Erin Newman-Mitchell

The Laguna Gloria Trail is a 0.4 mile out-and-back hike beginning in Mayfield Park, a popular park located in west Austin. The trail is very short and relatively easy. The trail is made of dirt and is completely shaded. It's a very calming walk and beautiful walk, full of lush greens and depending on the season lots of wildflowers. The trail head is found within Mayfield Park. Please be advised...

The Great Hills Park trail is a 2.3 mile point-to-point nature trail found within the Great Hills neighborhood of Northwest Austin. The trail is perfect for cycling, hiking, or just for taking a regular walk. The hike features a multitude of wildlife and is primarily shaded. There are several bat houses along the trail. During the months of summer in either the early morning or right before sun...

The Bull Creek Trail is an Out-and-Back trail along Bull Creek; it's a pretty beginner to intermediate hike. The trail follows along Bull Creek which runs between the hills of the Austin Hill Country. There are several waterfalls which can be found along the creek. The trail has multiple access points, many of which are located right next to the major waterfalls of the trail. It is not necessar...

The Shoal Creek trail is located along the Shoal Creek Greenbelt which stretches the length of central/downtown Austin. It is a 5.4 mile out-and-back trail following along Shoal Creek. Much of the trail runs through residential area. And though it runs parallel to a creek, itis a city trail and not ideal for nature watching.The trail is moderately trafficked and is mostly paved. The trail is pe...

Turkey Creek trail is a 2.7 mile out-and-back hike located within Emma Long Metropolitan Park in Northwest Austin, Texas. This trail is perfect for cycling, running, walking, and general exercise. The trail is made of dirt with few inclines. Please note, however, at the beginning of the trail there are some stairs and uneven grounds. You must cross the creek to continue the trail, though at thi...

The Good Water Trail Loop from Cedar Breaks is a 10.1 mile loop hike that begins within Cedar Breaks Park, just northeast of Georgetown, Texas. The trail is heavily trafficked and even more so on weekends. There are several inclines and declines, but nothing too significant. The trail has rough terrain so hiking boots/sturdy shoes are highly recommended. It also follows along the banks of Lake ...

The Chalk Ridge Falls Trail can be found within Chalk Ridge Falls Park just outside of Belton, Texas. The trail features one main waterfall as well as a neat suspension bridge. The hike to the waterfall and the bridge are not but about half a mile from the parking lot. Overall the trail is about 2.5 miles long and is an out-and-back trail. It's mostly shaded and follows alongside the creek. Thi...

The Sunset deck at Balcones Canyonlands is an amazing family- and pet-friendly spot. Parking is only about 100 feet from the overlook and is easily accessible for any and everyone. The overlook is absolutely serene and great for a picnic. There is also a small beginner trail ("Ridgeline Trail") nearby that is only about three quarters of a mile long. The road leading up to the deck is a dirt ro...

Mayfield Nature Preserve is a 21-acre park located just west of downtown Austin, Texas. This nature preserve is unique from all other parks in Austin in that it that features free-roaming peacocks. It's a beautiful park full of beautiful nature and the trail leads down near the lake. The trail is not completely level and is not paved and thus is not very handicap-friendly, however the area in w...

The Restoration Way Trail Loop is a 5.1 mile loop hike located in Northwest San Antonio within  Friedrich Park. The trail is definitely one of the more challenging trails in the park.  Portions of the trail are paved, however this particular loop is not recommended for those that have mobility limitations because of the more strenuous inclines. This trail is primarily shaded and during the spr...

The Purgatory Creek Overlook via Dante's Trail is a 2.8 mile out-and-back hike located within the Purgatory Creek Greenspace area just south of San Marcos, Texas. This particular section of the Greenspace is made of flattened crushed gravel and is mostly shaded. The trail is very well maintained and several benches can be found around the trail. There are slight inclines and declines. It's a gr...

Main Loop to Restoration Way Trail is a ~5.6 mile loop hike located in Northwest San Antonio within Friedrich Park. Portions of the trail are paved, however this particular loop is not recommended for those that have mobility limitations because of the more strenuous inclines. This trail is primarily shaded and during the spring time features an abundance of wildflowers. It's a great trail for...

The outer loop trail at Mary Moore Searight park is 2.1 miles and is interconnected by several smaller trails, which can be used to shorten the length of the hike. The trail is relatively easy with very few inclines and declines. The trail is mostly very thin crushed gravel and great for an easy walk/run/bike. Along with the trail, there are several large fields located around the park perfect ...

The Hike and Bike Trail around Lady Bird Lake provides great views of the city skyline from several different perspectives. It's perfect for exercising or just taking a stroll on. It's about a 10 mile looping trail however there are several points in which you can cross the river and make the loop shorter. There is also a boardwalk that extends out onto the river. The boardwalk has several sitt...

The University of Texas Walk is about a 3-mile loop trail around the University of Texas at Austin. Beginning at the LBJ Presidential Library, the trail loops around all of UT's most prominent landmarks, including the LBJ fountain, the Blanton Museum of Art and of course the renowned school tower, among several others. The trail is not obviously marked and though it is a loop trail, you are abl...

Walnut Creek Metro Loop is an 8.8 mile loop hike located within Walnut Creek Metro Park in north Austin, Texas. The trail is moderately hiked and relatively easy. It's great for walking/running/cycling. There are many smaller trails that connect portions of the main loop and it's easy to get confused. The trail is paved at certain points but for the most part is flattened dirt. Keep in mind tha...

The Violet Crown Trail: Zilker to 360 is 3.7 mile out-and-back stretch through the Barton Creek Greenbelt. The trail begins in Zilker Park and follows Barton Creek all the way south to Loop 360. Parking can be found at Zilker Park. Though on weekends and during the summer time, the park is usually busy and parking can be difficult to find, The trail is mostly shaded and is perfect for hiking, r...

The Bull Creek trail is a dog-friendly loop trail found in the Bull Creek Greenbelt area of northwest Austin, Texas. This trail, which may be confused with the South-to-North Bull Creek Trail, actually does not follow the creek and instead winds around the hills of the Austin Hill Country. The trail is shaded in some parts but exposed to the sun in others. The trail itself is not too bad, but ...

The San Gabriel River trailhead is found within Cedar Breaks Park, just northeast of Georgetown, Texas. The trail is a 7.6 mile moderate out-and-back trail. The trail is heavily trafficked and even more so on weekends. There are several inclines and declines, but nothing too significant. The trail has rough terrain so hiking boots/sturdy shoes are highly recommended. It also follows along the b...

The Dick Nichols Park Trail is a 1 mile loop neighborhood park trail located in Southwest Austin. The trail is completely flat and is entirely paved. It circles the park and is equally shaded and exposed. It's very kid-friendly and perfect for walking the dog, biking, trail running, hiking, and even rollerblading. During the spring/summer months the trail is filled with pretty wildflowers. Ther...

The Wolf Mountain Trail is a 7.2 mile loop hike within Pedernales Falls State Park, right outside of Johnson City, Texas. The trail is pretty wide and great for all sorts of exercising and social distancing. The trail is relatively moderate and well maintained. There is little shade but it is still a great hike and the most perfect trail for exploration, especially for kids. There are several ...

The Spring Lake Preserve Trail is a 4.3 mile loop trail located within the The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment in San Marcos, Texas. The hike offers beautiful and scenic lake views. It's perfect for families and those of all ages. There are a wide variety of nature and wildlife spotting opportunities. Note that especially in the spring the wildflowers grow along the trail shoulder ...

The Hillview Nature Trail is a 2.9 mile loop hike located in Northwest San Antonio within Eisenhower Park. This trail is extremely heavily trafficked. This is a very family friendly park. There is a playground at the entrance of the trail and an educational area. The park is known for its attraction of wildlife and nature. The trails are mostly shaded, but there are several rocky uphill sectio...

The Spring Lake Wetland Walk is a 0.7 mile loop hike located in The Meadows Center for Water and Environment. It's a great walk with a self-guided tour purposed for learning about the surrounding nature, wildlife, and invasive species. This area is not particularly great for exercising or anything along those lines but rather perfect for observing nature.  The trail features a boardwalk that s...