— Whenever I think of magical landscapes or dreamy locations, I do not have to go far to find one. At approximately 45 minutes from downtown Austin, Texas, and just within a mile of each other, visitors can immerse themselves into Westcave Preserve and Hamilton Pool. Both places require reservations.
The 25-acre Westcave Preserve started in 1973 when John Covert Watson purchased the land. Ten years later, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) purchased the property and formed the Westcave/LCRA partnership. Then, in 2008, the 45-acre Canyon Rim property was purchased. The first photo is a view of the cave looking out into the grotto at the Westcave Preserve, located in the Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center.
Public tours are given at various times of the day, and visitors should make reservations to visit the cave. The tours last approximately 1.5 hours. Your guide will talk about the varied ecosystems in the area and will lead you to the grotto, which you see in the photos here. Once you start the trip to the grotto, you will feel like you’ve stepped into a dreamland. Everything changes. Also, next to the grotto, there is a small cave, shown in the first photo.
Hamilton Pool is probably one of the most famous swimming holes in the Austin area. Just a short five-minute drive from Westcave Preserve, this swimming hole is extremely popular. Reservations are required seven days a week between March and October. Once you park your vehicle, you have a 30-minute hike down to the pool area. The trail is a quarter of a mile long (0.4 km) down a steep, rugged terrain.
The trail in the photo above has been closed to the public because of safety concerns. With the drought experienced in 2023, some rocks have been falling from the area above the trail, where some people are on the right side of this image. Visitors can still access the beach but can no longer walk around the pool. At the time of this writing, Travis County is still consulting with geologists and keeping the area closed.
This Travis County park was designated a nature preserve in 1990. You can also hike to the Pedernales River and see a variety of inviting pristine pools along the trail. The preserve is home to several birds, including the endangered Golden-Cheeked Warbler. Hamilton Pool is part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve.
Both of these places are magical to my eyes. When I visit either or both of them, I am transported to another world as if in Hobbiton land. When Ann-Christine posted her Magical Lens-Artists challenge today, I knew immediately I wanted to post these photos. Be sure to visit her post for other magical images.
Wind Kisses
Truly an oasis, and to see the people in there gives us perspective on how large it is. I have never heard of it. Truly magical, tranquil, dreamy, and colorful. Fantastic!!!
Egídio Leitão
So thankful for your comment, Donna. Hamilton Pool is a very popular spot in the summer especially.
SoyBend
It does look like a magical place, Egidio. Beautiful!
Egídio Leitão
I appreciate your feedback, Siobhan.
Philo
Great examples!
Love the Westcave Preserve
Egídio Leitão
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
Anita
You have truly found amazingly scenic magical places and I’m really happy you’re sharing all these. Your photos are absolutely fantastic, it must be magical to experience this in real life. I guess you did some editing to emphasize the wonderful sense of magic in your pictures which you did brilliantly.
Egídio Leitão
Thank you, Anita. Yes, especially in the second photo at Westcave, I did my edits to emphasize a dreamy feel to the location.
Tranature - quiet moments in nature
What a magical place to visit Egidio and so beautifully captured! Thank you so much for letting us walk along with you here 😊
Egídio Leitão
You’re welcome. Thank you for your feedback.
Shelley@QuaintRevival.com
Wow – way to take the already majestic views and transform them to an equally enchanting and magical place!
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Shelley. I appreciate your feedback.
Shelley@QuaintRevival.com
You’re welcome!
TRphotogallery
What a beautiful place, it gives me strength to overcome the devastation that climate change is producing all over the world.
Egídio Leitão
Thank you so much, Tomi. I appreciate your feedback.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
Truly magical place and your photos are superb, they look like paintings 🙂
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Ritva. The second shot at Westcave Preserve was edited to create that dreamy look.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
Well done 🙂 on editing
Leya
Ah, I knew it…you have brought the most magical images possible here – Love them all! I would easily have gone on the next plane just to see them with my own eyes. But, as your photography always is extraordinary, I feel I don’t have to ! The dreaminess, the colours and the otherworldly feeling they create is enough for me. In fact I don’t think reality would beat this… I felt it already in the opener – what a dream! Thank you!
Egídio Leitão
Ann-Christine, your feedback is very much appreciated.
PR
Amazing pictures Egidio! This theme was “right up your alley”, as the expression goes 😀. Truly magical!
Egídio Leitão
PR, thank you kindly for your feedback.
aekshots
Very magical post Egidio. Your photos are amazing!
Egídio Leitão
Andy, thank you so much for your compliment.
Amy
Wow, magical and beautiful! I don’t recall the Hamilton Pool was this beautiful. Love it. 🙂
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Amy. That Hamilton Pool photo was captured in the fall. The lighting and colors at that time made it more magical to me.
Tina Schell
Wow Egidio, these are extraordinary! Now tell the truth, are they this beautiful in person or have you worked the images to emphasize that aspect and make them so dreamy? Either way both the locations and the images are marvelous! Terrific choice for the week – magical indeed.
Egídio Leitão
Thank you, Tina, for your kind feedback. No photo I posted on my site is SOOC (straight out of camera). I always apply linear profiles to the specific camera, do edits in Lightroom and sometimes Photoshop as well as other software. Since I shoot RAW, the photos come out of the camera very flat. Those places I featured are really as pretty as they look. The second photo at the Westcave Preserve was edited to create a more intense “dreamy” feel to it. As you can see, it’s not as sharp to bring the dream effect. The water in both locations is greenish as they appear in these photos.
JohnRH
Oooooh. Magical places and accents. Well done.
Egídio Leitão
Thank you, John. I appreciate your feedback.
Sofia Alves
I couldn’t agree more, Egídio. It is truly a magical place and your photos are stunning.
Egídio Leitão
Thanks, Sofia, for your feedback.