With the promise of a truly scorching summer on the horizon, it is never too early to plan a cool escape. Austin always beckons with great restaurants, a vibrant scene, and of course clean refreshing Hill Country Rivers.

Now add Hamilton Pool Preserve to the list. If the mercury creeps over 100, this oasis offers a cool escape every day.

One day last summer, some friends and I pulled off Hamilton Pool Road onto the short driveway right after 9 a.m. During the summer months it is important to arrive as early as possible since visitors line up long before opening time. The small park is extremely popular and by noon there is a long line of waiting cars. Park staff limit the number of visitors to protect the fragile environment.

Fortunately, after five minutes we pulled into the small parking lot after paying our $10 entrance fee. What may seem a steep fee is worth every cent. The sun was already baking the air, hung out to dry amidst the brittle junipers.

We quickly packed picnic foods and water into a pack and started towards the trail.

A narrow dusty path leads towards a short steep drop over slippery boulders and rolling gravel. Around a bend the first massive trees of the oasis welcome visitors.

Milder temperatures prevail and the sunlight, bouncing harsh and white off the rocks atop the rim rock, turns a filtered jade in the canyon.

A sharp right along a partly paved trail leads past moist grottoes of clinging ferns and cool limestone, past a miniature wetland with minnows and frogs to the actual pool. A natural amphitheater encircles a pool of emerald waters, setting a stage to many tranquil and refreshing hours of swimming and loafing on the rocks. A semicircle of 40-foot overhangs cover most of the swimming area and along the flat shoreline, trees throw leafy shade over the water.

It quickly becomes more apparent why it is important to arrive early. We staked a towel-sized piece of flat dirt before taking out first dip. The water was deep, dark and cold. Swimming towards the center of the pool, water pours off a several large stalactites, creating small waterfalls.

Water flows year round, but may slow to a trickle during the hottest months.

The pool’s environs fill quickly with people and a short trail leading through the canyon offers some reprieve from the crowd. Immense cypress trees grow from sluggish sections of water. In other spots, the creek runs swiftly over smooth rocks under dappled light. The canyon bottom abounds with wildlife and rare plants. The trail ends abruptly at the steep bank of the Pedernales River.

When we returned to the pool with the sun leaning towards the west, a regular ritual of singing and drumming had begun. Several locals with guitars and bongos filled the cavernous space with music. The blue-lipped children still clung to colorful inflatables, while several guys angered the park ranger by jumping off the rocks. In a nearby thicket a coral snake, mostly ignored, slowly crawled out of sight.

We did the only sensible thing and went for another swim before lying down to watch the sky turn deep blue in the evening light.

Know Before You Go

Before visiting, check ahead, as the pool is occasionally closed for swimming during the summer months due to high bacteria levels. Remember to arrive early and bring plenty of water and food.

The Hamilton Pool Preserve is about a three hours drive from Houston, and it puts you only about 40 minutes from downtown Austin if you're looking for a getaway base.