Photographing Wimberley
Wimberley is a quaint community in the Texas Hill Country. Folks make the drive here from Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and so many other areas to enjoy local dining, relaxing strolls along Cypress Creek, shopping during Market Days, and a dynamic music and art scene. For me, Wimberley isn’t far from my home outside of Dripping Springs, and it is a good place to spend a morning or evening photographing the scenery. I think my favorite season to explore this area is Autumn when the cypress are changing from green to orange and gold. The mornings are cool and crisp, and fewer people are at the pools or along the river, making it just a bit easier to stroll and shoot. That said, Wimberley is nice any time of year to explore. And while there are a lot of options, here are my favorite places to push the shutter:
6. The Crossroads of Wimberley
On the way to Jacob’s Well at the intersection of 812 and 220, homemade signs point in all different directions. The signs don’t show a city or town, but rather where folks live, from “Nannie+Papa” to the “Rose Ranch” and all homes in between. This telephone pole of signs has been growing for several years. It may not be a sunset or sunrise photograph, but it definitely offers a local flair!
Along Jacob's Well Road near Wimberley, a collection of signs points in all dfferent directions. Find your destination and head that way!
5. The Veterans Memorial Plaza
Just off Ranch Road 2325, the Veteran’s Memorial Plaza offers a quiet place to contemplate and honor United States Veterans from all branches of the military, even including the Space Force. This location is good for any time of day, but I like to visit this memorial either with blue skies of an afternoon or in the soft light of sunset when winds are calm. I’ve found that a wide angle lens works best here if you want to capture all the flags in one shot. I’ve used an 11-24 for most of my work here.
The flags of the U.S. military forces fly over the Veterans Memorial Plaza in Wimberley, Texas, honoring those who have served and sacrificed for their country both in war and in peace.
4. Jacob’s Well
One of the Hill Country’s favorite summer holes, Jacob’s well is a pool-jumper’s paradise. But be sure to check the Jacob’s Well website and make reservations if you want to swim in the hotter months as space fills quickly. Here, a more tranquil vision of the 140-foot deep pool is shown on a cool Autumn day.
Jacob's Well is the headwaters of Cypress Creek, releasing thousands of water each day from the Trinity Aquifer that flow into the Blanco River. As the second largest fully submerged cave in Texas, the hole plunges to a depth of 140 feet. This beautiful pool is open for swimming for several months each summer - from May 1 through September 30.
This image of the pool shows the aqua-blue color of the pool on a cool November afternoon with a sunburst and reflection from the sun on the water's edge.
3. Downtown
Downtown Wimberley is a mecca for shopping and people-watching. I love to walk Cypress Creek that runs by downtown in the morning when the winds are calm and the air cool. Here is the view from the bridge that crosses over the creek on a colorful November morning (using a wide-angle lens).
From downtown Wimberley, Autumn colors were on full display along Cypress Creek a few days before Thanksgiving. The temperature was 36 degrees and the winds calm on a perfect, quiet morning in the hill country.
Nearby, Saturday mornings find the shop owners in their routine of opening the shop doors and preparing for the onslaught of tourists and sightseers. In those early hours, the quiet streets have (to me) a European feel of a day’s beginning.
In the morning before the shops open, the main shopping area of downtown Wimberley is quiet before the bustling day begins.
2. The Blue Hole
A walking trail runs along Cypress Creek only a few miles from downtown Wimberley and winds along the waterway that is lined with Cypress. When school is out, kids and adults alike flock to these clear waters to find a respite from the hot summer afternoons. For my photograph needs, I prefer a cold November morning when the cypress leaves are orange and gold and their reflections show clearly in the glass-like water.
1. Old Baldy
The icon of Wimberley, Old Baldy is the highest point in the area. The small hill offers 360 degree views of the surrounding countryside. Both sunrise and sunset offer amazing opportunities for photo-taking. Both a wide-angle lens and a small zoom work equally well, depending on what you want to shoot.
The hike to the top of Old Baldy in Wimberley, Texas, is an easy 218 steps from the start of the path. After reaching the summit, a 360 degree view awaits. This hill country photograph shows the Veterans Memorial and rolling hills beneath a beautiful fall sunset.
I’ve found that the tele works when zooming in on the Veterans Memorial that is just down the hill a short distance away.
On a cool morning, flags of the US Military forces fly over the Veterans' Memorial in Wimberley, Texas.
From the gravel parking area to the top of Old Baldy, it is only 218 steps. So bring a snack, stay awhile, talk to the locals who are enjoying the same view, and enjoy a break from life!
While in Wimberley, visit some of the great places to sip a drink or enjoy relaxed dining. Folks love the Leaning Pear for light dishes or the Shady Llama (I love that name) for family-friendly place with good food, a great atmosphere, real llamas, and good brews.
If you have any questions, I’m happy to answer as best I can.
In the meantime, happy travels, Texas!
~ Rob
Atop Old Baldy in Wimberley Texas, the views stretch for miles and miles. Here, an Autumn sunrise is seen through the branches of an old cedar tree. With temperatures in the 40s and the warming sunlight spreading across the hill country, this was a perfect way to start a day.
