Hamilton Pool--Almost Impossible to Describe

As you leave the parking lot and look around, you think to yourself, 'What's so special about this place?' If you're familiar with the Texas Hill Country's tendency to hide beautiful limestone bed creeks with semi-tropical vegetation flanking the banks, you reserve judgement and hope for the best. I like bringing first-time visitors here because it is fun to hear their comments as Hamilton Pool comes into view.

The first highlight is the pleasant surprise of going from almost desert scrub to this place. The former cave walls overarch the circular lagoon and are dripping with maiden hair fern, carpet moss and leggy yellow and red columbines. Think of a round, blue lagoon with a 100-foot high limestone cliff encircling half of its shore line. Now, see water cascading over most of this cliff's edge during wet times. It reminds me of that scene in the original move Lost Horizon where they are trekking through the harsh, inhospitable mountains and come upon Shangri-La. Maybe I'm exaggerating. You'll have to see for yourself.

Quick Tips:

It is crowded on the weekends during the summer. If you want to see it in summer, go during the week. Call 512-264-2740 to verify swimming is allowed that day. My favorite time of year to go is spring because the wild flowers are beautiful; it's warm enough to swim but not so hot that the non-swimmer will be miserable. It is also less crowded than summer.

Fall and winter do not provide as much wildflower interest; but, are the least crowded times--you'll often have it to yourself even on a weekend morning. Since the Hill Country receives relatively more rain in fall and winter, you'll see the falls at their best.

FYI--The Travis County Parks Dept. doesn't allow pets, fires, fishing, glass, overnight camping or diving off the cliffs. Up at the parking area there is a restroom and coke machine; but, down in the grotto area there are no water fountains.

Best Way To Get Around:

There is no public transporation to the pool. From Austin, take Highway 71 west; one mile after you cross Ranch Road 620 you'll see the sign for Hamilton Pool Road. After you turn left (the only way you can turn) onto Hamilton Pool Road you'll start down into the Pedernales River valley. Go slowly because these will be 10 miles of hairpin curves on a narrow road with a one-lane, low-water bridge near the end. If you drive slowly you'll likely see at least one roadrunner, a jackrabbit and several deer. If you drive too fast you'll possibly be getting estimates for deer collision damage to your front hood.

Austin has a number of popular casual eateries that attract the Sunday morning unrushed, lots of coffee refills crowd. Austin Java Company is a combination coffee bar, breakfast, lunch and dinner bistro. Often, if one of these bistros become very popular, with long lines on weekend mornings, a second location will appear somewhere less central. Unfortunately, the second and third locations will frequently be located in suburban settings and somehow fail to hold the same appeal.

The beautiful outdoor/indoor spot chosen for one of Austin Java Company's new locations is an exception to the bland-suburban-copy-of-the-original-thing syndrome. It is in the same location as the famous Backyard at Beecaves music venue. Lovely wooden decks overlook the backyard's stage and picnic seating area. Huge, 500-year old live oaks ring the Backyard stage area. So far, maybe because the location is new, the restaurant is never crowded unless the Backyard is staging a performance. At that time there is no space to move, you have to wait in line, and you can't sit on the deck unless you are a VIP. But, when the Backyard is quiet this is a beautiful place to come for a leisurely, cheap Tex-Mex breakfast or poached eggs benedict. Lunch and dinner are good as well--I especially like their spicy African Peanut soup, the crawfish quesadillas and the sesame noodle salad--although not all at the same meal. Their servings are huge.

About 25 years ago Rosie's started out as a typical, small tamale house. Now, after word of its consistently good food service has spread, there are five locations around town. These countryside locations on Hwy 71-West are my favorite because they were the first and are almost across the highway from the Backyard music venue. They have served the likes of Willie Nelson, Tom Landry, Walter Cronkite, Robert Redford and Mrs. J and her family. On one of our visits my son was trying to win a toy out of the vending machine game where you put a quarter in and try to pick up a small stuffed animal with the robot arm. He went through three or four quarters and was very upset when I wouldn't give him more. The cashier came over with a big bag of quarters and let him try until he got one. Now, that's what I call friendly.

The food is typical Tex-Mex. Fresh tortillas, everything homemade, big servings, very inexpensive. This location does not serve alcoholic beverages; but, you can bring your own. The other location, just up the highway from this one at 13303 Hwy 71 west, serves take out only. A great place to eat fajitas and get stoked up for a performance at the Backyard.

Located right across the street from the Backyard at Bee Cave, Texas, this small, family restaurant serves fried seafood dishes and chicken. Their fried catfish and scallops are especially good. It is not too fancy, very friendly, and a good place to eat seafood with your family before a performance at the Backyard. They aren't a health food restaurant--it is mostly fried seafood--but sometimes thats what you want.

The family that used to own this land had a little shed erected in a caliche (limestone dirt) parking area. They provided a donations box, a trash can, a porta potty and a picnic table at the parking area. The trail down into the sunken grotto containing this natural wonder was steep, but fairly well maintained. Rumor was the family didn't really want the public using this swimming hole because teens kept diving off the 100 foot cliff into the pool below, scaring everyone to death. Every time that I went there in the late 70's with college friends I'd see boys jumping. I'd always watch anxiously for their heads to surface.

Finally, in the 80's Travis County acquired the land and made it a park. Now there are real restrooms up in the parking area and a $5 per vehicle entry fee. When you leave the unimpressive parking area and head down into the deep grotto formed by the collapse of a cave, you'll begin to hear the sound of water running over the edges of 100 foot high limestone cliffs. Because this was once an underground river, part of the Edwards Aquifer, the limestone cliffs that surround it, arch over it and form sort of a partial roof. The water falls from the spring fed creek overhead and hits the pool about 70 feet from its edges. Some swimmers like to lie on floats and let the water fall on their backs. I've tried that and found it painful.

In wet times the falls almost completely cover the semi-circular, over-arching cliffs. In dry times, like most of summer, the falls narrow to a 10 foot wide, 100 foot tall sprinkle. Half the circular pool is ringed with a beach-- that sandy beach being, in turn, flanked by tall trees that don't provide shade. The other 180 degrees of this circular, deep lagoon are sheltered by the remains of the cavern. This part, with its partial limestone roof stays wet with spring water seepage and supports colonies of maiden hair fern, columbines and carpet moss. The boulders are slippery and dangerous.

People are drawn to this over-arched section of the shore-line because it is shaded by the partial cavern roof. Each time I have gone I've seen visitors perched on the boulders behind the falls line enjoying the cool spray from their shaded balconies. The park discourages this activity as well as cliff diving. While the diving seems to have stopped, visitors can't seem to resist exploring the interesting area behind the water fall line, at the base of the over-arching cliffs.

Here we are living in this beautiful hilly country west of Austin, our house backed up to a creek that runs clear and cool over a limestone rock bed and still getting caught up in the daily routine of work, school for the kids, boy scout meetings, hockey practice, and on and on.

Just four or five miles away is a place called The Backyard where Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Tracy Chapman, Lyle Lovett and many other talented musicians perform on an amazing outdoor stage in the shade of majestic 500 year old oak trees. I drive past this place at least once a week and always think, we should take the kids and a blanket and go to the next performance. Willie Nelson and family will be there tonight. The problem is that we don't make up our minds to do it until too late. This is a very small venue and tickets to popular performances go fast--especially in a music loving city like Austin. If the show is a seated show they can only get 3200 people in there. If its general admission you can squeeze in 4500. It is a very family friendly location, being outdoors and picnicky. You have to buy your food and drinks there, which is fine. You should definitely bring a blanket and maybe a stadium cushion to sit on. If you have any questions about The Backyard call 512/263-4146. P.S. The acoustics are good.