Austin outdoors: the top hiking trails to visit

Since moving to Dallas, I’ve been to Austin several times and each time it feels like I’m visiting a completely different city. Either Austin seems to transform its image quickly or I’m always discovering novel sights and activities. The restaurant scene, the live music, the shopping, the overall feel of the city and the many Austin outdoor adventures that await are endless. I could go on about all the things I love about Austin, but I’ll save that for future blog posts.

On our last trip, we chose to focus on exploring some of the surrounding Austin-area hikes and get a better feel for the Austin outdoors. Having stayed in the city many times before, we chose this time to stay somewhat on the outskirts at a lake house on Lake Austin. We picked the location because it was easier to get to a few of the hiking areas I had scoped out online, but also easy to get to the center of the city for other outings.

We planned to visit Lady Bird Lake Trail, McKinney Falls, Hamilton Greenbelt Trail and Hamilton Pool Preserve. Now I use the term “hiking” loosely as we had a baby in tow and there’s only so much terrain we can cover (or rather my husband can handle when carrying him in a hiking backpack). Some of these spots allow for leisurely strolls and all of them have the option of taking easier trails.

Lady Bird Lake Running Trail

Of course Lady Bird Lake Running Trail is probably the most popular trail in Austin as it’s in the heart of the city and encompasses a range of recreational activities, merging nature and urban life. There are a lot of different entry points to this trail (also called the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail) and each time I’ve visited I’ve taken a different path. Some people use the dirt path, some use the boardwalk and others do a combination. This is where you will see tons of paddleboarders and kayaks especially on the weekends. They also offer pilates classes on top of paddleboards! Lady Bird Lake Running Trail is one of my favorite Austin outdoor spots to visit.

Typically after completing a lap around the Lady Bird Lake Running Trail, we head to one of our favorite brunch spots such as the Well ATX! Make sure to check out Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool while in the area as well! Barton Springs is fed from a natural spring and open all year round to swimmers.

Hamilton Greenbelt Trail

After spending the first day in the city, we drove to our airbnb on Lake Austin. Lake Austin is about a 30 minute drive from Austin and of course we had to stop to grab a latte from summer moon, a Texas Hill Country original. Well known for their special sweet cream called “moon milk” and their delicious coffee, summer moon has multiple drive-thru locations throughout hill country. We stayed at a beautiful home with lakeside views (views pictured below). The next morning, we drove about 30 minutes to Hamilton Greenbelt Trail to set out on a hike. The Hamilton Greenbelt Trail incorporates a diverse terrain with multiple paths and waterfalls one can chase. There are a lot of oak trees that shade the way if you don’t want to be in the sun. There is also a more “primitive trail,” which is a little rocky, but not very difficult.

After completing the Hamilton Greenbelt trail, we headed to lunch at the Oasis, a restaurant known as “the sunset capital of Texas.” The views here really are spectacular and worth taking in.

We spent the afternoon in Austin doing some shopping. We like to put out names down at one of our favorite Austin patio’s Perla’s while we shop around as there is often a long wait to get in. This seafood and oyster bar is an absolute must when visiting not only for the food, but the atmosphere and vibe.

McKinney Falls

The next morning, we drove to McKinney Falls. McKinney Falls is best known for its waterfalls and cypress trees. It surrounds Onion Creek and Williamson creek and people can be seen fishing or swimming in the creeks. Our visit here was short as we only walked to the McKinney Falls lower falls as it is a short walk from the parking lot. There is also a McKinney Falls upper falls path, but based on my reading it was more rugged and not as easily accessible.

Austin is only about a 20 minute drive from McKinney Falls so we spent the rest of the day walking around Austin with a stop at Mozart’s coffee, a coffee shop on Lake Austin. Something I just love about Austin is the plethora of places that boast lakeside views. For dinner we ventured to another favorite Austin patio, Aba restaurant. They have great quality mediterranean food and an eclectic drink menu, but the ambiance and scene is really the main draw of this place.

Hamilton Pool Preserve

On our last day, we planned to visit Hamilton Pool Preserve, the furthest drive we did from our airbnb at about 45 minutes. This was probably my favorite hike of the trip and the only hike that required reservations in advance. Hamilton Pool Preserve reservations can be made here. We were able to make Hamilton Pool Preserve reservations for a 9 AM slot the day before, but it was also a week day so reservations may be required earlier for a weekend. The Hamilton Pool Preserve contains a historic swimming hole where people can swim, but I would also check in advance if you’re looking to swim as there are dates when swimming is not allowed (determined by water temperature and bacteria level in the water). The hike to the pool is about 30 minutes from the parking lot and can be a little rugged at times, but overall feasible. It is a really pretty hike and the pool preserve itself is beautiful too.

After our visit to Hamilton Pool Preserve, we drove back to Dallas. On our drive back to Dallas, we stopped at Bidermen’s deli, a delicious Jewish-inspired deli for some bagels. As a New Yorker, I am always searching for the best bagels. I have yet to find a NY equivalent bagel in Texas, but this place is pretty good.

Austin has something for everyone, but the Austin outdoors are Texas Hill Country’s best kept secret. It is truly a magnificent place with so many outdoor adventures that await!