Vacation Photo Log 2026 - Texas Hill Country Edition - Chapter Two: Hamilton Pool
Last summer, my wife and I spent 10 days at the Grand Canyon, specifically Star Party 2025. This year we decided to stay a little closer to home and rented a tiny house South of Austin as our base of operations to further explore the Texas Hill Country.
Last trip to the Texas Hill Country, we visited Blue Hole, a chilly, crystal clear, spring fed swimming hole. Not very photogenic. This trip we headed to the very photogenic Hamilton Pool Preserve. We were looking forward to cool crystal clear water and being able to explore into the grotto eroded out of the limestone formations there (more rocks, yay!).
Unfortunately, thanks to "snowmaggedon" in 2021, this is what we were greeted with (Nikor AF 70-300mm):
During the freeze in February of 2021, frozen wedges of water pried loose several big slabs of limestone that crashed into the pool and the trail around the pool. The Travis County Park Service closed the trails on top of and into the grotto area, as well as closing off 3/4 of the swimming area shortly after and it remains closed (Rokinon 14mm):
A few more shots of Hamilton Pool as I could see it (Nikor AF 70-300mm):
Still glad we got a chance to swim there, in spite of a lack of "photogenity"!
One more shot of the always photogenic Mr. B and Baby (Nikor AF 70-300mm):
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I especially like the ferns growing out of the rock, and reaching down! All the rocks are very picturesque too.
And the horses are gorgeous!
I sent our host a few pictures of "the boys" and she came over to thank me. "Are you a professional photographer?" What a nice compliment! She plans on printing them off and maybe adding them to the decoration of her "petite maison" pictured below (Nikkor AF 70-300mm):
