Top 10 Secret Swimming Holes Help Travel Channel Cool Off This Summer
by Richard D’Ambrosio /Photo: The Travel Channel
The Travel Channel this weekend will premiere “Top Secret Swimming Holes,” highlighting America’s best natural diving platforms, hidden slides, and crystal-clear waters. The series is part of "Dive Into Summer," Travel Channel's summer programming lineup that begins Sunday, June 19. TravelChannel is promoting the series heavily on its Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest social medial sites.
U.S. swimming holes that made Travel Channel’s top 10 list are:
Bingham Falls, VT
Located within Mt. Mansfield State Forest in Stowe, VT, typically a ski destination, these falls feature a 30-foot drop with a crystal-clear pool created by snow run-off.
Enders Falls, CT
About a two-hour drive north of Manhattan in Granby, CT, five majestic waterfalls include a 150-foot drop from the first waterfall to the last and a secret rockslide with a 10-foot plunge.
Ginnie Springs, FL
Ginnie is just one of eight springs studded with underwater caves and aquatic life. Upstream at Devil's Ear cavern is an incredibly rare natural phenomenon: river and spring water mix into a remarkable golden-reddish hue.
Little River Falls, AL
Located in Little River Canyon National Preserve, 115 miles northwest of Atlanta, is the largest waterfall in the state. Randy Owen, lead singer for the country band Alabama, led the fight to declare the area a national park in 1992.
McKinney Falls, TX
Tucked within the Austin city limits, McKinney Falls State Park hosts an eight-foot tall, rain-fed waterfall carved out of limestone. The bones of an amphibian dinosaur were discovered here in 1935, and fossilized shells dating back to prehistoric times continue to turn up.
Opal Pool, OR
Inside Willamette National Forest, two-and-a-half hours southeast of Portland, Opal Pool has a distinct emerald green color caused by the surrounding copper-rich rocks. Swimmers can dive off 30-foot cliffs into 10 feet of water or opt to take a ride down the "butt slide."
Quarry Park, MN
Just outside St. Cloud, MN, Quarry Park Nature Preserve, which produced the granite for the FDR monument in Washington, D.C., offers two swimming holes. Quarry 11 opened in the summer of 2015 and Quarry 2 features jumps that range from 10 to 24 feet.
Seven Teacups, CA
Located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, about 200 miles north of Los Angeles, the Seven Teacups are seven circular pools linked by six rushing waterfalls. This one might require a guide and proper climbing gear.
Slide Rock, AZ
Arizona's Sedona red rocks formed an 80-foot long, 2.5-4 foot wide slide, with a 7 percent decline from top to bottom, ending at a pool perfect for jumping.
Waioka Pond, HI
Three miles outside of Hana, on Maui, locals treasure this seaside pond that's a cliff jumper's paradise. Lava rock provides varying cliff heights, perfect for both beginner and experienced jumpers.
