. Bring your own tube or rent one from Lion's Club Tube Rental. A float from Sewell Park to Rio Vista Park, where a shuttle will pick you up to take you back to the start, is about an hour long. If you don't feel like tubing, you can park your towel at Sewell Park or Rio Vista Park for lounging and quick dips.More information:sanmarcostx.gov/3420/San-Marcos-River.
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New Braunfels
You could probably close your eyes in New Braunfels,point from any area and find a spot to swim or tube. You can float on the Comal River or the Guadalupe River, or both if you're fancy. The city has lots of parks and plenty of tubing outfitters to choose from.
More information on the Comal River:nbtexas.org/2579/Comal-River-Info.
More information on the Guadalupe River:nbtexas.org/2580/Guadalupe-River-Info.
Krause Springs
424 Co. Road 404 inSpicewood
Up for a drive? Head out to Spicewood to visit Krause Springs. The area has 32 springs, which feed into a man-made pool for you to enjoy. Go for the day or stay and camp on site. More information:laketravis.com/lake-travis/krause-springs.
Blue Hole Regional Park
100 Blue Hole Lane in Wimberley
Blue Hole is a spring-fed swimming spot along Cypress Creek in Wimberley. Cypress trees surround the area, making for some nice shade on the grassy lawn. Blue Hole also has rope swings! The park is open for swimming next month and requires a reservation.More information:cityofwimberley.com/202/Blue-Hole-Regional-Park.
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Jacob’s Well Natural Area
1699 Mt. Sharp Road in Wimberley
Swimming at Jacob's Well is suspended for the foreseeable future because of threats of high bacteria levels, other pollutants and poor visibility, Hays County officials announced on June 29.
We're sure you've at least seen a photo of Jacob's Well. You know it— it's a hole ofbeautiful blue water in Wimberly. A cliff sits above the well, and trails surround the area. You have to make a reservation onlineif you want to swim at Jacob'sWell. If you want to skip the swim, you don't need a reservation for hiking. More information: hayscountytx.com/departments/hays-county-parks-recreation/jacobs-well-natural-area.
