An evening trip to Krause Springs

We have been to Krause Springs before (link) but this week we tried a slightly different approach.  Dave couldn't take the day off, so instead of heading out first thing in the morning, we left mid-day and arrived around 4pm on a Monday. 

Krause Springs is located in Spicewood, Texas, about a half an hour west of Austin.  It is a privately opened swimming hole with multiple freshwater springs on the property.

Their sign says they close at dusk; the woman behind the desk told me around 8pm they close the camp to all but the campers.

It turns out, this is a really nice way to do Krause.  Many of the day trippers were leaving right around the time we arrived, so the place wasn't crowded at all!

We love the rope swings at Krause.  And all the boys enjoyed taking their turn at jumping off -- and I mean all of the boys, big and small!  :o)

Dave proving that back surgery a year ago isn't going to stop him!

And this time, we tried something new:  jumping off the cliffs.  Maybe not the smartest idea, and my ears are still ringing, but it was a lot of fun :o)  When we went, the water at the bottom was about 12 feet deep, so our feet would lightly sink into the bottom, but there was plenty of water to buffet our fall. As always check the depth of any water before jumping into it!!!

After we had all cooled off in the springs for two hours, we headed up to the picnic area for some dinner.

Krause has a great picnic area, with lots of grills and picnic tables, all shaded by the huge cypress trees.  And the freezing cold pool is right there, if you get too hot!  

As you can see from the photos, due to the late hour, we had the place mostly to ourselves!

We enjoyed relaxing in our chairs with the sounds of dusk falling around. Around 8pm, we packed up and headed home.  Another benefit to the late hour was that we trekked out in the cooler evening, instead of the hot mid-day sun!

Tips and Thoughts 

* Krause does not allow pets

* Krause does not allow glass - so make sure whatever you bring comes in a can or plastic bottle!

* Krause only accepts cash, so stop at the ATM beforehand!

* As I mentioned in my previous post, this place is a lot more fun if you bring some floats to hang around in!

* There are essentially three levels to Krause, the entrance and butterfly garden, the pool and picnic area, and the springs.  So, it can be a bit of a haul up and down the hill if you have a bunch of stuff. Bring a rolling cooler and leave it at the picnic area; just carry the necessities (drinks and tubes) down to the spring area!

* The lowest level by the springs is very slippery. Almost always, someone takes a light fall.  So make sure you bring water shoes and go slowly!  There are two sets of stairs, and the stairs furthest from the entrance may allow a bit easier access

* Take some time to look around the grounds, this is a really beautiful place!