The water is cool, spring-fed and refreshing. It flows over rocks and cascades like a waterfall over small dams. The river harbors shallow places for playing and deep parts for swimming. Cypress trees, pecans and old oaks shade the hillsides.

At Blanco State Park, “the river is the main attraction,” says park ranger Daniel Kellogg. “There are many ways to get wet when it’s hot outside.”

The river that runs through the park is named the Blanco for its white limestone banks and river bottom. Springs, including some in the park, feed the river, giving it year-round flow.

The two dams in the park, and the shallow areas below them, attract crowds to splash and swim. The wading pool near the upper dam provides a fun place for water play. The deeper waters above the dams are perfect for floating, paddling or long-distance swimming. Serious swimmers and triathletes can take advantage of more than 1,000 feet of uninterrupted length of river to practice open-water swimming.

The river’s 7-foot dams and small-town setting create a unique swimming experience, providing an atmosphere somewhere between a wild river and a swimming pool.

Make a splash!

Dive In!

Blanco is a small park and one of the earliest state parks. It hugs a 1-mile stretch of the Blanco River. San Antonio and Austin are an hour away.