
The Thompson Hollow Trail leads into Shenandoah National Park from the end of Thompson Hollow Road. Be sure to savor the natural water slides as they stream into the cold basin of creek water. The trailhead for this hike is at the end of Paul’s Creek Court. Then, a cascading waterfall and a refreshing swimming hole. It’s a calming walk through the trees before you need to skip on rocks over a burbling creek. The Paul’s Creek Trail at Wintergreen Resort is so peaceful you may feel like you’re the only one who knows about this 1.2-mile hike. On weekdays, you may have the falls all to yourself. The rocks can get slippery as you close in the falls, so take your time and get ready to make a big splash. 2 miles – but if you’re already planning to tackle Sugar Run Mountain, then Dismal Falls is practically mandatory.Ī short walk leads to stair-step falls and a gorgeous swimming hole that’s absolute perfection on a warm day as a post-hike celebration. The Cascades National Recreational Trail is a short drive from Mountain Lake Lodge (the lodge from Dirty Dancing). A second-level viewing area gets you very close to Cascades Falls. There is a wooden viewing platform a few steps above the waterfall basin. If time permits, continue on to Barney’s Wall. The 4.0-mile round-trip hike to 66-foot-tall Cascades Falls is one to put on your list of must-do hikes. This dolomite and sandstone formation towers 600 feet over Big Cedar Creek. Stroll the Pinnacle View Trail to see the park’s namesake, The Pinnacle. It’s sure to be an adrenaline rush on this 3.1-mile out-and-back hike. Set your towel down on the stone-covered beach, then enter the refreshing basin. Three different styles of falls are ready to impress. #1: Big Cedar Creek Falls (Lebanon)Īt Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve, an easy hike leads to Big Cedar Creek Falls (aka Big Falls). All of these hikes to Virginia swimming holes fit the bill. It’s a cinch to fall for easy-going hikes that lead to swimming holes, even waterfalls. I’ve organized these swimming hole hikes in Virginia by difficulty level so you will have a good idea what to expect before stepping foot on the trails.įor the hikes below, I’ve listed them alphabetically within each difficulty level section. The big views are the star of this hike, but the watering hole is a very nice bonus. However, some are unexpected, like the swimming hole at Terrapin Mountain. If you click and purchase, I receive a commission at no cost to you. Some swimming holes are fairly well-known, like the Blue Hole at Sugar Hollow Reservoir and Devil’s Bathtub, the ice-cold basin in Southwest Virginia.Īs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Admission fees differ depending on what day you visit and it’s rumored Robert Redford learned to swim there when he was 5 years old according to the ‘dog days’ of summer, it’s not hard to be convinced to set off on a hike to a refreshingly cool Virginia swimming hole.

McKinney Falls State Park is filled with waterfalls, great swimming spots and places for camping.īarton Springs is a three-acre spring-fed pool.

The last three water escapes, McKinney Falls State Park, Barton Springs, and Hamilton Pool Reserve are a little over an hour from San Antonio and located closer to Austin. The park has swimming holes but it is also great for camping, fishing, hiking and more. Guadalupe River State Park is less than an hour from San Antonio. You can rent tubes or bring them with you. Fishing and swimming are permitted but there are daily entrance fees for adults. There’s swimming, fishing, wading pools, hiking, playscapes, BBQ pits and more.īlanco State Park is a quick trip out of San Antonio, just an hour north of the city. Landa Park in New Braunfels is the shortest drive from San Antonio at 40 minutes. Schumacher Crossing is part of the Guadalupe River and is typically very clean because it’s not located near any major cities. It’s a popular spot for swimming and gets crowded on the weekends. Schumacher Crossing in Hunt is also about an hour-and-a-half drive from downtown San Antonio.

Krause Springs - Photo courtesy Josie Lugo
