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Austin Activities

Barton Springs Pool

3 reviews | Write a review

Good for: Families

  • Address
    • 2101 Barton Springs Rd
  • Phone
    • 512-867-3080
    • 512-476-9044
    • hr hotline: 24
  • Price
    • adult/under 11yr/junior mid-Mar–Oct $3/1/2, Nov–mid-Mar free, parking $3
  • Hours
    • 5am-10pm, closed for cleaning 9am-7pm Thu

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Lonely Planet review for Barton Springs Pool

Hot? Not for long. Even when the temperature hits 100, you’ll be shivering in a jiff after you jump into this icy-cold natural spring pool.

 

Traveller reviews for Barton Springs Pool (3)

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    Great place to take friends and family with swimsuits

    elsaj82 recommends this,

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    Nice cold pool to cool off in, great diving boards!

    lcfranks recommends this,

    Great activity just outside downtown Austin. Pool water is very cold. Diving boards are fun. Lots of activities in this little section of Austin (train, playground, ice cream, etc.)

    Good for: Families

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    The true historic, geographic and spiritual center of Austin

    colonelplink recommends this,

    The pool is a dammed-up spring, resulting in bracingly cool water and natural flora and fauna to view while you swim. The main spring itself is about 10ft below the surface to the left of the diving board, coming out in a wet wind at varying rates based on rainfall in the area. This is why Austin is where it is: the giant spring on a large creek near its confluence with what became the Colorado River attracted native peoples long ago, and continues to do so.

    The three philosophers immortalized in bronze at the entrance to the pool (Bedichek, Webb, and Dobie) are attended by quotations about nature generally or the place specifically. Most notable is Prescott Webb, who observes that "Civilization shouts, gives orders, writes rules, puts man in institutions, and intimidates him with a thousand irritating directives. In return it offers him protection, soul salvation, and a living if he can find it. Nature looks down on him and broods in silence. Its noises of running streams and wind in the trees are its own, not directed at but soothing to him because he heard them before he heard the noises of civilization."

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