Blue Hole Regional Park is a City of Wimberley park on Cypress Creek in Hays County, about 50 minutes southwest of Austin and a mile from the Wimberley Square. It’s best known for a spring-fed swimming hole under tall bald cypress trees, with rope swings and cold, clear water. Swimming runs May through September and needs a pass booked online, since most summer days sell out.
At a Glance
- Drive time: about 50 min from Austin; 80 from San Antonio
- Swim fee: $15 adults; $10 ages 4–12 and 60+
- Hours: park 8 a.m.–sunset; swims 9–1 and 2–6
- Reservations: required to swim; on sale March 1
- Dogs: yes, but not on the swim lawn or in the water
- Swim season: May 1–Labor Day, then September weekends
- Swimming: no lifeguards; 1 to 18+ feet deep
- Camping: no public camping
- Best time: weekday mornings, May and June
- Closures: swim area closed October to April
- Run by: City of Wimberley, (512) 660-9111
On This Page
- Swimming at Blue Hole
- Swim Passes and Reservations
- Trails and the Rest of the Park
- Camping
- Best Time to Visit
- What Visitors Say
- Getting There
- Know Before You Go
- Nearby Parks
- FAQ
- Sources and Official Links
Swimming at Blue Hole
Blue Hole is a spring-fed stretch of Cypress Creek inside Blue Hole Regional Park, shaded by old bald cypress trees. Swimming is allowed only in the 3-acre swim area, only in swim season and only with a half-day pass or season pass. There are no lifeguards.
What the Water Is Like
The swimming hole is small, deep in the middle and cold all summer.
- Depth runs from 1 foot to more than 18 feet, according to the City. Visitors describe a shallow end where small children can stand
- Cold, clear water is the most common praise in reviews. Some swimmers find it too cold to stay in long
- Two or three rope swings hang from the cypress trees. Climbing or jumping from the trees is banned, and staff remove anyone who does it with no refund
- Free life jackets are lent first come, first served, and ladders help swimmers climb out
- The bottom is rocky and slippery, so water shoes help. Small fish nibble, and the City says snakes live in the creek but are rarely seen in the busy swim area
Water Levels and Closures
Blue Hole depends on rain and groundwater. Jacob’s Well, the main spring feeding Cypress Creek, has read zero flow at its USGS gauge since August 17, 2026 (provisional data), and the swimming hole dropped 17 inches over the 2026 season. In 2023, low water closed swimming from August 21 for the rest of the season.
The City also closes the swim area for unsafe E. coli levels or murky water and posts weekly test results. Lightning within 10 miles clears the water for 30 minutes. Floods and lightning closed 10 sessions in 2026.
What to Bring and What to Leave
The swim area allows a full picnic setup but not much else.
- Allowed: food and drinks, small coolers, camp chairs, blankets, floats and inner tubes, and pop-up shade tents up to 12 by 12 feet
- Not allowed: alcohol, glass, smoking or vaping, speakers, bikes, drones, grills, tent stakes, kayaks, paddleboards, large rafts and extra-large inflatables
- On site: restrooms and changing rooms near the swim lawn and $5 lockers, but no showers. Visitors also report an air pump for floats
- Kids: children 12 and under must be with an adult 18 or older
Swim Passes and Reservations
Every swimmer needs a pass bought online before arriving. Blue Hole sells nothing at the gate and keeps no waitlist. A half-day pass covers one of two slots, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and each slot holds 280 guests plus up to 30 season pass holders.
Half-Day Pass Prices
These are the 2026 prices, which the City kept for 2027.
- Adults 13–59: $15 per slot
- Youth 4–12, seniors 60+ and military: $10
- Wimberley residents (78676 ZIP): $6, any age
- Ages 3 and under: free
- Full day: buy both slots ($30 for an adult), which also covers the 1 to 2 p.m. break
- Add-ons: a swim-lawn picnic table or a fixed umbrella, $25 each, swim passes not included
Prices rose for 2026 from $12 for adults and $8 for youth and seniors, and the City Council left them unchanged for 2027 on September 17, 2026. As a city park, Blue Hole doesn’t take the Texas State Parks Pass. Confirm prices on the City’s half-day pass page before booking.
Booking Tips
Booking early matters more than anything else here.
- Half-day passes go on sale March 1 at 10 a.m. for any date in the season
- Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends fill first, and the City says most swim days sell out
- Check in at the window for a wristband, which allows re-entry during the slot
- Cancel at least a week ahead for a 50% refund, or move the date. Inside a week, there are no changes or refunds
- Passes are refunded in full if the City closes the swim area for half the slot or more. Blue Hole doesn’t close for rain alone, and there are no refunds based on a forecast
Season Passes and Wimberley Nights
Season passes ($175 adults, $150 youth, $125 seniors and military, $100 residents) skip reservations. Sales open March 1 for Wimberley residents and April 1 for everyone else. They’re capped at about 400 a year, sold out in 2026 and aren’t refundable, even if drought ends swimming early.
Wimberley Nights, an evening swim on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., is for Wimberley residents only ($2). Out-of-town visitors can’t swim after 6 p.m.
Trails and the Rest of the Park
The rest of Blue Hole Regional Park is free, needs no reservation and is open all year from 8 a.m. to sunset. The 126-acre park has color-coded trails the City puts at more than 5 miles, plus a playground, one basketball court, a sand volleyball court, soccer fields, a pavilion and an amphitheater.
| Trail | Miles | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Blue circle | 0.25 | Short route to the swim area |
| Orange star (Story Walk) | 0.30 | Family loop past the overlook |
| Pink cross (Payne Family Buckeye) | 0.33 one way | Narrow and winding |
| Brown square | 0.43 one way | Bluff above Deer Creek, old trees |
| Purple triangle | 0.50 | Loop around fields and courts |
| Green | 0.51 one way | Along Deer Creek, a wet-weather creek |
| Yellow heart (Cate Moore Trail) | 0.52 one way | Along Cypress Creek toward downtown |
| Red diamond (Hike and Bike Trail) | 0.92 one way | Most popular; mild paved switchback |
Miles are from the City’s 2026 trail map (PDF) and count solid lines only; dotted connectors add more. The red Hike and Bike Trail joins a Hays County trail that runs another 2.2 miles.
Trail Tips
The trails are short and easy, and a few details help.
- Free view: the Overlook Trail looks down on the swim area from the bluff, the only way to see the water in season without a pass
- Signs: new color-coded markers went in through 2025 and 2026, after reviewers found the trails poorly marked
- Dogs: allowed on the trails. The last leash rule the City published (2022) was dogs on leash
- Bikes: allowed on the trails; motor vehicles aren’t
Camping
Blue Hole Regional Park has no public camping. Its primitive camping area (10 sites, $70 a night) is rented only to scout groups. The one public overnight option is the City’s ticketed Creekside Campout ($30), next held November 14, 2026. For a campsite near Wimberley, see Nearby Parks below.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to swim at Blue Hole is a weekday morning in May or June, when the creek is usually fuller and the morning slot has the most shade. The swim area closes from October through April, but the trails and lawn stay open and free.
- Spring (March to April): quiet trails, no swimming. Passes go on sale March 1
- Summer (May to August): swimming every day. June and July weekends sell out, holiday weekends first, and dry summers bring lower water by August
- Fall (September to November): swimming on September weekends only, while the water lasts. Fall and spring bring City events such as a Star Party
- Winter (December to February): no swimming. The swim lawn closes November 30 to December 11, 2026 for dock, rope swing and lawn work
What Visitors Say
Blue Hole Regional Park averages about 4.6 stars across roughly 400 Google reviews from November 2024 to October 2026, in line with its 4.6 lifetime rating across about 2,240 reviews. Ratings dipped in the second year, mostly over crowds and value in August 2026.
- Water: cold, clear spring water and cypress shade are the most repeated praise
- Families: most reviewers came with kids and liked the rope swings, life jackets and no-alcohol rule. Some teens and young adults found it too small to fill a whole slot
- Crowds: many say the ticket cap keeps it from feeling packed. Others found even weekdays shoulder to shoulder
- Reservations: the most common 1-star story is driving out without a pass and being turned away
- Size and value: “small” comes up even in 5-star reviews, and some out-of-town visitors felt the price and drive weren’t worth it
- Water quality: a few found it murky late in the day or green after the June 2025 floods
- Staff: check-in staff often get praise; a few reviews describe curt staff at closing time
- Google Maps: a second listing called “Blue hole Swimming Area” has no hours or booking details. The official listing is “Blue Hole Regional Park”
Getting There
Blue Hole Regional Park is at 333 Blue Hole Lane in Wimberley, about a mile northeast of the Wimberley Square. From the square, head east on Ranch Road 12, continue straight onto Old Kyle Road, then turn left on Blue Hole Road into the park.
Drive times to the park:
- Austin: about 50 minutes (38 miles), by way of Kyle and RM 150
- San Antonio: about 1 hour 20 minutes (63 miles), by way of San Marcos and RM 12
- Houston: about 3.5 hours
- Dallas: about 4 hours 15 minutes
A few things to know before driving out:
- Parking: free. The main lot is about a 3-minute walk from the swim area, and overflow lots are 5 to 10 minutes away
- Address: older listings say 100 Blue Hole Lane; the City now uses 333 Blue Hole Lane
- Gate: it locks at sunset, and anyone still inside has to call the sheriff’s department to get out
- Valuables: keep them out of sight in the car
Know Before You Go
Blue Hole is a small city park with strict swim-area rules. These fees, rules and tips matter most.
- Fees and passes: half-day swim passes cost $15 for adults, $10 for ages 4–12, seniors and military, and $6 for Wimberley residents (full list in Swim Passes and Reservations). The rest of the park is free. The Texas State Parks Pass doesn’t apply
- Booking: passes are sold online only, from March 1 at 10 a.m., with no walk-ups or waitlist. Changes need a week’s notice
- Hours: the park is open 8 a.m. to sunset daily, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Swim slots run 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m., daily May 1 to Labor Day, then September weekends
- Alcohol and smoking: banned everywhere in the park, vaping included, even in the parking lot
- Glass and drones: no glass in the swim area, and no drones anywhere
- Grills: permanent grills sit near the parking lot, outside the swim area. They can’t be used during a Hays County burn ban, which was on as of October 30, 2026
- Fishing and boats: no fishing anywhere in the park, and no kayaks or paddleboards
- Dogs: welcome in the park but not on the swim lawn or in the water. Service animals may go on the swim lawn on leash but not into the water
- What to bring: the pass confirmation, water shoes, sunscreen, bug spray, a float and some shade if no table is rented
Check conditions first: the swim area closes for floods, lightning, low water and unsafe water quality, and the park can close for events. Check the Blue Hole Regional Park page or call (512) 660-9111 before driving out.
Nearby Parks
Four other TrekTexas guides with swimming are within about an hour of Blue Hole.
- Hamilton Pool Preserve: about 29 miles north near Dripping Springs, a grotto swimming hole under a 50-foot waterfall that also needs a reservation
- Pedernales Falls State Park: about 34 miles northwest, with river swimming, about 40 miles of trails and a large campground
- McKinney Falls State Park: about 37 miles northeast in Austin, with swimming below the Upper Falls and 81 campsites
- Guadalupe River State Park: about 46 miles west near Spring Branch, with river swimming, tubing and camping
- More parks within reach of Austin: Parks Near Austin
FAQ
Is Blue Hole in Austin?
No. Blue Hole Regional Park is in Wimberley, about 50 minutes southwest of downtown Austin. Georgetown, north of Austin, has a different city park called Blue Hole Park.
Is Blue Hole the same as Jacob’s Well?
No. Jacob’s Well Natural Area is a separate Hays County park upstream, and its spring is the main source of Cypress Creek. Smaller springs downstream let Blue Hole stay open when Jacob’s Well is closed to swimming.
Can visitors swim at Blue Hole without a reservation?
No. Every swimmer needs a half-day or season pass bought online, and walk-ups are turned away. The trails and the view from the Overlook Trail are free.
Can visitors bring tubes to Blue Hole?
Yes, floats and inner tubes are allowed. Large rafts, extra-large inflatables, kayaks and paddleboards aren’t, and one 2026 reviewer had to deflate a two-person tube.
Is Blue Hole open in winter?
The park is open all year from 8 a.m. to sunset, but swimming closes from October through April so the creek banks and lawn can recover. Swimming reopens May 1, 2027.
Can visitors camp at Blue Hole?
No. Camping is for scout groups only, apart from the occasional ticketed Creekside Campout. Pedernales Falls, McKinney Falls and Guadalupe River state parks all have campsites within about an hour.
Sources and Official Links
Facts in this guide were last checked in October 2026 against these sources.
- Blue Hole Regional Park (City of Wimberley Parks and Recreation)
- Half-day swim passes and prices and season passes
- Swimming FAQs
- Trail map (PDF)
- Water quality test results
- Jacob’s Well spring flow (USGS)
Featured photo: Ashton Brown
Get More Texas Outdoor Adventure Tips
Subscribe to get more places to explore in the great outdoors of Texas. We’ll never share your email. Unsubscribe any time.
