Erin Newman-Mitchell

The Hill of Life hiking trail is an out-and-back hiking trail around 3 miles long total. Parking is parallel parking on the street and can be found in the neighborhood where the trailhead is located. The trail begins with a half mile descent down a very rocky and gravel-ridden trail. The descent is not too bad and takes around 15-20 minutes to get to the bottom BUT keep in mind that to get back...

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 and features lots of nature, wildlife, greenery, and even a flowing creek. Please be advised that th...

Yucca and Hillview Nature Trail Loop South is a 3.4 mile loop hike located in Northwest San Antonio within Eisenhower Park.  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 sections (hiking boots are recom...

The Yucca and Hillview Nature Trail Loop North is a 2.4 mile loop hike located in Northwest San Antonio within Eisenhower Park.  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 sections (hiking boots are 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 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 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 that particular year, the creek may be barely flowing, if at all. Once you've descended into the cre...

The Lost Maples West Trail Loop is a 7 mile loop hike that loops around the west portion of Lost Maples State Park. This trail is mostly shaded and offers gorgeous views and scenic overlooks. There are areas for swimming, if desired. Please be advised that there are steep areas and challenging inclines, though not as steep as the East Trail.  There are primitive areas and bathrooms available. ...

The Lost Maples East and West Canyon trail is an 11.30 mile out-and-back hike located in Lost Maples State Park, right outside of Vanderpool, Texas. The trail provides scenic overlooks, beautiful maple trees, and an abundance of nature. The trail, along with the park, is most known for its beautiful colors during the falls, when the foliage changes to shades of oranges and reds. The trail is hi...

The Wolf Mountain, Juniper Ridge and South Loop Equestrian Trail is a 6.6 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, with few inclines. There is little shade but it is still a great hike and the most perfect trail for exploration,...

Juniper Spring via Wolf Mountain and Juniper Ridge is a 8.4 mile loop hike within Pedernales Falls State Park, right outside of Johnson City, Texas. This trail is moderately trafficked. 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 perfec...

The Lower Purgatory Creek Greenspace to Dante's Trail Loop is a 3.5 mile loop hike located in San Marcos, Texas. The trail is great for hiking, biking and general exercise. It's shaded for the most part. The trail is very rocky and uneven at certain points, but flat and smooth at others. It's a family- and dog-friendly trail, but be sure to pick up after your pups! During the spring this area i...

San Gabriel River from Blue Hole is a 10.4 mile out and back hike that follows along the North San Gabriel River in Georgetown, Texas. The trail is moderately trafficked. A large majority of the trail is paved, shaded, and well-maintained. It provides beautiful views of the river with an abundance of nature and wildlife. It's a great trail for running, hiking, or biking. It's also a great plac...

The Valburn to Bull Creek Loop is a 1.6 mile loop hike through the Bull Creek Greenbelt  located in Northwest Austin, Texas. The trail follows alongside the creek and is pretty rocky and steep with many changes in elevation. The trail is very scenic and has many wildlife watching opportunities, as well as a couple small waterfalls. Please be advised that there are not any trail markers and sect...

Schumacher Crossing is located just west of Ingram, Texas, and about 77 miles west of San Antonio. It's an extremely popular swimming hole on the Guadalupe River during the summer season. It has several small waterfalls that flow into a large pond. Parking is easily accessible, however there are NO bathrooms. The bridge that overlooks the river is accessible for those that are handicap. The riv...

The Shoal Creek trail is located along the Shoal Creek Greenbelt which stretches the length of central/downtown Austin. It is a 5-mile loop 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 perfect fo...

Old Baldy Trail is a 0.2 mile out-and-back trail located between FM 2325 and FM 12 in Wimberley, Texas. The trail leads to the summit of a large hill with an overlook of the town  and its surrounding area. It's a great location for a picnic or to just hang out and definitely worth the effort. Fair warning: The trail is 0.2 miles worth of steep and narrow stairs. It is not handicap accessible. ...

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 Stevenson Preserve Trail is a 1.5 mile loop hike located in South Austin. The outer trail makes a large loop around the entire park, however there are several interconnecting trails within the loop. This trail system is part of the Stephenson Preserve, which is also connected to the Longview Neighborhood Park. Throughout the trail, you can spot several  neat art installations created by a l...

Twin Falls Nature Trail is a half mile loop trail located within Pedernales Falls State Park between Dripping Springs and Johnson, City, Texas. The trail head is located near the campgrounds and parking can be found near the bathrooms. It is an easy trail with a very slight descent. The trail itself is pretty narrow however it is an extremely lightly trafficked loop. It's completely shaded and ...

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...

Dante's, Lower Purgatory Creek and Blue Trail Loop is a 2.7 mile loop hike located in San Marcos, Texas. Located outside of downtown, it serves as a great nature trail for hiking, biking, and general exercise. It's primarily shaded and is a very moderate trail. It is not heavily trafficked, especially on weekdays. It is family- and dog-friendly, just be sure to clean up after your pup! During t...

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...

The Inks Lake State Park Trail is a 4.7 mile loop trail located within Inks Lake State Park, just outside of Burnet, Texas. Only a small portion of the trail follows the lake, then it veers off through the rocky and hilly terrain of the Texas Hill Country. The trail is only partially shaded at times (during the summer time make sure to brings plenty of water, as it gets extremely hot!).  The t...