Business Hours
ClosedMonday
5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Tuesday
5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Wednesday
5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Thursday
5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Friday
5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Saturday
5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Sunday
5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Zilker Metropolitan Park
About
Austin, TX 78746, USA Get directions
Zilker Metropolitan Park sprawls across more than 300 acres along the Colorado River just southwest of downtown Austin, and it's the gateway to Barton Springs Pool, a spring-fed swimming hole that hovers around 68 degrees year-round. You'll find people picnicking on the Great Lawn, paddling Lady Bird Lake, and walking the trails here, and it's also home to the Zilker Botanical Garden and the annual Austin City Limits festival.
Park
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Barton Springs Pool
Austin
Barton Springs Pool is a three-acre spring-fed swimming hole in Zilker Park, where water bubbles up from the Edwards Aquifer to hold a steady 68–70°F year-round, cold enough to take your breath in summer and oddly tolerable in winter. Watch for the Barton Springs salamander, an endangered species found nowhere else, which is part of why the limestone-lined pool is managed as carefully as it is.
Swimming Pool
McKinney Falls State Park
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McKinney Falls sits where Onion Creek spills over wide limestone ledges on the southeast edge of Austin, forming the upper and lower falls that give the park its name and its swimming holes. Beyond the water, you'll find hike-and-bike trails through Hill Country woods, the ruins of an early stone homestead, and a bald cypress estimated to be centuries old—all within about a 15-minute drive of downtown.
State Park
Mueller Lake Park
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Set on the site of Austin's former municipal airport, Mueller Lake Park centers on a small lake ringed by a paved walking loop, gentle green slopes, and a hillside amphitheater that hosts community events and seasonal concerts. It's an easy, flat stroll that draws families, dog walkers, and joggers, and it sits within walking distance of the Mueller farmers market and nearby shops and restaurants.
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