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LakeQuality

Westcave's waterfall drops about 40 feet over a limestone cliff into a pool within a fern-covered grotto in the Texas Hill Country off Hamilton Pool Road. The roughly 1.5-mile round-trip Grotto Trail descends into the cooler canyon and is accessible only via scheduled guided tours to protect the sensitive habitat.

Height
40 ft
Type
Plunge
Access
Short Hike
Trail
1.5 mi out-and-back
Elevation gain
Not documented
Best season
Spring (best flow); year-round grotto
Land manager
Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center
Watercourse
Heinz Branch (to Pedernales River)

Before you go

Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Westcave Falls drops about 40 feet. That makes it the 472nd-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 31% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

The Grotto Trail (guided) reaches it about 1.5 miles (out-and-back), rated easy. The nearest town is Round Mountain. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center for closures and current conditions.

Spring (best flow); year-round grotto. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.

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