Hippie Hollow is a Travis County park on Lake Travis, and the county calls it “the only clothing optional public park in Texas.” You have to be 18 or older to get in. Entry is $8 per person, cash only, and the park is open every day from 9 AM to 7 PM.
Queer Austinites have gone there since at least 1989, when an ad for a “Splash Day” at the park ran alongside a list of Austin’s gay and lesbian bars. Today it’s a public park like any other, with rules that are stricter than most about cameras.
The Short List
| What | The county’s answer |
|---|---|
| Hours and fees | Every day, 9 AM to 7 PM. $8 cash, $3 for 62 and older |
| Who can go | 18 and older only. No pets, ever |
| Rules on photos and nudity | Ask before any photo. No video, no drones. Nudity is fine, lewd behavior is not |
| Getting there | 7000 Comanche Trail, about 30 minutes from downtown |
| The queer history | Splash Day, 1989 |
Hours and Fees
The park is open every day of the year, rain or shine, from 9 AM to 7 PM. The gate stops letting new people in 30 minutes before closing.
- Day use: $8 per person, 18 and older
- Seniors, 62 and older: $3 per person
- Disabled veterans, 50% or more: free
- Payment: cash only. The county’s own banner says the booth can’t take cards
On holiday weekends the park often fills up. Once it hits capacity, the county closes it for the rest of the day to everyone, people on foot included. Get there early or pick another day.
Spot something out of date? Update this listing
Who Can Go
Nobody under 18 gets in. The county commissioners voted for that rule on July 11, 1995, after an argument over children at the park, and a lawsuit against it failed, according to KUT. The county’s rules also treat nudity around anyone under 18 as a violation it will prosecute.
Pets are banned too. The county’s wording is “No exceptions, not even if the pet is on a leash or kept in your vehicle.” Its FAQ covers service animals.
Rules on Photos and Nudity
The county’s rules for Hippie Hollow say:
- Photos: “Photography of visitors at McGregor/Hippie Hollow Park is strictly prohibited without the person’s approval”
- Video and night-vision gear: “strictly prohibited”
- Drones: not allowed
- Nudity: “Nudity is acceptable, lewd behavior is not”
Breaking a park rule can get you removed for at least 48 hours. Clothing is optional, so a swimsuit is fine. Nobody has to undress.
Other things the county bans here: camping, fireworks, glass, ground fires, tobacco, and drinking in public view. There’s no lifeguard, so you swim at your own risk. The county also warns that zebra mussels have turned up along the shoreline.
Getting There
- Address: 7000 Comanche Trail, Austin 78732, on Lake Travis
- Drive: about 30 minutes from downtown, per the county
- What’s there: 109 acres, a steep rocky shoreline, a swimming area, trails, drinking water and restrooms
- Questions: Travis County Parks, 512-854-7275 (the county writes it as 512-854-PARK)
The shoreline is steep and rocky. If stairs or uneven rock are hard for you, call the parks office before you go. Some areas are closed to protect endangered birds, so stick to the open trails.
The Queer History
Hippie Hollow got its name by the late 1960s, a park ranger’s daughter told KUT. Travis County took over running it in 1985 on land owned by the Lower Colorado River Authority.
For queer Austin, one dated piece of evidence stands out. In June 2022 an r/Austin user posted a scanned ad for “Splash Day Austin at Hippy Hollow” on May 7, 1989. The poster said it came from the program for the March on Austin for Lesbian/Gay Equal Rights in April 1989, and it lists the bars of the time: the Boathouse, ‘Bout Time, Charlies, the 505 Club, Sally’s Apartment and more. For more on that era, see our history of the LGBTQ+ movement in Austin.
Before You Go
- Bring cash. $8 a person, and the booth can’t take cards
- Bring ID. It’s 18 and older
- Leave the dog at home, even in the car
- Pack water and shade. It’s a rocky shoreline with no lifeguard, and Texas sun
- Plan around holiday weekends. The park can close when full
- Keep your phone down. Ask before any photo, even of your friends, if strangers are in the frame
If you’d rather swim and hike with a queer group than on your own, our hiking and camping groups guide lists groups that plan outings.
What We Couldn’t Check
- Whether a CapMetro bus gets anywhere near the park. We didn’t find a route
- How many parking spaces there are. The county doesn’t publish it
- Whether any county annual pass covers entry. The park page lists only day-use fees
- Which parts of the shoreline different crowds use. That changes, and we haven’t been
Last checked: October 2026. Hours, fees and rules read from Travis County Parks’ Hippie Hollow page and park rules on October 14, 2026. History from KUT (July 31, 2017) and a dated r/Austin post. We haven’t visited for this guide. The county can change hours and fees, so check its Hippie Hollow page before you go.
Coming early 2027
Community Circles: six people, one weeknight, the same faces every week
Small, peer-led, free. A place where people remember what you said last week.