Austin Parks and Preserves

List of 10 items.

• East Austin

  This references the parts of Austin that are east of I*35, north of the Colorado River, west of Texas 130 and South of Highway 290.

• Far Southwest Austin

  This description fits a large triangle shaped area surrounded by 1*35 on the east, Highway 290 on the north and Texas 45 along the southwest.  It has an abundance of large parks.

• Greater Austin Area State, County, US Fish & Wildlife and LCRA Parks

  Within a short drive of Austin there are numerous parks and preserves. Most currently are closed, and some of these are still open, but please use discretion and caution when visiting them.

  Pace Bend Park (aka Paleface Park) is a Travis County Park on a peninsula formed by the confluence of the Pedernales and Colorado Rivers on Lake Travis. There is lots of water front from sheer cliffs to beaches and everything in between. It is also a popular mountain biking destination. Here’s a link to their website to learn more about what is available at this time.
  
  Balcones CanyonLands National Wildlife Refuge is still open at this time for unorganized individual activities. This is a very large and beautiful park with miles of trails. Here’s a link to their website.
  
  Milton Reimer’s Ranch Park is a large park on Hamilton Pool Road on the Pedernales River. Currently allowed activities at Reimers Ranch Park are walking, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, rock climbing and biking on some trails. As usual, Mountain Bike Trails will be open when they are dry and closed when they are wet. All visitors must follow proper social distancing practices at all times, including staying at least 6 feet from each other. Picnic tables will not be available for use. Here’s a link to their website.
  
  Hamilton Pool Preserve & Westcave Preserve are closed at this time.
  
  

  If you have questions, please email Charlton Perry.

• Ladybird Lake and the Colorado River Corridor

• North Austin

  “North Austin” is the area from Koenig Lane north to Wells Branch Parkway between Mopac and I-35. This part of town has lots of school campus parks that I won’t mention here.  In addition, several parks in this neighborhood are currently closed for renovation. They have been omitted.

  Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park is the largest park in this area. It is very popular with hikers and mountain bikers. There are miles of trails, a BMX pump track and a dedicated leash*free area for dogs. There are picnic areas, playing fields. The playground and pool are currently closed.
  
  Brentwood Neighborhood Park is a medium sized neighborhood park. There are plenty of open spaces. The tennis courts, basketball court and pool are closed. A gravel walking trail surrounds the park.
  
  Beverly Sheffield Northwest District Park is a fairly large park with tennis courts, a basketball court, pool and playground are all closed. There’s a lovely picnic area shaded by trees, nestled into a hillside. There’s lots of parking at this park because it is a very busy pool in the summer.
  
  Payton Gin Pocket Park is a poster child for the city’s pocket park program. In what was a trash filled tiny parcel of undevelopable land on Little Walnut Creek, a charming small park has been built. It is very small, there isn’t much trail and the playground is closed. However, if you live close by, the section of Little Walnut Creek that runs through the park is lovely in the spring.
  
  North Austin YMCA Community Garden and Park is a dedicated water quality area that has been turned into a nice neighborhood park. There is a short trail and lots of large trees. It’s a nice place for those who live in the Rundberg Lane and North Lamar area.
  
  Quail Creek Neighborhood Park is a medium sized neighborhood park with picnic tables, lots of open space for recreation and a small trail system located at the corner of Rutland Drive and Means Meadow Blvd.
  
  North Star Greenbelt is a narrow, fairly manicured greenbelt with an ADA accessible, 1.4 mile, multi*use trail. There are covered picnic areas. It’s not a destination park, but it’s lovely if this is your neighborhood.
  
  Scofield Farms Neighborhood Park is a 13 acre park with trails and lots of open green space for recreation.
  
  Wells Branch Disc Golf Course is an 18 hole, beginner friendly disc golf course. The best place to park is along Owen Tech Blvd. near the Whataburger.

• Northeast Austin

  “Northeast Austin” refers the area north of Highway 290 all the way to Howard Lane between I-35 and Texas 130.

  Walnut Creek Greenbelt and Copperfield Nature Trail is a greenbelt along Walnut Creek and a tributary. While I wouldn’t call it a destination park, it is a charming greenbelt with a series of dams that create three small reservoirs. Here’s a link to a website run by volunteers who care for the park.
  
  Gus Garcia Recreation Center and District Park currently is closed. However there are playing fields and a trail.

• Northwest Hills

  In the general vicinity of Northwest Austin there are many green spaces available.  Here is a list of parks that are open at this time.

  Bull Creek District Park and Greenbelt is a wonderful park with lots of trails and a creek. It runs from Lakewood Drive just north of 2222 along Bull Creek to the intersection of Spicewood Springs Road and 360. One can often see lots of water foul along the creek and the southern end of the park is a leash*free dog park for the furry family members. There are two parking lots on Lakewood Drive towards the south end of the park and another parking area on Old Spicewood Spring Road toward the north end.
  
  St. Edward's Park and Upper Bull Creek Greenbelt is another park along Bull Creek upstream from Bull Creek District Park. If you take Spicewood Springs Road west of 360, you will reach St. Edward's Park on your left approximately 2.3 miles in. This is a very scenic park with lots of elevation change. There is an old dam on the creek which means there is almost always water even during dry spells. This attracts lots of wildlife.
  
  Stillhouse Hollow Nature Preserve is a nature preserve with a trail head at the end of Sterling Drive right off Burney Drive. There is an in and out trail to a scenic overlook above a spring. It is a small, but beautiful park. It is a nature preserve that protects endangered species, so please stay on the trail.
  
  Riverplace Nature Trails are some of my favorite trails in the city. Here is a link with a description of the three trails in the system. Canyon trail is a popular destination for folks who are preparing for mountain hikes. You can get in a 4.6 mile out and bike hike with 1,300’ of climbing. All of the trails in the system are scenic and not all require a lot of climbing.
  
  Emma Long Metropolitan Park is the crown jewel of northwest Austin. This is a giant park on Lake Austin. There is lakefront, miles of motocross and mountain biking trail and Turkey Creek Trail. Turkey Creek Trail is a beautiful tree covered trail along Turkey Creek with maidenhair fern covered waterfalls. No pedestrians are allowed on the motocross and mountain bike trails and no mountain bikes are allowed on Turkey Creek Trail. There is a charge to enter the lakefront area where there are numerous picnic sites, campsites and a boat ramp.
  
  Steck Valley Greenbelt and Hyridge Park make up a small greenbelt in Northwest hills. They include a through trail with 3 trailheads at the intersection of Steck Ave. and Adirondack Trail, the deadend of Hyridge Drive and on Great Hills Trail on the southeast side of 360. There’s a pretty good chance you’ll see no one else on this trail.
  
  Greathills Neighborhood Park includes two small parks that are connected by a series of trails along creeks. The best trailheads are at the two parks. One is at 10801 Sierra Oaks, Austin, TX 78759 and the other at the corner of Sierra Oaks and Sierra Nevada.
  
  Oakview Neighborhood Park is a small neighborhood park. The playground and tennis courts are closed. There is a half-mile loop trail around it. The trail has lots of plagues identifying the flora in the park.

• Southeast Austin

  This area is East of I*35, south of the Colorado River, west of Texas 130 and north of Texas 45.

  Mabel Davis District Park has an olympic-sized pool and skate park which make this a destination park. They are both closed, but there is a trail through the park that wanders through open and wooded spaces.
  
  McKinney Falls State Park is the only state park within the city limits of Austin. Sadly, it is closed at this time.
  
  Onion Creek Metropolitan & and Greenbelt is an undiscovered gem in southeast Austin that is only starting to be developed. The official entrance is on Nuckols Crossing Road. There are miles of trails through the wooded area and along the creek.
  
  Dove Springs Recreation Center and District Park are a large park off Nuckols Crossing Road on Williamson Creek. The recreation center, pool and sport courts are closed, but there are wooded trails along the creek that are scenic.
  
  Springfield Neighborhood Park is a popular hiking and fishing destination on Onion Creek located on East William Cannon Drive. Easy terrain on dirt trails follow the cypress tree lined creek. The trails system actually joins McKinney Falls State Park trails, but remember the state park is closed. The best parking area is on Dixie Drive near the East William Cannon Drive intersection. This is another beautiful, underutilized park.
  
  Richard Moya Park is another pretty park along Onion Creek in East Austin on Burleson Road. The sport courts are closed, but there is lots of open space and trails along the creek. The historical, through truss Moore’s Crossing Bridge in the park was constructed using three sections of bridge that used to cross the Colorado River at Congress Avenue.

• Southwest and South Central Austin

  This zone includes the area west of I-35, north of Ben White, south of The Colorado River extending to roughly Cuernavaca.

• West and Central Austin

  This area describes the portion of the city contained by 2222, Koenig Lane, I-35 and the Colorado River.  This part of town also has a lot of campus parks that I will continue to exclude.  If you look at a map online and get excited about the Bright Leaf Preserve, temper your expectations. It is only open to guided hikes and is currently closed.