When in Austin, why not go swimming in a constant 68-degree waters? Barton Springs Pool is an artisan spring-fed swimming hole located in Zilker Park. The park is 358 acres and Barton Springs is the crown jewel of Austin, Texas. 3 acres large, the pool has drawn people from all over the world and all walks of life. Many visitors to Austin, specifically make reservations at hotels near Zilker Park just to go swimming at Barton Springs.

Austin is fortunate that millions of years ago, this fourth largest natural springs in the state formed due to a land shift that created the Balcones Fault. Back in the late 1800s, Colonel Andrew Jackson Zilker donated the land to the state . Back when Zilker was 18, he left the comforts of his Indiana home to find his fortune. He landed in Austin with 50 cents in his pocket, found work at an ice plant, then purchased the ice plant, and later became the first Coca-Cola bottler in Texas. Zilker then had enough money to purchase the land in 1901 and turned it into a tourist destination, where people have gathered for centuries.

Before Zilker, the Native Americans knew the springs as ‘Sacred Springs’, where they would come to heal their wounds and illnesses. In 1730, Spanish friars set up temporary missions at the springs, then later moved to San Antonio. In 1837, William Barton built a rustic cabin on a tract of land that included the springs, hence the name ‘Barton Springs Pool’. There are actually 3 springs, and Barton named them after his 3 daughters: Zenobia, Eliza and Parthenia. Later, the largest spring is today considered the main spring and the one of the other two springs feeds the Elks Amphitheater pool, and the other bubbles up from the Sunken Garden located on the east side of Zilker park.

The fees are minimal, for Seniors it only cost $1, Adults – $3.00 and children ages 12 to 17 – $2. There is a parking fee of $3.00 from March through September and you can purchase a Summer Pass good through Memorial day to Labor Day.

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