Summer means days spent cooling down in the water, and nature provides plenty of opportunities to do so in the middle of breathtaking beauty.
Natural swimming holes in America include everything from beautiful waterfalls that double as your own natural waterslide to streams with crystal-clear water and even geothermal pools where you can warm yourself.
Whether you want to relive your days leaping from rope swings or just take a peaceful dip, we've compiled a list of some of the country's finest swimming holes to explore.
Officials in California are urging tourists to avoid Lake Tahoe over Labor Day weekend as a fire rages nearby. This Nerf-themed vacation rental has go-karts, a water trampoline, and other activities.
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1. Wyoming's Firehole River Swimming Area
Yellowstone National Park, the world's first national park, is known for its geothermal springs, and the swimming area along the Firehole River is a great place to get a taste of what swimming in one could be like.
The swimming area is heated by thermal activity under the surface and is a popular summer swimming spot. There are no lifeguards on duty, therefore visitors should be aware of this for their own safety.
To get there, take Firehole Canyon Drive, which is situated south of Madison Junction, and follow the signs to the swimming spot. While it may be tempting, resist cliff jumping in the region since it is both hazardous and illegal.
Due to the coronavirus epidemic, the area is presently closed; visit the website for information on when it will reopen.
2. New Hampshire's Diana's Baths
This sequence of tiny pools and waterfalls on Lucy Brook in Bartlett, New Hampshire, is a favorite summer destination for families due to its easy access through a short path.
The location puts on a wonderful natural display to watch when the water levels reach peak flows, which fluctuate throughout the year.
3. New Mexico's Blue Hole
The sapphire-blue waters that border the landscape of Santa Rosa, New Mexico's Blue Hole derive their name from the consistent temperature of approximately 62 degrees Fahrenheit.
Scuba divers and cliff jumpers frequent the swimming hole, which is accessible all year, allowing you to explore its underwater passageways long after summer is over. Due to COVID-19 measures, the Blue Hole Conference and Dive Center is temporarily closed.
4. Blanchard Springs, Arkansas
At the Blanchard Springs Recreation Area in Arkansas, there are two swimming places to explore, both of which are supplied by North Sylamore Creek.
The first offers a larger and shallower swimming area, while the second is located next to the campsites and may reach depths of up to 12 feet with a bluff line running through it.
The swimming holes recently lost their official classification as swimming holes, which means they are no longer water tested and there are no lifeguards on duty, so swim at your own risk. Nonetheless, the sites continue to attract a significant number of tourists who come to swim.
5. Chena Hot Springs, Alaska
The Chena Hot Springs Resort near Fairbanks, Alaska, has an outdoor natural hot-spring-fed lake that remains about 106 degrees Fahrenheit year-round for a soothing swim. The outdoor location, which sometimes provides views of the aurora borealis, may make for an ultra-romantic vacation, but you do not need to stay at the hotel to attend.
After a swim, pay a visit to the resort's Aurora Ice Museum, which is the world's biggest year-round ice environment, with over 1,000 tonnes of ice and snow, as well as ice-made structures such as chambers and observation towers, as well as an ice bar and stairway.
6. Arizona's Havasu Falls
The vivid blue and green waters, as well as the surrounding travertine rock formations, draw tourists to these falls, which are situated inside the Havasupai Reservation in the southwest corner of Grand Canyon National Park.
While getting to the falls needs a permit and a more than eight-mile walk, that hasn't prevented thousands of visitors — including Beyoncé — from flocking to the area to appreciate its magnificence, so you'll need to book ahead of time. Due to the coronavirus epidemic, this area is presently closed.
7. Utah's Homestead Caldera
Paddleboard Yoga is being practiced in the hot water of the Homestead Crater in Utah by people wearing bathing suits.
Take a swim in the only warm water scuba diving location in the continental United States at the Homestead Resort.
The Homestead Caldera, which was created 10,000 years ago when melting snow from the neighboring Wasatch Mountains seeped into the earth, today provides warm, mineral-rich waters to swimmers, divers, and snorkelers.
While the swimming hole is surrounded by a 55-foot-tall limestone rock formation, the resort has carved a tunnel through the rock at ground level to provide better access to its waters.
8. Alabama's Little River Canyon
The Little River in northern Alabama flows against the summit of Lookout Mountain, providing lots of swimming spots for tourists.
A 45-foot cascade flows down to the swimming area at the Little River Falls, with the river itself acting as a popular destination for expert-level kayakers.
When the water is high and fast, you'll need to be cautious since it may take you over the falls in seconds. You may also access the Little Falls area by using the boardwalk's side path, where you can see swimmers leaping into the water. Visitors are not permitted to enter Little River Canyon at this time.
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