Get Spooked in the Texas Hill Country this Halloween!

Dripping Springs is one of the most charming towns in the Hill Country, but behind that charm are some truly crepy occurrences and paranormal activity. The town of Dripping Springs was founded in 1854 and so began the recorded history of some of these hauntings.

a black and white image of the historic pound house

1. Hamilton Pool

While Dripping Springs is known for its unparalleled natural beauty, the outdoors can be truly terrifying.

Hamilton Pool is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state and is a hotspot for hundreds if not thousands of sunbathers and swimmers each year. The turquoise waters attract folks from all over, but it’s what lies beneath the waterfall in the dark depths of the pool that is the reason some people never come back.It’s rumored the ghosts of Comanche chiefs that once roamed the prairie land of the Texas Hill country now lay in wait for swimmers to submerge into the shadows of the pool. If you’ve ever visited the pool, you can feel the ancient spirits lurking just beyond where the sun shines. There’s even been claims of screams from women and children from decades past that can be heard in different directions echoing in the pool’s grotto. Your best bet is to stay in the sunshine and make sure to avoid at all costs swimming beneath the waterfall.

2. Pedernales Falls

Sometimes there’s things in the water, things that shouldn’t be in the water. There’s a reason swimming has been banned since the 1970s at the site of the falls at Pedernales Falls State Park. Hidden by the rushing water are caves and crevices in which lives the Hill Country river monster. It has been rumored for generations that children and even grown men who have fished the placid pools near the falls never returned home because of this elusive, ancient creature. Some believe it to be a 12 foot, hundred-year-old zombie catfish, others believe it’s something even more sinister.If we were you, we’d stay on the banks and find another place to cast a line.

4. Ghost Hill Ranch at Treaty Oak Distillery

Ghost Hill Ranch, the current site of Treaty Oak Distillery, once spanned far past the now Treaty Oak Ranch sharing boundaries with other large ranches in historic Dripping Springs. Located halfway between Fredericksburg and Austin, many travelers along the cattle trail would stop at Ghost Hill Ranch to feed their livestock and share stories at the watering hole. The distillery is now a popular destination for folks to gather around a different kind of watering hole and on quiet nights you can often hear the distant laughs of old friends and even see the dust swirling from Abe's, the original Ranch owner, old classic Ford truck. If you’re ever at the Distillery near dusk, finish that last cocktail and don’t stay ‘til last call.

4. Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead

Located in Founders Park is the Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead, the oldest home in Dripping Springs. Built in 1854, the home now serves as a museum brimming with artifacts, local history and haunts. Dr. Pound was the patriarch of the family and provided medical care for locals and natives in the Dripping Springs area. One evening, many years ago before the home became a museum, two cousins in the Pound family were heading off to sleep in the parlor. The only two members of the family that were still awake, they thought it strange and a little eerie that footsteps could be heard in the room with them. The footsteps continued to get closer and closer until it felt as if someone was standing right over the terrified cousins. Petrified by fear, the girls shut their eyes and prayed the spirit would go away. The next morning, the girls awoke unharmed but never spent another night in the parlor again.

Some facts have been changed to protect the innocent- YOU!

Got a spooky story that happened in Dripping Springs? Let us know! We want to hear about all your Dripping Springs related ghost stories! Contact us: sam@destinationdrippingsprings.com

4 Spooky Hotspots and Haunts in Dripping Springs, TX

1. Hamilton Pool

2. Pedernales Falls

4. Ghost Hill Ranch at Treaty Oak Distillery

4. Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead