Our Favorite Swimming Holes

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Outside Magazine August 2003

The Water Issue: Water We Love
Our Favorite Swimming Holes

Our Favorite Swimming Holes | The Wild-Water Life List | The Sweetest Beaches | The Cleanest Lake


	Take the leap: Havasu Falls, Havasupai Indian Reservation, Arizona (Tim Fitzharris/Index Stock)

1. Havasu Falls, Supai, Arizona Hike two miles to this perfect turquoise pool, with year-round 72-degree water, in Havasu Canyon.

2. Johnson's Shut-Ins, Reynolds County, Missouri Rock towers create dozens of small pools on the East Fork of the Black River.

3. Bass Lake, Point Reyes National Seashore, California Follow the Coast Trail two and a half miles to a freshwater dunk hole that stays sunny even on the foggiest days.

All About H2O

The wet stuff is always there for us—it grows our food, puts splash and spirit in our adventure, and (by the way) keeps us alive. CLICK HERE for a special report on the health of America's most vital resource.

WATER CANON.
CLICK HERE for a complete list of Outside's articles on American water, from William T. Vollmann's filthy Salton Sea journey to the new hero of the Mississippi.

4. Calf Creek Falls, Utah The perfect desert oasis: a perennial waterfall and round, shaded pool.

5. Redfish Lake, Stanley, Idaho Laze on the south-shore beach and enjoy huge views of the Sawtooth Range.

6. Barton Springs, Austin, Texas A chilly 1,000-foot-long spring-fed pool in Austin's Zilker Park.

7. Walden Pond, Concord, Massachusetts After an impressive preservation effort, our most literary pond is definitely worth a dip.

8. Big Bend, Petersburg, West Virginia Try a lazy float on this hour-long river loop, on the South Branch of the Potomac.

9. Oregon Creek, California A stair-stepping series of pools in the Sierra, north of Nevada City, with plenty of natural, water-carved Jacuzzis.

10. Peekamoose Blue Hole, Sundown, New York Rondout Creek rushes through a gap in the rock to form this refreshing forest pond.

Next Page: We know you want your fair share of life's peak moments—and you want to get good and wet along the way—so we've thoughtfully prioritized our ten favorite liquid adventures in the United States

Our Favorite Swimming Holes | The Wild-Water Life List | The Sweetest Beaches | The Cleanest Lake