If you’ve lived in the Cedar Park area for even one summer, someone’s mentioned the Quarry. And if you haven’t been yet, or you’re moving to the area and keep seeing it pop up in parent group recommendations, it’s worth knowing what you’re walking into before you load up the car.
We work with families relocating to Cedar Park, Leander, and the surrounding 183A corridor every week. The Quarry Splash Pad comes up constantly. Parents want to know what’s near the apartment they’re considering, what family activities sit within a 10-minute drive, and whether the outdoor options here actually justify moving farther from central Austin. The Quarry is one of those places that usually settles that question. (If you want a broader look at outdoor spaces near Cedar Park apartments, we covered that in our guide to the best parks in Cedar Park for renters.)
It’s not a city-run splash pad with a few sprinklers in a concrete slab. Think 8,000 square feet of interactive water play carved into natural rock, surrounded by pavilions, picnic areas, and one of the largest regional parks in Williamson County. Here’s what we tell families who ask about it.
What Makes the Quarry Splash Pad Different
Most splash pads in the Cedar Park area are small, flat, and functional. A few spray nozzles on a rubber pad next to a playground. The Quarry operates on a completely different scale.
Williamson County built the splash pad in 2011 inside a former quarry, so natural rock walls frame the water play area instead of chain-link fencing. The setup spans three distinct play zones, and we always walk parents through the age breakdown because it makes a real difference in whether your kid will love it or be done in twenty minutes.
Ages 1-3: The youngest kids tend to plant themselves in the gentle spray zone on one end. It’s low-pressure enough that a one-year-old won’t get overwhelmed, and the sand area keeps them occupied when they wander away from the water. Parents can sit nearby and stay dry if they want.
Ages 4-7: This is the group we hear the most about. The middle zone has geysers and jets that spray at different intervals, and kids in this range will run back and forth through them for an hour straight without getting bored. Not intense enough to knock a four-year-old over, but unpredictable enough to keep a six-year-old entertained. The sandbox still pulls this crowd too.
Ages 6-12: The far end is where the action is. Water cannons that kids can aim and fire at each other, a small climbing wall, and a water slide. Older kids set up camp here and don’t leave. It’s physical, it’s loud, and it’s exactly what a nine-year-old wants to do on a 100-degree afternoon.
What about siblings with a big age gap? We get that question a lot. The three zones overlap enough that you can keep a general eye on everyone, but the Quarry is large enough that supervising a toddler and a seven-year-old across different zones takes real effort. Our advice: bring a second adult if you can.
There’s no standing water anywhere. Zero depth, no lifeguard requirement, $2 per person. Hard to beat for a full afternoon.
The setting adds a lot too. Unlike a splash pad dropped into a neighborhood park, the Quarry sits inside Southwest Williamson County Regional Park, which covers 750+ acres. Bring a lunch, let the kids dry off, and you’ve got soccer fields, basketball courts, a playscape, and a crushed granite trail system waiting. We’ve had clients tell us they moved to the area partly because of how much there is to do in this one park.
The Cedar Rock Railroad
Worth mentioning: the Cedar Rock Railroad runs right there in the same park. It’s a quarter-scale train that loops 1.4 miles through the fields and wooded areas, and it works well as a wind-down activity after the splash pad when the kids are waterlogged but not ready to leave. The railroad was recently renovated and runs on its own schedule, so check Williamson County Parks for current operating days before you count on it.
What You Need to Know Before You Go
The practical details matter more here than at most splash pads. The Quarry has a few quirks that catch first-timers off guard, and we’d rather you know about them before you’re standing in the parking lot.
Hours, Season, and Admission
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| 2026 Season | May 23 through Labor Day (September 7) |
| Days Open | Wednesday through Sunday |
| Closed | Mondays and Tuesdays (except Memorial Day and Labor Day) |
| Hours | 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| Admission | $2 per person (adults and children) |
| Payment | Credit cards only, no cash |
That payment detail trips people up more than anything else we hear about. No cash option at all. Show up without a credit or debit card and you’re turning around. Check the official Quarry Splash Pad page for any schedule changes before your visit.
Group Reservations and Pavilions
Planning a birthday party or bringing a camp group? Groups of 20 or more need a pavilion reservation. The park has four options, and we’d point you toward the Boulder pavilions if your group is bigger than about 15 kids:
| Pavilion | Capacity | Cost | Amenities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pebble South | 24 max | $50 per time block (10am–1pm or 3pm–6pm) | No electricity, no grills |
| Pebble North | 24 max | $50 per time block (10am–1pm or 3pm–6pm) | No electricity, no grills |
| Boulder West | 72 max | $65 per half-day or $100 full day (9am–8pm) | Electricity and grills |
| Boulder East | 72 max | $65 per half-day or $100 full day (9am–8pm) | Electricity and grills |
The Boulder pavilions sit up at parking lot level, so your group has a gathering spot with grills and electricity even before the splash pad opens and after it closes. That matters for parties because pavilion hours run longer than the splash pad itself. At $65-$100 for up to 72 people with electricity and grills, they’re a solid deal for a birthday or group event.
Book online through the Williamson County Parks reservation system or call the Park Office at (512) 943-1920, weekdays between 8am and 5pm.
One exception worth knowing: on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 1pm and 6pm, groups of 20+ can enter without a pavilion reservation.
Tips from Families We’ve Talked To
A few things come up again and again when clients tell us about their Quarry visits. We pass these along to every family who asks:
Get there early on weekends. Shaded picnic areas are first-come, first-served. By 11am on a Saturday in July, summer camps and birthday parties have claimed most of the shade. Arriving at opening (10am) gives you the best shot.
Wednesday and Thursday afternoons are the sweet spot. We tell families this all the time and it holds true: those two days between 1pm and 4pm are consistently the least crowded. Camps and organized groups dominate mornings. Fridays run busier than midweek. Saturdays are the most packed.
Watch the rock surfaces after noon. This is a former quarry in Central Texas. By 1pm in July, exposed rock and concrete radiate serious heat. We’ve heard from parents whose kids burned their feet on surfaces that were fine at 10am. Water shoes make a real difference here.
Bring your own food and drinks. There’s a snack bar open most days, but a cooler with lunch and water bottles means you can make a full day of it. No glass containers and no alcohol. Those are hard rules.
Leave these at home. Piñatas, confetti, silly string, water balloons, and sidewalk chalk are all banned. They damage the recirculating pump system. Staff will enforce this, so save yourself the awkward conversation.
No pets. Service animals are the only exception.
Soft-soled shoes only on the splash pad. Bare feet, sandals, or water shoes work. No hard-soled shoes. Given the heat issue, we’d lean toward water shoes over bare feet for anything after noon.
No changing rooms. This one surprises people. The park has restrooms but no dedicated changing space. What most families do: dress kids in swimsuits before you arrive and keep dry clothes in a bag for the drive home.
Know how to navigate the park. The address, 3005 CR 175, gets you to the main park entrance off Sam Bass Road. Once inside, follow signs specifically for “Quarry Splash Pad.” We hear about this one regularly: if you head to the first parking lot you see, you’ll end up at the soccer fields hauling a cooler and three kids a half-mile across the park. The splash pad has its own parking area. Follow the signs.
Parking fills up. There’s a dedicated lot near the splash pad entrance, but on weekends it can get tight. Buses and oversized vehicles need to park at the softball field lot and walk in.
What to Bring
Here’s the packing list we give families heading to the Quarry for the first time:
- Sunscreen: SPF 30 minimum, reapply after an hour in the water. The quarry has some shade, but the splash pad itself is mostly exposed.
- Water shoes or soft-soled sandals: Surfaces get hot. Bare feet on quarry rock at 2pm is not something your kid will forgive you for.
- Towels: One per person minimum. Two if you’re making a day of it.
- Change of clothes: No changing rooms means you’re changing at the car. Dry clothes in a bag saves the drive home in wet swimsuits.
- Cooler with water and snacks: The snack bar isn’t always open, and dehydration sneaks up on kids faster than adults expect.
- A blanket or camp chairs: Picnic tables go fast. Your own spot means you’re not scrambling for shade at 11am.
- Credit or debit card: No cash accepted. Don’t learn this the hard way.
- Swim diapers: Required for little ones not yet potty trained. Bring extras.
Where to Eat After the Splash Pad
Hungry kids after two hours of water play is a guarantee. We hear about this from families constantly, so we started paying attention to where people go after the Quarry.
The park sits near the intersection of 1431 and Sam Bass Road, which puts you within a few minutes of a solid restaurant stretch along the 1431 corridor. For quick options with tired, damp kids in tow, there are fast-casual spots along Whitestone Boulevard between the park and Cedar Park.
If your crew can handle sitting down for a real meal, two places we hear the most about are Blue Corn Harvest Bar & Grill and Jack Allen’s Kitchen. Both sit along 1431, both handle families well with big portions and a relaxed pace. The Peached Tortilla in Cedar Park is another one that works. It’s casual enough that nobody blinks at a table of kids in still-drying swimsuits.
The easiest option, honestly, is to pack lunch and eat at the park. The Boulder pavilions have grills and electricity, and there’s plenty of picnic table space outside the splash pad. A lot of families we work with make a full day of it: splash pad in the morning, lunch at the park, then the Cedar Rock Railroad before heading home.
Other Splash Pads and Pools Near Cedar Park
The Quarry gets the most buzz, but it’s not the only water play option in the area. When families ask us to compare, here’s the breakdown we walk through:
| Splash Pad / Pool | Location | Cost | Season | Known For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarry Splash Pad | 3005 CR 175, Leander | $2/person | Late May to Labor Day, Wed–Sun | Three play zones in a quarry setting; full-day park |
| Brushy Creek Splash Pad | 3300 Brushy Creek Rd, Cedar Park | Free | ~May to Labor Day | Renovated 2025; TITAN Speed Racer |
| Veterans Memorial Pool | 2525 W New Hope Dr, Cedar Park | $2–$5 by age | Memorial Day to Labor Day | Swimming pool with water slide and diving board |
| Elizabeth Milburn Pool | 1901 Sun Chase Blvd, Cedar Park | Varies; passes available | Year-round lap swim; summer public swim | Only year-round pool option in Cedar Park |
| Buttercup Creek Pool | 411 Twin Oaks Trail, Cedar Park | $2–$5 by age | Memorial Day to Labor Day | Quieter neighborhood pool, less crowded |
| Splash Shack | Cedar Park | Paid admission | Year-round (indoor) | Indoor, 82°F year-round, rain or winter backup |
| Robin Bledsoe Park | Leander | Free | Seasonal | Rubber flooring, zero-depth, built for toddlers |
| Lakewood Park Splash Pad | 2040 Artesian Springs Crossing, Leander | Free | ~May to Labor Day | Recently resurfaced; popular with northern Leander |
Here’s how we think about these when families ask:
If you want the biggest, most full-day experience, the Quarry is the pick. You can easily spend four or five hours between the splash pad, the park, and the railroad. But it costs $2 a head and it’s only open five days a week.
For a quick, free weekday visit where you don’t need to plan ahead, the Brushy Creek Splash Pad is the stronger play. It got a $1.1 million renovation in 2025, and the TITAN Speed Racer (first of its kind in Texas, handles 30 kids at once) makes it more than just sprinklers on a pad. Three distinct play zones and a lightning detection system that shuts the water down automatically during storms. It’s free, it’s in Cedar Park proper, and you don’t need to drive to Leander.
If your kids actually want to swim, not just splash, Veterans Memorial Pool or Buttercup Creek Pool are the move. Season passes through the City of Cedar Park Aquatics department cover all three city pools. Buttercup Creek tends to draw smaller crowds if that matters to you.
And for the off-season? Splash Shack. It’s a 10,000-square-foot indoor facility with a 30-foot-tall interactive water play structure that stays at 82°F year-round. When it’s February and your kids have been inside for a week, this is where you go.
Why This Matters for Apartment Renters
When families tell us what they’re looking for in an apartment, parks and kid-friendly recreation come up almost as often as schools and commute. This is one of the areas where Cedar Park genuinely stands out.
Apartments along the Lakeline and 1431 corridors sit within a 5-10 minute drive of the Quarry. Communities near Brushy Creek Road are within walking distance or a short drive to the Brushy Creek Splash Pad and Lake Park. Properties near the 183A corridor have quick access to the city’s three pools and are central to most outdoor recreation in the area. (You can browse apartments by area: East Cedar Park, South Cedar Park, and West Cedar Park.)
No single corridor has a monopoly on this stuff. Outdoor amenities are spread across Cedar Park and Leander in a way that gives most apartment communities reasonable access to at least one major water play option. That’s a real advantage over closer-in Austin neighborhoods, where splash pads serve larger populations and pools stay crowded all summer. (For a side-by-side look at how Cedar Park stacks up, see our Cedar Park vs. Leander vs. Round Rock comparison.)
When we’re helping a family narrow down communities, proximity to parks and recreation is one of the filters we use alongside schools, commute, and budget. If having the Quarry or Brushy Creek Lake Park within easy reach matters to you, that changes which communities make the shortlist. Give us a call at 512-520-0311 and we can walk through what’s available in the corridors that fit.
FAQ
Is the Quarry Splash Pad in Cedar Park or Leander?
The address is technically in Leander: 3005 CR 175, Leander, TX 78641. It sits inside Southwest Williamson County Regional Park right off 1431 and Sam Bass Road. But it’s on the border, and residents of both cities treat it as their own. We’ve never had a client say “I can’t go there, it’s in Leander.” Most Cedar Park apartment communities are 5-15 minutes away.
How much does the Quarry Splash Pad cost?
$2 per person, regardless of age. Credit cards only, no cash. There aren’t season passes for the splash pad specifically, so it’s $2 every visit.
What are the Quarry Splash Pad hours for 2026?
Opens May 23, runs through Labor Day (September 7). Wednesday through Sunday, 10am to 6pm. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays except Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Can I have a birthday party at the Quarry Splash Pad?
Yes, and we’d recommend it over most indoor party venues for summer birthdays. Groups of 20 or fewer don’t need a reservation. Larger groups need one of the four pavilions: the Pebble pavilions hold 24 for $50, the Boulder pavilions hold 72 for $65-$100 and come with grills and electricity. Call (512) 943-1920 or book online through Williamson County Parks.
Is there a splash pad in Cedar Park that’s free?
Yes. The Brushy Creek Splash Pad at 3300 Brushy Creek Road is free and just went through a major renovation in 2025 with new water features and play zones. Robin Bledsoe Park and Lakewood Park in Leander also have free splash pads.
What else is there to do at Southwest Williamson County Regional Park?
More than you’d expect in one park. 750+ acres with 11 soccer fields, two softball fields, a football field with a 400-meter track, eight tennis courts, six basketball courts, a playscape, a crushed granite hike-and-bike trail, and the Cedar Rock Railroad. We’ve had families tell us they spend entire Saturdays there without running out of things to do.
Are splash pads open year-round in Cedar Park?
Outdoor ones are seasonal, typically May through Labor Day. Splash Shack is the year-round exception. It’s an indoor water play facility in Cedar Park that keeps the temperature at 82°F regardless of the weather outside.
Can I bring food to the Quarry Splash Pad?
Yes, and we’d recommend it. The snack bar is open most days but isn’t guaranteed. Bring a cooler with lunch and plenty of water. No glass containers and no alcohol.
What age is the Quarry Splash Pad best for?
Broadly, ages 1 through 12. Toddlers do well in the gentle spray zone and sandbox. The 4-7 range thrives in the middle zone with the geysers and jets. Older kids gravitate toward the water cannons, climbing wall, and slide. The space is big enough that supervising kids in different zones takes effort, so plan for that.
Are there changing rooms at the Quarry Splash Pad?
No, and that catches a lot of first-timers by surprise. Restrooms are available, but there’s nowhere private to change. Dress kids in swimsuits before you leave home and bring dry clothes in a bag.
When is the Quarry Splash Pad least crowded?
Wednesday and Thursday afternoons between 1pm and 4pm. That’s our go-to recommendation. Mornings draw summer camps and organized groups. Saturdays are the busiest by far. If you want shade and space without the crowds, a midweek visit right at opening (10am) is your best bet.
What apartments are closest to the Quarry Splash Pad?
The Lakeline corridor and communities near 1431/Sam Bass Road are closest, usually a 5-10 minute drive. Brushy Creek corridor and central Cedar Park are 10-15 minutes out. If proximity to the Quarry or other family recreation is a priority for your apartment search, that’s something we factor in when narrowing down options. Start your search here or call us at 512-520-0311.
For $2 a person and a short drive from most Cedar Park apartment communities, the Quarry Splash Pad delivers more than any other single outdoor activity in the area. Two acres of water play in a natural quarry setting, a regional park with enough fields and courts to fill a weekend, and a miniature train ride to cap it off. Between the Quarry, the renovated Brushy Creek Splash Pad, three public pools, and Splash Shack for the off-season, this area gives families more water play access than most suburbs in the Austin metro.
That’s part of why we hear about parks and recreation so often from the families we help with apartment searches. Where you live affects what your weekends look like, and in the Cedar Park area, the answer is usually “outside.” If you’re still early in your research, our guide to moving to Cedar Park covers the rest of the picture: schools, commute, cost of living, and what sets this area apart.
We help renters find the right apartment in the Cedar Park, Leander, and surrounding areas, at no cost and no pressure. Call us at 512-520-0311 or fill out the form above, and we’ll walk through your options based on what matters most to you.