Hamilton Pool Reserve is a recreation destination located in the Texas Hill Country west of Austin. Advance reservations are required to visit, and it is open for hiking and sightseeing. Hamilton Pool is a natural pond created when the dome of an underground river collapsed due to massive erosion thousands of years ago. The pool is located about 23 miles (37 km) west of Austin, Texas off Interstate 71. Since the 1960s, Hamilton Pool has been a popular summer swimming spot for Austin visitors and residents. Hamilton Pool Preserve consists of 232 acres (0.94 km2) of protected natural habitat that includes a jade green pool over which a 50-foot (15 m) waterfall cascades and water temperatures reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

The pool is surrounded by large slabs of limestone located at the water's edge. Large stalactites grow from the high ceiling. The roof and cliffs surrounding the grotto are home to mosses, ferns and rock swallows. The Ash Juniper (Cedar) highlands of the reserve are home to the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler.