Nicknamed the “River City,” Austin is home to excellent natural areas, including urban parks, hiking trails and wilderness areas on the fringe of the city. The temperate weather makes outdoor recreation possible year around (although the hot summers mean early morning and late evening walks!)
Austin receives its “River City” moniker from the Colorado River that slices through the heart of the city. Once the source of city floods, today the river has been tamed with a series of stair-step lakes, two of which lie within Austin’s city limits. Lake Austin flows into Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake) which passes through downtown.
North of the lake lie Austin’s historic buildings including the granddaddy of them all: the State Capitol.
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Texas Capitol Complex.
The iconic Capitol building is the heart of the city, surrounded by shady grounds.
The southeast corner of the grounds contains the Capitol Complex Visitor Center, housed in the oldest government office building in the state (once the workplace of short-story writer O. Henry) and today a visitors and information center with statewide coverage.
Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail.
Few metropolitan areas boast more pet-loving, fitness-conscious folks than Austin and that’s especially evident along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail, locally known as the Town Lake Trail. (Lady Bird Lake was previously named Town Lake.) Residents and visitors alike enjoy trails in a range of terrains and difficulty levels, including the dog-friendly 10-mile Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail around Lady Bird Lake. The loop includes two pedestrian-only bridges that are great for dogs.
Auditorium Shores.
Austin’s most popular dog area lies on the southern shore of Lady Bird Lake just west of South First Street. This 57-acre area is always packed with dogs enjoying a dip in the lake or a Frisbee game; you’ll also find some great photo opportunities here with the city skyline as the backdrop.
Barton Creek Greenbelt.
Stretching from Zilker Park to Westlake, this trail winds along Barton Creek (which may or may not be flowing, depending on the season). The popular trail passes many scenic spots including limestone cliffs and is a favorite with runners and cyclists.
Bat Colony.
Austin goes batty for its summer visitors: 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats. These tiny guests live beneath the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge and exit at sunset to look for dinner (and thankfully feast on the plentiful mosquito population in the region).
You can watch the bats from the hike and bike trail or the bridge. The peak spectator months are July and August.
French Legation Museum Park.
Austin’s oldest remaining house served as the French Legation in the days when Texas was a separate country. Today the structure is a museum surrounded by a 2.5-acre park.
McKinney Falls State Park.
We’d love this park just a dog bone’s throw from the city if it permitted dogs in the water. However, it doesn’t, earning a paws-down from our water-loving Irie. If your dog isn’t as wild about watersports as ours are, you will find plenty of trails for some excellent dog strolls (on a leash no longer than six feet). Campers can choose from several types of sites. Info: 5808 McKinney Falls Parkway , 13 miles southeast of downtown Austin off US 183; (512) 243–1643; www.tpwd.state.tx.us. Fee.
Mount Bonnell.
You and Fido will a get a workout climbing the steps up Mount Bonnell, one of the city’s highest points and an excellent vantage point to view Lake Austin and the surrounding countryside. The parking area is located 1 mile past the west end of West 35th Street.
Zilker Park.
This 355-acre park at 2100 Barton Springs Road is Austin’s backyard, a popular place to enjoy everything from a shady picnic to a kayak outing on Lady Bird Lake.
For a Frisbee game, head to the 47-acre “Great Lawn” off-leash area bounded by Stratford Drive, Barton Springs Road, and Neff Road. Some of the most popular options in the park include:
- Barking Springs. Just downstream from Barton Springs, a human-only swimming hole that’s definitely one of the tops in the country, you’ll find what’s nicknamed “Barking Springs” for it’s popularity with four-legged water lovers. People and their pooches can swim together at the spillway for Barton Springs. The 68-degree, crystal-clear water is guaranteed to cool the hottest Austin day.
- Zilker Boat Rentals. This canoe and kayak rental company has operated on the shores of the lake since 1969.
- Zilker Botanical Garden. Multiple gardens comprise these botanical gardens. Stroll through the Xeriscape Demonstration Garden to see the native plants that are tolerant of Central Texas’s hot, dry summers. Nearby, watch out for the spines at the Cactus and Succulent Garden filled with West Texas cactus and succulents. Blooming cherry trees fill the Isamu Taniguchi Garden in early spring while the Mabel Davis Rose Garden blooms throughout the spring. Your walk can also include the Herb and Fragrance Garden and the Hamilton Parr Memorial Azalea Garden, in bloom during March and April, and the Douglas Blachly Butterfly Trail, lined with local flowers and plants that attract numerous species of Texas butterflies.
- Hartman Prehistoric Garden. Here’s your chance to meet a dinosaur! This 1.5-acre garden showcases the ancient plants of the Cretaceous period, approximately 100 million years ago. The garden features replicas of original dinosaur tracks, two large dinosaur sculptures, limestone cliffs, and more.
