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Fort Worth to Hamilton Pool Preserve road trip: best stops

The drive from Fort Worth to Hamilton Pool Preserve takes about 3 hr 18 min (south of Fort Worth), by real roads from ZIP 76102. Along the way we found 86 stops within a short detour: 18 coffee shops, 3 bakeries, 22 ice cream and treats and 29 places to eat.

The list below is the best few of each kind, in driving order, with how far into the drive you reach each one (counted from Fort Worth) and the detour it adds. Stops marked Our pick are chosen by us; the rest come from OpenStreetMap listings, so confirm hours before you count on them.

Plan this trip All day trips from Fort Worth

Where you are going: Hamilton Pool Preserve 3 hr 18 min from Fort Worth

Hamilton Pool Preserve

Photo: Eric in SF, CC BY-SA 3.0

Swimming

Hamilton Pool Preserve

A swimming hole under a roughly 50-foot waterfall in a box canyon west of Austin. A short, steep, rocky trail leads down to it.

  • 2-3 hrs
  • Year-round; swimming only when water tests allow
  • Reservation fee per vehicle plus cash entry fee per adult (kids 12 and under free)

Heads-up: Reservations required every day (morning or afternoon slot). Swimming is often closed for bacteria or falling rock, so call the info line before you go. No pets at all, even in cars. No water or food for sale.

Official site

Map of the stops between Fort Worth and Hamilton Pool Preserve

Open the interactive map

First third Middle third Last third Hamilton Pool Preserve

First stretch 9 stops

  1. Starbucks Coffee shop · Alvarado
    About 22 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  2. Rueda's Mexican Food Mexican restaurant · Alvarado
    About 24 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  3. Entwined Grounds Coffee shop · Grandview
    About 31 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Fr 06:00-14:00; Sa 07:00-15:00 Website
  4. Braum's Ice cream counter-service · Hillsboro
    About 47 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  5. Lone Star Cafe American restaurant · Hillsboro
    About 47 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  6. El Taco Jalisco Mexican restaurant · Hillsboro
    About 48 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  7. Texas Heritage Museum Museum · Winslow
    About 48 min into the drive · detour about 4 min Website
  8. Czech Stop Bakery · West Our pick
    About 59 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  9. Kissing Pig Cafe Barbecue restaurant · West
    About 59 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Su-Sa 06:00-22:00

Middle of the drive 12 stops

  1. Dairy Queen Ice cream counter-service · Elm Mott
    About 1 hr 7 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  2. DQ Grill & Chill Ice cream counter-service · Waco
    About 1 hr 9 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website
  3. Common Grounds Coffee shop · Waco
    About 1 hr 15 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Th 07:00-19:00, Fr 07:00-20:00, Sa 08:00-20:00, Su 14:30-20:00
  4. Waco Traffic Circle Attraction · Beverly
    About 1 hr 17 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  5. Black Rifle Coffee Company Coffee shop · Waco
    About 1 hr 18 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Su-Th 08:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 08:00-21:00 Website
  6. Creamy Donuts Donut counter-service · Bruceville-Eddy
    About 1 hr 32 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  7. Black Rifle Coffee Company Coffee shop · Temple
    About 1 hr 45 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 05:00-20:00 Website
  8. Shipley Do-Nuts Donut counter-service · Temple
    About 1 hr 45 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 05:00-14:00 Website
  9. Old Town Salado Attraction · Salado
    About 1 hr 57 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  10. Greenfield's Coffee & Tea House Coffee shop · Salado
    About 1 hr 58 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  11. Sugar Shack Candy shop · Salado
    About 1 hr 58 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; Su 12:00-18:00
  12. Daylight Donuts Donut counter-service · Jarrell
    About 2 hr 6 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Su 05:00-11:00 Website

Last stretch 6 stops

  1. Frozen Flamingo Ice cream · Georgetown
    About 2 hr 16 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00 Website
  2. Tiff's Treats Cookie Delivery Bakery · Georgetown
    About 2 hr 18 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Fr 09:00-22:00; Sa-Su 10:00-22:00 Website
  3. Paige-DeCrow-Weir House Historic site · Georgetown
    About 2 hr 18 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  4. Russell's Bakery and Coffee Bakery · Mesa North
    About 2 hr 41 min into the drive · detour about 6 min Website
  5. Artificial Chimney Attraction · West Lake Hills
    About 2 hr 47 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  6. Nike Hercules Missile Historic site · West Lake Hills
    About 2 hr 49 min into the drive · detour about 2 min

Questions about the drive from Fort Worth to Hamilton Pool Preserve

How long is the drive from Fort Worth to Hamilton Pool Preserve?

About 3 hr 18 min by road, heading south from the middle of ZIP 76102. Traffic and weather change that.

What are the best stops on the way from Fort Worth to Hamilton Pool Preserve?

Good ones to start with: Czech Stop (West). The page lists 27 in all, in driving order.

Where can I get coffee or a bakery stop between Fort Worth and Hamilton Pool Preserve?

Starbucks in Alvarado, Entwined Grounds in Grandview, Czech Stop in West and Common Grounds in Waco. Check hours first; they come from OpenStreetMap listings.

Where can I eat on the way to Hamilton Pool Preserve?

Rueda's Mexican Food in Alvarado, Lone Star Cafe in Hillsboro, El Taco Jalisco in Hillsboro and Kissing Pig Cafe in West.

Are there viewpoints or quick sights on the way?

Texas Heritage Museum in Winslow, Waco Traffic Circle in Beverly, Old Town Salado in Salado and Paige-DeCrow-Weir House in Georgetown.

More about Fort Worth and Hamilton Pool Preserve

Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Stops come from our own picks and OpenStreetMap listings; hours and detours change, so check before you go. We do not store anyone's location.

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