Spectacular Swimming Holes

by Newspark | 04:00 in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Spectacular Swimming Holes
Summertime and swimming holes are synonymous in many of our minds. Who doesn't strike up the image of children jumping into swimming holes as an emblem of summer? While beaches may be first choice for many, we here at HuffPost Green are big fans of swimming holes. Especially when we consider the water quality of our nation's oceans, many more may opt for swimming holes in rivers, ponds, lakes or streams. So take the plunge and head to your favorite swimming hole.

But first, flip through our slideshow for some destination inspiration. And, as always, we want to hear from you. Tell us about your favorite swimming holes in the comments.

Havasu Falls, (Supai, AZ)
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Swimming Hole Expert Pancho Doll describes Arizona’s Havasu Falls as “the best swimming hole in the world.” With waters as blue as in the Caribbean, this waterfall stretches one hundred feet high. The Falls are located along the Grand Canyon’s south rim and are within the domain of the Havasupai Indian Reservation. Accessing the “shangri-la of the Grand Canyon” can be quite a challenge. Visitors can either trek 10 miles or charter a helicopter to take a dip in this renowned swimming hole.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (Santa Cruz, CA)
Situated along the San Lorenzo River, the Garden of Eden swimming hole is located in the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Boulders are scattered throughout the legendary swimming hole. Be sure to visit the largest redwood in the Park, which is 285-feet-tall and 16-feet-wide.


Hackers Falls (Milford, PA)
Located within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Hackers Falls cascades into a delectable swimming hole in the famed Poconos. Be sure to visit the picturesque beaver pond and marsh at the Hacker Falls trailhead.





Travertine Creek (Sulphur, OK)
Located in Oklahoma's Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Travertine Creek is also known as the "Little Niagara" swimming hole. The swimming hole remains at sixty-five degrees throughout the year making it the ideal spot for a refreshing dip all year round.



Lake Creek Rock Slides (Lane County, OR)


Oregon's Lake Creek Falls boasts one of the most spectacular swimming holes in the United States. The Falls is famous for its 100-foot-long water slide made of obsidian volcanic rock. Swimmers ride the slide and splash into a swimming hole at the slide's end.



Little River Canyon (Fort Payne, AL)
Rated at the top of Travel and Leisure’s America’s Best Swimming Holes, the Little River Canyon in Alabama features the Hippy Hole at the canyon's floor. Enveloped in sandstone, the Hippy Hole is perpetually populated with swimmers, sunbathers and a forest of trees.


Barton Springs (Austin, TX)
Embedded within downtown Austin and a tributary to the Colorado River, Barton Springs is a natural spring that stretches three acres. Formed as a result of the Balcones Fault, a land shift that occurred millions of years ago, Barton Springs is one of the main attractions in Austin and one of the most famous swimming holes in the United States. Eco-activist and all around celebrity Robert Redford learned to swim at the Springs at age four. The endangered Barton Springs salamanderlives in the Springs under the protection of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.