Driving in the Wimberley area today, we stopped at John Knox Ranch and strolled down to its spring-fed creek, which, like Barton Springs Pool in Austin, remains a chilly 68 degrees year-round. Blue Hole is what they call the swimming hole at the ranch (not the same Blue Hole that the City of Wimberley owns, but just as beautiful).

The pool of clear, green water in the limestone canyon was stirred by bass and turtles and invited us to dip our toes. The weather was just warm enough to entertain the idea of a swim, but when the summer temps soar into the 100s—that’s when I imagine the urge to leap in would be irresistible. Today we contented ourselves with looking.

The ranch, which hosts church retreats and campers all year, sets up a water slide from this treehouse during the summer. You’d plummet down the water slide right into the middle of chilly Blue Hole, which I think they said was 30-feet deep. Doesn’t it make you want to be a kid again?

Reflection of cypress trees in the water

A natural allee of bald cypress trees lines the banks. Such scenes inspired Tom Spencer’s allee of bald cypresses in his garden.