Johnson City, Texas

The Violet Crown Trail: 360 Trailhead to 290 trail is a 1.8 mile point-to-point hike that stretches from Loop 360 to Highway 290. Only a portion of the trail follows alongside Barton Creek before heading south towards HWY 290 while the creek veers off to the west. Dogs are more than welcome as lo...

The Barton Greenbelt Trail via Barton Creek Plaza is a 6.6 mile out-and-back hike located within the Barton Creek Greenbelt. This trail follows along the creek and features a couple prominent waterfalls that also serve as popular swimming holes in the summer months. Depending on the rainfall for ...

Located in the small but fun town of Llano, Texas, Badu Park is a great location for catching a sunset, fishing, picnicking, or just plain chilling. This location is located about an hour and a half west of Austin, Texas (75 miles) but is well worth the drive for a day trip!  The dam is a popular...

NOTICE:For this activity it is necessary to have someone with lead climbing and belaying expertise. There is a wide range of difficulties on the routes. A guide that has climbed at this wall before is recommended. GETTING THERE:You can enter Gus Fruh from a couple of different points starting in ...

The trailheads are located in neighborhoods and parking isn't really too much of an issue. The shortest entrance is located off Barton Hills Dr. A quick google search and you will find it and the labeled trail. You walk down into the Barton Creek Green Belt and your spirits are uplifted. That cra...

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 ...

If you're looking for excellent views of hill country, the skyline, or just an awesome place to watch the sunset this is the place to be. If you're heading southbound from 183 on 360 just before you reach the bridge there will be a dirt parking lot on your right. There are trailheads on the easts...

Outside of the fantastic job market, one of the most magical things about Austin is how quickly you can go from city life to being immersed in nature. Nearly every day, I take a quick jaunt down to the Barton Creek Greenbelt with my trusty companion, Sage the Chocolate Lab. We live within walking...

This small isle is a nice feature of the section of the Colorado River that flows through Austin. The isle is pretty small and is a good scenic location for a quick 1-2 hour outing. All the trails are pretty flat and easy to walk. Definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a nice park i...

This look out point is less than a quarter mile hike and is located within the Rollingwood neighborhood, just west of Loop 1 (Mopac Expressway). It faces east and is a great location for catching sunrise. The trail to the overlook is crushed gravel, but is very flat. This overlook is kid- and dog...

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 p...

St. Edwards Green and Red Loop is a 2.7 mile loop hike located in northwest, Austin, Texas. The trail is heavily trafficked, but has a great nature scene, including a multitude of bird species and wildflowers. Bull creek flows through the trail, creating a waterfall at one point which makes for a...

Part park, part preserve, St. Edwards Park is not too well known, even among long time Austin residents. It's hidden away on old Spicewood Springs Road, beyond the Loop 360 boundary beyond which most people do not venture. The park consists of two parts, one park and one preserve. The portion of ...

Located about 6 miles from downtown San Marcos, the Five Mile Dam Park is a popular destination for swimming, boating, and other outdoor activities. It has a large flat field for playing soccer as well as many bathrooms. The Blanco River flows through the park and as the name implies, there is a ...

The Main Trail to Meadow Loop to Taylor Creek Loop is a 0.6 loop hike found within Mayfield Park just west of downtown Austin. The trail is completely shaded and is a relatively easy hike. The trail does descend down stairs in some spots, but nothing too significant. This is a great family trail ...

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...