Blue Hole
4.6(675)google
4.2(52)yelp
DivingPhoto SpotQuirkySwimming
Overview
A blue hole is a large marine cavern or sinkhole, which is open to the surface and has developed in a bank or island composed of a carbonate bedrock (limestone or coral reef). Blue holes typically contain tidally influenced water of fresh, marine, or mixed chemistry. They extend below sea level for most of their depth and may provide access to submerged cave passages.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration1-2 hours
Best TimeA legendary American Route 66 geological wonder featuring an artesian spring 82 feet deep with crystalline, sapphire-blue water that stays 61°F (16°C) year-round. The absolute defining window is between 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM on a bright summer afternoon; the vertical midday sun pierces directly into the deep pool, making swimmers look suspended in glass.
Getting TherePerfectly positioned in Santa Rosa at 1085 Blue Hole Rd, just off Interstate 40. Drive easily by riding I-40 to exit 273, merge west onto the historic alignment of Route 66 (Will Rogers Dr), and turn left south following the prominent blue highway signs onto Blue Hole Rd. The aquatic oasis features its own extensive municipal paid surface lot wrapped around the rock edges.
Travel Tips
- Scuba or free diving inside this high-altitude artesian spring chasm requires purchasing and displaying a specialized city permit from the park kiosk.
- The spring holds a constant 62°F (16.6°C); despite sweltering desert surface air, donning a 5mm full neoprene wetsuit is critical to avoid rapid hypothermia.
- No overnight camping or oversized trailer layout is permitted; route 66 corridor crime patterns necessitate locking all visible electronics inside trunks.
Reviews
Positive
- In the middle of the red rock desert, this 80-foot-deep, crystal-clear pure blue artesian spring holds immense visual shock.
- An elite inland scuba diving mecca! The water stays a constant 61°F (16°C) year-round, offering unrivaled interaction for divers.
- The amenities are well-planned, featuring a wide paved lot, clean modern changing rooms, and showers, just moments off Interstate 40.
- There is no admission fee to walk around and view the water; you only pay a token parking charge, offering high value free from noise.
Heads up
- On summer weekend afternoons, crowd density explodes; the narrow rocky banks get packed with cliff-jumpers, becoming loud and chaotic.
- If you plan to gear up and scuba dive, you must purchase a costly dive permit nearby, driven up the cost of secondary spending.
- The water feels bone-chilling to swimmers without thick neoprene wetsuits; shivering sets in within minutes, poorly suiting toddlers.
- Outside the core blue pool, the surrounding park elements look aged and weathered, lacking mature tree canopies and sun shelters.