Barton Springs Is Austin's Cold-Water Swimming Hole

Barton Springs feels like Austin's natural thermostat. Underground springs feed a three-acre pool in Zilker Park, and the water averages about 68 to 70 degrees. That can feel bracing in July and downright bold on a winter morning.

The same spring system is habitat for the endangered Barton Springs salamander. Swimming and conservation occupy the same patch of water, which helps explain the careful cleaning routine and the pool's unusual place in city life.

Admission varies by age and residency. Tickets are sold online, through the ATXSwims app, and at the entrances. Hours, guarded-swim periods, parking, and closures can change with cleaning, weather, flooding, or repairs, so use the city's visitor and pool-status pages on the day you go.