15 Best Outdoor Parks & Greenbelts In Austin

Jump to: Barton Creek Access Points | Iconic Waterfront Parks | Hill Country Nature Preserves

Whether you are looking to cool off in a natural swimming hole, trek through limestone bluffs, or log some serious mileage on dirt trails, the network of Greenbelts in Austin offers the ultimate outdoor escape.

Spanning thousands of acres across the metroplex, these urban oases feature everything from rugged Hill Country terrain to flat, paved lakeside pathways.

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Also, check out our articles on the Best Hiking Trails & Spots for Hiking in Austin, Best Horseback Riding in Austin, and Best Lakes in Austin!

Best Greenbelts in Austin & Barton Creek Access Points

Zilker Park Trailhead (Barton Creek Greenbelt)

Image credit: Mainstream Adventures – South

There’s something wonderfully convenient about stepping off a busy Austin street and finding yourself surrounded by limestone, trees, and Barton Creek. That’s Zilker Park for you.

The first 1.2 miles are wide and mostly flat, with relatively little shade. Follow the creek west and the scenery slowly gets more dramatic, with limestone cliff walls and dense vegetation closing in around the trail as the terrain becomes rockier and more rugged.

The full trail stretches 14.5 miles with 669 feet of elevation gain, and you can also connect to the Violet Crown Trail if you’re determined to turn your outing into a serious mileage day.

As one of the more popular Austin parks access points, Zilker can get lively with runners, families, cyclists, and dogs, particularly on weekends. For a quieter stroll, come early on a weekday.

Spring is especially rewarding if you’re hoping to see Barton Creek with higher water levels and make your way toward the swimming holes farther west.

When: Daily: 9 am – 5 pm
Where: 2212 William Barton Dr, Austin, TX 78746
How Much: Free

Spyglass Trailhead

Campbell’s Hole is less than half a mile away. Need we say more?

Head north from the trailhead, and you’ll reach the swimming hole in roughly 0.5 miles. When water levels are good, Campbell’s Hole is a large, deep section of Barton Creek with gravel banks and enough depth for a proper swim.

If you prefer your adventure on solid ground, head south instead. This section of the greenbelt is dotted with natural rock slides and limestone tubs, and you’ll soon reach the New Wall bouldering area, a cluster of limestone sport routes with lines ranging from beginner-friendly to technically demanding.

The trail drops into the creek corridor almost immediately, so you get that classic canyon setting without a long trek to reach it.

When: Daily: 5 am – 10 pm
Where: 1601 Spyglass Dr, Austin, TX 78746
How Much: Free

Gus Fruh Access Point

Imagine hiking down a rocky little trail and emerging beside a wide pool with a rope swing dangling from a tree. That’s Gus Fruh on a good water day, and it’s only the beginning of what you’ll find around this tucked-away stretch of the greenbelt.

Gus Fruh Pool spreads across Barton Creek and can look almost lake-like when water levels are high. After a good rain, it gets deep enough for swimming, while dry spells can turn it into more of a wading spot. Either way, it’s a pretty lovely place to pause, cool off, and enjoy the limestone scenery around you.

Just south of the access point are Guide’s Wall and Urban Assault, with the latter rising roughly 90 feet to become the tallest climbing wall on the greenbelt.

The approach takes only about five to 10 minutes, but it’s rocky and uneven, with stone steps along the way, so sturdy footwear is a much better choice than flip-flops.

When: Daily: 6 am – 10 pm
Where: 2642 Barton Hills Dr, Austin, TX 78704
How Much: Free

Loop 360 Trailhead

In one trailhead here, you’ll have several ways to spend your day. From Loop 360, you can chase waterfalls, wander through the canyon, tackle rocky terrain, or head toward some of the greenbelt’s best-known climbing walls without ever needing to get back in the car.

The trailhead sits roughly in the geographic center of the Barton Creek Greenbelt, which means you can choose your direction depending on what sounds good that day.

Go east toward Gus Fruh and Zilker, or head west toward Twin Falls and Sculpture Falls. The initial switchbacks make for a relatively easy descent on smooth dirt and gravel, but things get more rugged once you reach the canyon, with limestone bluffs, creek crossings, and rocky sections that mountain bikers especially enjoy.

Seismic Wall is also directly accessible from the trailhead, while Beehive Wall sits about half a mile away with twelve routes of its own.

This is also a popular section for mountain bikers, hikers, and runners, so expect company on weekends. Come during a weekday morning and you’ll have a better chance of enjoying the canyon at a more relaxed pace.

When: Daily: 6 am – 10 pm
Where: Austin, TX 78704
How Much: Free

Twin Falls & Sculpture Falls (Gaines Creek Access)

This place provides two waterfalls, one hike, and a very good excuse to keep an eye on the weather forecast.

Twin Falls is the first reward, about 10 to 15 minutes from the parking area. Water spills over limestone ledges into a pool that’s typically around waist-deep, where you can stop and cool your feet.

Keep going for another 10 to 15 minutes, and the trail brings you to Sculpture Falls, where broad slabs of weathered limestone surround a larger natural pool that can be deep enough for swimming.

However, both waterfalls depend on recent rainfall, and they’re at their best around two to four days after a significant storm. Spring tends to be the best season to see them filled. And a quick check of recent rainfall before heading out is well worth it.

The hike is relatively easy at 1.8 miles with only about 40 feet of elevation gain. But if two waterfalls leave you wanting more, the trail connects to the Violet Crown Trail, so you can keep exploring instead of heading straight back to the car.

When: Daily: 5 am – 10 pm
Where: 3918 S MoPac Expy, Austin, TX 78746
How Much: Free

Hill of Life (Camp Craft Rd Trailhead)

The name is a little dramatic, but the hill itself is not.

Hill of Life drops 300 vertical feet almost immediately. And while the descent covers just over a third of a mile, don’t let it fool you. Loose rocks, limestone ledges, ruts, roots, and concrete erosion-control steps up to a foot high make this a serious workout, and every inch you lose on the way down has to be reclaimed on the way back.

The reward for all that effort is Barton Creek Wilderness Park at the bottom. This western section feels considerably more secluded than the busier areas around Loop 360 and Twin Falls, with trails winding through a quieter stretch of canyon.

You can continue east toward Sculpture Falls or simply take your time exploring this more remote-feeling corner of the greenbelt.

Hill of Life is rated black diamond, so this is not the place for a casual stroll in street shoes. Bring proper footwear, plenty of water, and an offline map. Trail markers can be sparse.

When: Daily: 5 am – 10 pm
Where: 1710 Camp Craft Rd, Austin, TX 78746
How Much: Free

Iconic Austin Parks & Waterfront Trails

Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail

You don’t have to go far from downtown to get a good dose of nature. The Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail makes a 10-mile loop around Lady Bird Lake, with crushed granite and paved sections that stay almost completely flat.

The water is never far away, and the route takes you past Zilker Park, Auditorium Shores, Barton Springs, and several pedestrian bridges.

Keep an eye out for the 1.3-mile boardwalk on the south shore. Built on more than 300 piers over the lake, it puts you right above the water with wide-open views of the Austin skyline. It’s also a favorite stretch for runners thanks to its generous width and uninterrupted, level path.

There’s plenty of wildlife along the lake, including cormorants, great blue herons, great egrets, and coots. You can also launch a kayak and paddle toward Red Bud Isle, where turtles are often piled onto logs in the shallows.

If 10 miles isn’t enough, connections to the Shoal Creek and Violet Crown trails give you even more room to roam.

One practical note: the trail has only one water fountain, located at the Festival Beach Boat Ramp on the north shore, so bring your own water regardless of which direction you start.

When: Daily: 5 am – 12 am
Where: Austin, TX, USA
How Much: Free

Bull Creek District Park

Bull Creek District Park is a particularly good choice when the Texas heat has you craving cold water.

The spring-fed creek stays clear and cool through summer, running over limestone shelves and through shallow pools and small waterfalls. But while Link Falls, the park’s largest cascade, is the main attraction, you’ll also find interesting wagon ruts dating to the 1800s along the creek bed.

Trails cut through cypress and live oak woodland, with rocky bluffs rising above the creek and plenty of opportunities to spot turtles, minnows, and herons.

After heavy rain, the trails can get muddy, but the creek is usually at its best.

When: Daily: 5 am – 12 am
Where: 6701 Lakewood Dr, Austin, TX 78731
How Much: Free

McKinney Falls State Park

Image credit: McKinney Falls State Park – Texas Parks and Wildlife

McKinney Falls gives you two waterfalls to work into your day, along with enough trails and history to make staying awhile worthwhile.

Onion Creek drops over two sets of limestone ledges to form Upper and Lower Falls. Upper Falls has deeper pools, with some sections reaching more than 9 feet, while the wider Lower Falls is better suited to wading.

Beyond those, the park’s 700 acres hold nearly 9 miles of trails, ranging from a paved 2.8-mile loop along Onion Creek to rougher Hill Country paths. You can also take a short trail to a natural limestone overhang once used by prehistoric people or visit the remains of Thomas McKinney’s 19th-century homestead.

You can even stay overnight. The park has 81 campsites with water and electric hookups, six renovated cabins, and fishing spots where catfish, bass, and sunfish are commonly caught.

Spring and fall generally offer the best combination of weather and water, while weekday mornings are less crowded. Weekend day-use reservations also fill quickly, so book ahead if possible.

When: Daily: 8 am – 12 am
Where: 5808 McKinney Falls Pkwy, Austin, TX 78744
How Much: $6

Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve

Image credit: Mayfield Park

The peacocks may be the first thing you notice at Mayfield Park, and honestly, they’re hard to miss. Around two dozen of these majestic creatures roam the 23-acre property, descended from a pair given to the Mayfield family as a Christmas gift in 1935.

They wander through the gardens and around the ponds, occasionally taking over a path with the confidence of creatures who know they’re the main attraction.

Beyond the birds, you can check out six flower-shaped ponds holding koi, turtles, water lilies, and lotus flowers, while herons hunt around the water. At the center of it all is an 1870s cottage surrounded by a walled garden, with woodland stretching from the property toward Lake Austin.

Two short loops let you explore beyond the garden. One follows a rocky ridge along the eastern edge, while the other heads through oak woodland toward an inlet on Lake Austin. They’re both easy walks, but the scenery changes enough that it’s worth doing both if you have the time.

Visit in spring to catch the peacocks displaying their full feathers during breeding season. You can also continue next door to Laguna Gloria, Austin’s outdoor art museum.

When: Daily: 5 am – 10 pm
Where: 3505 W 35th St, Austin, TX 78703
How Much: Free

Mueller Lake Park & Southwest Greenway

For a change of scenery without leaving the city, Mueller Lake Park brings together native prairie, a lake, wildlife, and some wonderfully oversized art.

The 32-acre Southwest Greenway is a restored Blackland Prairie planted with help from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Come in spring or early summer, and you’ll find Mexican hat, coreopsis, and horsemint blooming across the landscape.

The trail then connects directly to the Mueller Lake Trail, which circles a 6.5-acre lake home to ducks, geese, and turtles. You’ll also find herons and egrets along the water features and plenty of colorful butterflies in the butterfly garden.

Then there are the sculptures. Arachnophilia, a 23-foot steel spider by Houston artist Dixie Friend Gay, straddles the trail and incorporates colorful glass spheres into its design. Nearby, Austin artist Chris Levack’s Wigwam and Pollen Grain continue the playful theme. The latter represents a cactus pollen grain at 700,000 times its actual size.

The larger Mueller trail network covers about 13 miles and connects to Bartholomew Park, Patterson Park, and Morris Williams Golf Course. You can also spot remnants of the former Mueller Airport, including old hangar structures.

When: Daily: 5 am – 10 pm
Where: 4550 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723
How Much: Free

Scenic Austin Nature Preserves & Hill Country Hiking Trails ATX

Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve

Image credit: Wild Basin Creative Research Center

Wild Basin is the kind of place that makes you forget you’re still in Austin. Tucked along the Balcones Fault Line, the 227-acre preserve packs a surprising amount of variety into its 2.5 miles of trails.

You’ll move through shady oak-juniper woodland, open Hill Country grassland, and the greener corridor along Bee Creek, with a few climbs leading to a ridge overlook and canyon views.

After a good stretch of rain, you’ll even get to see a magnificent waterfall in Bee Creek with a pool surrounded by ferns and sycamores. It’s one of the quieter water features around Austin, and because it flows best two to four days after significant rainfall, catching it is a bit of a lucky-timing situation.

Aside from that, you can discover more than 200 plant species in the preserve. This includes Texas red oak, Ashe juniper, mountain laurel, bluebonnets, and Indian paintbrush.

Birdwatchers have also recorded more than 150 species here, including the endangered golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo, which nest in the mature juniper woodland.

Dogs, bikes, and picnics aren’t allowed, and the preserve closes at sunset, so this isn’t the place for a big family picnic or an afternoon of activities. Instead, it’s a lovely choice when you want a peaceful walk, a little wildlife spotting, and some time away from the usual city noise.

When: Monday – Friday: 7 am – 5:30 pm | Saturday – Sunday: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
Where: 805 N Capital of Texas Hwy, Austin, TX 78746
How Much: Free on weekdays | $5 per person and $15 per vehicle on weekends and holidays

River Place Nature Trail

River Place Nature Trail is for those days when a walk in the woods sounds nice, but you’d also like to feel like you earned lunch afterward.

The Canyon Trail packs roughly 1,700 feet of elevation change into about three miles, with more than 2,700 stairs made from timber, rock, and limestone. The good thing is about 90% of the trail sits beneath a thick canopy, keeping things cool and green during the warmer months.

The route drops into the canyon through switchbacks and stair sections, with creek beds, small waterfalls, pools, and limestone shelves along the way. A handful of openings offer views across the canyon and toward the River Place golf course.

Little Fern Trail offers a much easier-going experience. It’s the flattest part of the system and follows a creek through lush, shaded surroundings, with small cascades, pools, limestone shelves, and a footbridge along the way.

Spring is especially pretty when bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush add some color to the landscape. Panther Hollow connects the two sections and brings some of the steeper terrain back into the mix.

The full out-and-back is about 5.6 miles and takes most hikers 2.5 to 3 hours. There’s no water along the trail, so pack plenty before you start.

When: Daily: 6 am – 10 pm
Where: 8820 Big View Dr, Austin, TX 78730
How Much: Free

St. Edward’s Park

St. Edward’s Park is a great pick when you can’t decide what kind of outdoor day you want.

The creekside is the more relaxed option. Trails run alongside the water, passing small stone dams, swimming holes that fill up after good rainfall, and a little waterfall along the Brown Trail.

The Hill Trail feels like a completely different outing. It climbs above Bull Creek onto limestone bluffs, where you can look down into the canyon and across the clear water below.

Feeling ambitious? The Bull Creek to St. Edward’s Park loop stretches about 7.9 miles and climbs 915 feet, with connections into Bull Creek Preserve and Smith Memorial Preserve for even more terrain to explore.

Dogs are welcome on the creek side, while the bluff trails within the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve require them to stay leashed.

The parking lot is small and can fill quickly, so an early weekday visit is your best bet.

When: Daily: 5 am – 10 pm
Where: St Edwards Greenbelt Trail, Austin, TX 78759
How Much: Free

Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park

Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park has the sort of trail network that can keep you coming back even after you’ve explored it a dozen times.

Spread across 293 acres, the park has about 15 miles of trails ranging from easy green-rated routes to technical black-diamond sections.

Walnut Creek winds through the park, with limestone bluffs appearing around the canyon sections and dense trees providing shade over much of the trail system. Come in spring, and you’ll also find wildflowers scattered through the more open areas.

The creek is part of the fun, too. On warm weekends, people come out to wade in the water, sit along the banks, and enjoy a little downtime outdoors. There’s also a large off-leash dog area, so your four-legged hiking buddy can get some exercise of their own.

For something gentler, hop onto the paved Northern Walnut Creek Trail, which connects west to Balcones District Park and east into the surrounding neighborhoods. It’s a good option for a casual bike ride or run when you aren’t in the mood to navigate rocks and roots.

When: Daily: 5 am – 10 pm
Where: 12138 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78753
How Much: Free

Know Before You Go

While the primary Greenbelts in Austin and access trailheads listed above surround core neighborhoods like South Austin, West Lake Hills, and Central ATX, they are fast and accessible from across the entire metro region.

Outdoor enthusiasts living in surrounding suburbs like Westlake, Round Rock, Pflugerville, and Cedar Park can easily reach these trailheads within a 15-to-25-minute drive.

Common Questions about Greenbelts in Austin

Is there a Greenbelt in Austin, Texas?

Yes, Austin is home to several major greenbelts, the most famous being the Barton Creek Greenbelt. Spanning over 12 miles from Zilker Park to West Lake Hills, it serves as the city’s main outdoor hiking, climbing, and swimming corridor.

How long is the Austin Greenbelt?

The main stretch of the Barton Creek Greenbelt runs roughly 12.5 miles long. However, when combined with connecting networks like the Bull Creek Greenbelt, Walnut Creek, and regional nature preserves, Austin offers over 100 miles of interconnected greenbelt trails.

Do you need reservations or permits to visit Austin Greenbelts?

Most City of Austin greenbelt access points and parks are free and do not require reservations. However, visiting state parks like McKinney Falls State Park requires paid entry reservations, and specific nature preserves like River Place charge weekend user fees.

Looking for more? See the upcoming Weekend Events in Austin.