Austin Area Parks and Recreation
We're blessed with having many parks within 3 hours of Austin! Texas Outside is a great guide to check out to get descriptions of parks and facilities along with some good reviews of the trails by users.
The city of Austin itself is home to a number of parks that appeal to all ages. From the City Parks and Recreation website- "On Wednesday, October 14, 2004 the Austin Parks and Recreation Department received National Recreation and Park Association's 2004 Gold Medal Award. The award given in partnership with the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration recognizes the best parks and recreation system in the nation. " www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks
According to the the Parks and Recreation Department website, ".. oversees more than 16,682 acres of land containing 206 parks, 12 preserves. The department currently maintains more than 74 miles of hike-and-bike trails; 117 miles of lake patrol; 172 athletic fields; and 90 playscapes. Other facilities include 17 recreation centers; 3 senior activity centers; 1 garden center; 1 nature and science. ; 1 art center; 2 party houses; 4 museums, 6 amphitheaters; 6 golf courses; 108 tennis courts; 47 swimming pools and 2 beach-front facilities."
One of the newer parks in Austin is the Town Lake Park- possibly to be renamed since the lake is now Lady bird Lake? A recent trip there to enjoy the fountains and climb the "mountain" was great fun! Quite a crowd of little ones were wading in the little pools and waiting for the fountains to spray. We enjoyed the wide sidewalks- easy access for our wheelchaired member- and admired all the plantings. A grove of crepe myrtles are already pretty and will be breathtaking as they gain some height. The 10 year olds in our little group were quite taken with the large mound and the views from the summit. Adding to the enjoyment of the afternoon was a short walk to Auditorium Shores where we watched some canine athletes in pursuit of tennis balls, frisbees, and each other! A promise to return with our own family dogs was immediately made. Smallest dog seen was a tea cup poodle. Largest was a Mastiff mix to whom the poodle would have been less than an hors d'ouerve, but all were getting along beautifully!
Texas State Parks
Bastrop State Park
1.5 miles east of Bastrop
512-321-2101
Buescher State Park
FM 153 off Highway 71, Smithville
512-237-2241
Colorado Bend State Park
FM 580, West of Lampasas near Bend
915-628-3240
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Rural R 965, north of Fredericksburg
325-247-903
Links Lake State Park
Highway 29 on Park Road 4, near Burnet
512-793-2223
McKinney Falls Parkway
McKinney Falls Parkway, Austin
512-243-1643
Pedernales Falls State Park
FM 3232, near Johnson City
830-868-7304
LCRA- Lower Colorado River Authority
Primitive camping areas:
Camp Creek Primitive Area
Lake Travis, off 1431
Gloster Bend Primitive Area
Lake Travis, off FM 1431
Grelle Primitive Area
Lake Travis, off #71 near Spicewood
Muleshoe Bend Primitive Area
Lake Travis, off #71 past Bee Cave
The Narrows Primitive Area
Lake Travis, off #71 near Spicewood
Shaffer Bend Primitive Area
Lake Travis, off 1431
Turkey Bend (east) Primitive Area
Lake Travis, off 1431
Travis County Parks
Arkansas Bend
Sylvester Ford Road, off RM 1431
Ben Fisher
FM 973 off US 290 East
Bob Wentz Park at Windy Point
On Lake Travis access from Comanche Trail
Cypress Creek
On Lake Travis, Anderson Mill Road at RM 2769
Dink Pearson
On Lake Travis near Lago Vista
Fritz Hughes
Lake Austin, near Mansfield Dam
Hippie Hollow
Lake Travis near Comanche Trail of RM 620
Little Webberville
On the Colorado River near FM 969
Mansfield Dam
RR 620
Pace Bend
2701 FM 2322, off #71
512-264-1482
Richard Moya
Burleson Rd, 2.6 miles from 183 and Burleson
Sandy Creek
On Lake Travis off Lime Creek Road
Selma Hughes Park
Lake Austin off Quinlan Park Road
Webberville
FM 629
Windmill Run
US 290 West and #71
City of Austin Parks and Greenbelts
Austin Parks and Recreation Department
200 south Lamar
512-974-6700
Barton Creek Greenbelt
3755-B Loop 360
Boggy Creek Greenbelt
1114 Nile Street
Bull Creek Park and Greenbelt
6701 Lakewood Drive
Emma Long Metropolitan Park
1600 City Park Road
512-346-1831
Johnson Creek
2100 Enfield Road
Lake Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park
6614 Blue Bluff Road
512-926-5230
Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park
907 Slaughter Lane
Mount Bonnell Park
3800 Mount Bonnell Road, off Scenic Road
Pease Park
1100 Kingsbury Street
Shoal Creek Hike and Bike Trail
Lamar Boulevard, from 38th Street to Town Lake
Slaughter Creek Metropolitan Park
507 West Slaughter Lane
Town Lake Metropolitan Park
Along the Colorado River
Waller Creek Greenbelt
403 East 15th Street
Waterloo Park
403 East 15th Street
Zilker Botanical Gardens
2200Barton springs road
512-472-4914
Zilker Park
2100 Barton Springs Road
512-472-4914
Austin Nature Preserves
Austin Nature and Science Center
303 Nature Center Drive
512-327-8181
Barrow Preserve
7715 Long Point Drive
Blunn Creek Preserve
1200 St. Edwards Drive
Colorado River Preserve
US 183 at the Montopolis Bridge,
5827 Levander Loop
Indiangrass Wildlife Sanctuary
Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park
6614 Blue Bluff Road
Karst Preserve
3900 Deer Lane
Mayfield Preserve
3505 West 35th Street
Onion Creek Preserve
7001 Onion Creek Road
Vireo Preserve
1107 North Capital of Texas Highway
Zilker Nature Preserve
Zilker Park
Balcones Canyonlands
Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
LCRA Preserves
McKinney Roughs Preserve
North Bastrop HWY 71
512-303-5073
Westcave Preserve
Hamilton Pool Road
830-825-3442
Travis County Preserves
Hamilton Pool Reserve
Hamilton Pool Road
512-264-2740
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve
805 North Loop 360
512-327-7622
Cycling in Austin, Texas
Austin Cycling Association
512-282-7413
Bicycle Sport Shop
1426 Toomey Rd
512-477-3472
University Cyclery
2901 North Lamar Boulevard
512-474-6696
Bowling
Highland Lanes
8909 Burnet Road
512-458-1215
Showplace Lanes
9504 North I-35
512-834-7733
Westgate Lanes
2701 William Cannon Drive
512-443-6864
