OutdoorLocator Hot springs, waterfalls and swimming holes, mapped from public data

Swimming holes near me: official spots and wild swimming, by state

This finder currently covers 20 swimming holes across 2 states, Texas and Arkansas, and maps both official, managed swimming areas and unofficial "wild" spots, stating plainly which is which. Swimming holes don't have a single federal or state registry the way hot springs and waterfalls do, so every entry here is verified against its land manager, park system or operator before it's listed. More states follow as we confirm access status for each spot.

The two live states make a useful contrast: nearly every well-known Texas swimming hole turns out to be managed, reserved or ticketed, while most of the Arkansas list is free river access on public land. Both guides list fee, reservation rules and legal status up front, before you commit to a drive.

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Covered: TX 11 · AR 9 — every other state on the map is not covered yet.

11 Filled state: covered, with the number of listings we have checked -- Dimmed state: not covered yet, no number shown

No sourced coordinates are available yet for swimming holes — there is no government register for this category to map against (see methodology). Browse the state guides below for the full list.

How to use the finder

Filter by official vs. unofficial to separate managed swim areas, often inside a state park with posted rules, from informal spots on public land where swimming isn't monitored or lifeguarded. Filter by free to see no-fee spots, since several popular swimming holes require a reservation or day-use fee during peak season. A top rated filter will surface the most consistently recommended spots once enough state guides are published to make that meaningful.

Browse by state

Tennessee's Blue Hole on the Ocoee River is covered inside the waterfalls in Tennessee guide rather than a standalone state page. More dedicated state guides are being added as we verify access and legal status for each spot.

Featured swimming holes

Barton Springs Pool, Texas. A 68-degree, spring-fed three-acre pool in Austin's Zilker Park, guarded most daytime hours, $5 for residents and $9 for non-residents per day.

Hamilton Pool Preserve, Texas. A collapsed grotto with a waterfall feeding a green pool near Dripping Springs; Travis County requires a reservation every day of the year, and swimming can close on short notice over bacteria levels or rockfall risk.

Steel Creek, Arkansas. A deep, clear pool below Roark Bluff on the Buffalo National River, free to visit, unguarded, and one of the National Park Service's swim-safety life jacket loaner stations.

Safety and methodology

Swimming holes carry risks that differ from a managed pool: unknown depth, submerged rocks or logs, and currents that aren't visible from the surface. Never dive or jump into water you haven't checked for depth and obstructions first, and treat any unofficial spot as unmonitored, since no lifeguard is watching. Warm, slow-moving southern freshwater also carries the rare but serious Naegleria fowleri risk, covered with state health department and CDC sourcing in both live state guides. Waterfall-adjacent swimming holes carry the added risks covered in our waterfall safety guide: slippery rocks, currents that strengthen near a drop, and the same no-climbing, no-jumping rules that apply at any waterfall.

This finder is compiled from public land-manager sources (state parks, county and city park systems, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management) and published trail reports, with each spot's official or unofficial status stated plainly rather than assumed. We haven't visited these sites ourselves. Last checked August 2026.

How this guide was researched

This finder is built from public land-manager sources (state parks, county and city park systems, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management) and published trail reports, with official and unofficial status verified separately for each site rather than assumed. We haven't visited these sites ourselves. Last checked August 2026.

FAQ

How do I find swimming holes near me?

Browse by state above. Texas and Arkansas are live now, with 20 verified spots between them; more states are added as we confirm access and legal status for each spot.

Are swimming holes free?

It varies by state and site. Most of the Arkansas list is free; most of the Texas list charges a day-use fee or requires a reservation. Official swimming areas inside state parks often charge, while unofficial "wild" spots on public land are typically free, though access rules can change without notice since these sites aren't formally managed.

Is it legal to swim at an unofficial swimming hole?

Often yes, if the land is public, but "unofficial" specifically means no government source has confirmed it as a managed swim area. There's no lifeguard, no posted safety rules, and access can change if a land manager decides to restrict it. Each swimming-hole listing on this site states this status plainly rather than presenting an unofficial spot as an official one.

We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked August 2026. Read our full methodology.