424 Co Rd 404, Spicewood, TX 78669
Location: Spicewood, Texas
Hours: Gates open at 9 AM and close promptly at 8 PM
Overview
A quick 45 minute drive from Austin, Texas, in Texas Hill Country, lies one of my favorite swimming holes in all of Texas. The beautiful Krause Springs. Krause Springs is family owned and has impeccably manicured grounds and gardens, with on site bathrooms and showers as well as picnic sites spread throughout the grounds. The property consists of 115 acres and also offers great camping. Before even reaching the pool or springs, guests will be wowed by the beauty of this place. There is a man made pool near the entrance and a natural pool/spring down below, which flows into Lake Travis.
The natural pool or spring, is absolutely stunning. With beautiful cypress trees, that are ever so present in this area of Texas, presenting a serene backdrop to the spring. A pretty waterfall that visitors can swim behind, further adds to the setting. Additionally, a rope swing hangs from the trees at the far end of the spring. Cliff jumping is not allowed here and glass bottles are strictly prohibited. In addition to everything else, there is also a great butterfly garden worth checking out. Visitors should make sure to explore downstream of the springs as well.
Scout’s Story
As my wife, daughter and I had now been on the road for over 2 months, we were excited to finally reach Texas. Having just arrived a few days prior, we were still getting our feet wet and testing the waters of being in Texas. We were super excited, for the following day, which we had booked swimming reservations at the Blue Hole in Wimberley. The plan now was figuring out what to do with the rest of our current day. I had seen pictures of Krause Springs and while it looked beautiful, it also looked absolutely packed in certain pictures. Not necessarily my vibe, but with a place so beautiful I understand why it attracts crowds. We decided to make the drive to Spicewood and spend the afternoon there at Krause Springs.
Temperatures were hovering around 100 degrees and we were excited to get in the springs. We figured everyone else had the same idea as well. Upon entering and paying our fee we elected to just get a campground as well for an extra 5 dollars. We had no idea where we were gonna stay that night, so this made things easier on us. We made our way inside and were immediately drawn in by the beauty of the grounds. Directly in front of us was a man made pool with a few families swimming in it.
Our time swimming in Krause Springs
It was around 2 PM and since we knew we would be camping here, we now knew this would be where we would be spending the rest of the day. We promptly made our way past the man made pool and down the steps towards the natural spring pool.
A gorgeous waterfall was spilling over into the spring and I wasted no time in getting
in. Surprisingly to me and my wife, the crowds were very sparse. There were a few people here and there floating on rafts but overall the vibe was super peaceful and relaxing. As others swam around me, I made my way out to the waterfall and swam behind it for a minute.
Our daughter, Scout, was only four months old, so this was another great opportunity for us to simultaneously spend time with her in the water while also getting her comfortable in it.
We spent the next few hours swimming, following the shoreline downstream to check other areas out and picking out a great campsite a short walk from the springs.
At 8 PM the grounds rang a bell and everyone cleared out for the night leaving the whole area to pretty much just us. The same thing went for the morning before the gates opened.
Krause Springs was absolutely incredible and I feel as if we were very lucky to have experienced the springs in the non crowded format that we did. My only gripe was camping here. While the campgrounds are incredible as well, it was just unbearably hot. I should have known when no one else was camping, that it was a bad idea. Temperatures were still around 90 degrees at 9 PM. We toughed out an extremely hot night but overall cherished all the memories from this exceptional day.
The past three months have been beyond anything that I could have ever imagined. While traveling and hiking has always been one of the major components of me and my wife’s life, being able to do all this with our daughter Scout has just intensified my passion for the outdoors. I hope going forward that we can continue to grow Scout’s affection for nature and that she will end up loving the outdoors as much as her parents do.
August 29, 2021
Getting to Krause Springs
424 Co Rd 404, Spicewood, TX 78669
Notes, Questions and Thoughts
Krause Springs is typically open from late February through the end of October. Gates open at 9 PM and close promptly at 8 PM. Campers are free to exit the property at any time, however, re-entry is not allowed after 8 PM. Day fees are as follows.
- Adult (12 + years) = $10
- Child (10 + years) = $6
- Children under 4 = Free
Krause Springs is a huge 115 acre property that welcomes RV camping and tent camping. Due to the size of the property, there is almost always availability, therefore campsites are not reservable and are walk-in only. Showers and restrooms are also available at the campgrounds. Campsites include the price of admission for the springs as well. Camping prices are as follows.
- RV Campsite = $15
- Adult (12 + years) = $15 per person
- Child (4-11 years) = $10
- Children under 4 = Free
Krause Springs respectfully prohibits all of the following and asks that you be respectful to nature and the other guests.
- No dogs or pets
- No glass containers
- No cliff jumping
- No smoking
- No drones
- No Generators
Please recreate responsibly. Respect hikers, and all visitors and wildlife. Help make everyone’s experience better by keeping the nature experience as authentic as possible. Leave no trace and pack out everything that you pack in. Please remember that we are visitors and stewards of these special places. Help keep these places as wild as possible while not diminishing the outdoor experience of others.
