Best Natural Swimming Holes in America

Havasu Falls, Arizona

A blue-green waterfall pool inside the Havasupai Reservation that looks almost fake in photos, Havasu Falls became the ultimate swimming-hole pilgrimage once Instagram discovered it in the 2010s. The 10-mile desert hike and notoriously hard-to-snag permits only add to its mystiqu

Scenic Beauty: 10/10Water Clarity: 10/10Cliff Jumping: ✓Hike Distance: 10 miEntry Fee: $100Crowd Level: 6/10

added by IJR

Jacob's Well, Texas

A bottomless-looking artesian spring near Wimberley, Jacob's Well has lured cliff-jumpers for generations despite a real history of cave-diving tragedies that led to access restrictions. Its glassy, cold water and dramatic vertical shaft make it one of the most photographed swimm

Scenic Beauty: 8/10Water Clarity: 9/10Cliff Jumping: ✓Hike Distance: 0.2 miEntry Fee: $0Crowd Level: 8/10

added by IJR

Blue Hole, Santa Rosa, New Mexico

An eerily circular, bell-shaped spring right off old Route 66, the Blue Hole draws scuba divers and swimmers alike to its constant 61-degree, gin-clear water. It's a strange desert anomaly — a Caribbean-blue pool in the middle of dusty New Mexico plains — and that contrast is exa

Scenic Beauty: 7/10Water Clarity: 9/10Cliff Jumping: ✓Hike Distance: 0.05 miEntry Fee: $5Crowd Level: 6/10

added by IJR

Sliding Rock, North Carolina

A 60-foot natural granite waterslide in Pisgah National Forest, Sliding Rock turns swimming into an amusement-park ride, dumping riders into a chilly plunge pool below. Generations of Appalachian families have made it a summer ritual, and lifeguards on duty keep it one of the mor

Scenic Beauty: 7/10Water Clarity: 7/10Cliff Jumping: —Hike Distance: 0.05 miEntry Fee: $2Crowd Level: 8/10

added by IJR

Barton Springs, Austin, Texas

A spring-fed, three-acre pool right in the middle of Austin, Barton Springs stays a constant 68 degrees year-round and has been a civic institution since the 1920s. It's less a hidden gem than a beloved public utility — locals swim laps here before work, which says everything abo

Scenic Beauty: 8/10Water Clarity: 8/10Cliff Jumping: —Hike Distance: 0.1 miEntry Fee: $5Crowd Level: 9/10

added by IJR

Devil's Den, Arkansas

Tucked into a sandstone gorge in the Ozarks, Devil's Den's spring-fed pools feel remote even though they're an easy walk from the parking lot. Its blend of caves, crevices, and clear cold water gives it a quieter, less-Instagrammed appeal than its more famous Western rivals.

Scenic Beauty: 7/10Water Clarity: 8/10Cliff Jumping: —Hike Distance: 0.3 miEntry Fee: $0Crowd Level: 5/10

added by IJR

Homestead Crater, Utah

A one-of-a-kind geothermal limestone crater near Midway, Homestead Crater lets you swim in 90-plus-degree mineral water inside an enclosed dome, complete with a skylight opening to the sky. It's less a wild swimming hole than a natural wonder turned resort attraction, but the nov

Scenic Beauty: 9/10Water Clarity: 9/10Cliff Jumping: —Hike Distance: 0 miEntry Fee: $20Crowd Level: 5/10

added by IJR

Blue Hole Regional Park, Wimberley, Texas

Shaded by towering cypress trees along Cypress Creek, this Blue Hole built its reputation on rope swings and a swimming-hole nostalgia that feels ripped from a Norman Rockwell painting. Its managed, ticketed setup makes it more family-friendly than its wilder Hill Country cousins

Scenic Beauty: 8/10Water Clarity: 8/10Cliff Jumping: ✓Hike Distance: 0.1 miEntry Fee: $12Crowd Level: 7/10

added by IJR

Watkins Glen State Park, New York

Nineteen waterfalls tumble through a mile-long gorge here, and while swimming is officially restricted to a designated pool, the sheer drama of the stone stairways and cascades makes it a must-see for anyone chasing scenic water. It's the closest thing the Finger Lakes have to a

Scenic Beauty: 9/10Water Clarity: 7/10Cliff Jumping: —Hike Distance: 1.5 miEntry Fee: $10Crowd Level: 8/10

added by IJR

Rainbow Falls, Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

An 80-foot waterfall in the Smokies that creates a fine mist rainbow on sunny afternoons, Rainbow Falls rewards a moderately tough 5.4-mile round-trip hike with a cool plunge pool at the base. It's a favorite among Smokies hikers precisely because the payoff feels earned.

Scenic Beauty: 8/10Water Clarity: 8/10Cliff Jumping: —Hike Distance: 5.4 miEntry Fee: $0Crowd Level: 6/10

added by IJR

Fossil Creek, Arizona

Fed by ancient travertine springs, Fossil Creek's pools glow an otherworldly turquoise thanks to mineral deposits that also form natural dams and waterfalls. A strict permit system was introduced after crowds threatened to love the creek to death, which only cemented its reputati

Scenic Beauty: 9/10Water Clarity: 9/10Cliff Jumping: ✓Hike Distance: 4 miEntry Fee: $12Crowd Level: 6/10

added by IJR

Krause Springs, Texas

A privately run oasis with 32 individual springs feeding a central swimming area, Krause Springs mixes manicured landscaping with genuinely wild-feeling cliffs and a small waterfall. It's the kind of place Texans return to every summer without ever quite telling out-of-staters ab

Scenic Beauty: 7/10Water Clarity: 8/10Cliff Jumping: —Hike Distance: 0.1 miEntry Fee: $8Crowd Level: 5/10

added by IJR

Diana's Baths, New Hampshire

A gentle series of cascades and granite pools in the White Mountains, Diana's Baths is easy enough for young families yet scenic enough to justify the short walk in. It's proof that not every great swimming hole needs to be extreme to earn a spot on the list.

Scenic Beauty: 7/10Water Clarity: 7/10Cliff Jumping: —Hike Distance: 0.6 miEntry Fee: $0Crowd Level: 5/10

added by IJR

Punchbowl Falls, Eagle Creek, Oregon

Carved into a perfect circular basin along the famous Eagle Creek Trail, Punchbowl Falls became a rite of passage for Pacific Northwest cliff-jumpers before wildfire closures reshaped access to the canyon. Its lush, moss-draped setting is quintessential Oregon.

Scenic Beauty: 8/10Water Clarity: 8/10Cliff Jumping: ✓Hike Distance: 4.2 miEntry Fee: $0Crowd Level: 6/10

added by IJR

McCloud River Falls, California

A trio of waterfalls near Mount Shasta, McCloud River's Middle Falls plunge pool is a favorite for cliff jumpers willing to brave the cold, glacially fed water. Its relative remoteness compared to Yosemite's crowds keeps the vibe local and low-key.

Scenic Beauty: 8/10Water Clarity: 8/10Cliff Jumping: ✓Hike Distance: 0.5 miEntry Fee: $0Crowd Level: 4/10

added by IJR

Cummins Falls, Tennessee

Tennessee's third-largest waterfall by volume, Cummins Falls pours into a wide, swimmable pool that has become so popular the state now caps daily visitor permits. The steep, sometimes slippery gorge scramble to reach it is part of the local legend.

Scenic Beauty: 8/10Water Clarity: 7/10Cliff Jumping: —Hike Distance: 1.5 miEntry Fee: $6Crowd Level: 6/10

added by IJR

Warren Falls (Big Eddy), Vermont

A series of granite potholes and small waterfalls on the Mad River, Big Eddy has been a Green Mountain swimming tradition since long before social media, with rope swings strung up by generations of local teenagers. It's unglamorous in the best way — a genuine community swimming

Scenic Beauty: 7/10Water Clarity: 7/10Cliff Jumping: ✓Hike Distance: 0.2 miEntry Fee: $0Crowd Level: 4/10

added by IJR

Emerald Pools, Zion National Park, Utah

A stacked trio of pools and waterfalls beneath red sandstone cliffs, the Emerald Pools trail is one of Zion's most popular short hikes, though swimming is limited and often discouraged to protect fragile ecosystems. It earns its spot on scenery alone — few places make wading feel

Scenic Beauty: 8/10Water Clarity: 6/10Cliff Jumping: —Hike Distance: 1.2 miEntry Fee: $35Crowd Level: 7/10

added by IJR