The setting is Krause Springs, a beautiful natural swimming hole located in Spicewood.
Picture sitting in the shade of ages-old oak and cypress trees creating a canopy overhead. You look straight out to a waterfall trickling down into a deep pool of fresh spring water.
The Krause Springs swimming hole remains a crisp 68 degrees year-round, so it’s a haven for locals looking to beat the heat this summer.
Privately owned by the Krause family (pronounced Krow-see with a short “o” sound like in “cow” — take a look at our local pronunciation guide for more), Krause Springs has been enjoyed by visitors since 1955. Krause Springs is well-developed and maintained with pavilions, stone barbecue pits, picnic tables, restrooms, showers and more. There’s even a butterfly garden with hammocks and wind chimes for visitors to enjoy.
The property sprawls across 155 acres with 32 springs that feed the natural swimming hole and the manmade pool. The springs are always flowing, so the pools remain at a constant level.
When you first enter Krause Springs, you’ll come up on the manmade pool, which is on a cliff overlooking the much larger natural swimming hole. The spring-fed pool is very nice and quite deep. It flows into the lower pool, creating the picturesque waterfall.
Take the steep staircase down to the lower pool. There’s a large rock slab for a picnic or sunbathing. Be extremely careful when traversing across it — it is very slick. There is a cave underneath the waterfall that you can swim in and explore (at your own risk; who knows what lives in there?) And don’t forget the rope swing, which is great fun for thrill-seekers.
There are many camping spots across the property, including 24 RV hookups. Primitive camping is first come, first served, but you can reserve a spot in advance for RV hookups.
Krause Springs is located at 404 Krause Spring Road in Spicewood, Texas. For more information, visit krausesprings.net or call the office at 401-236-7554.