One of our favorite things about living in Austin is the access to the great outdoors. You could walk out of a high-rise and within a few minutes be in a totally different world. And we’re not just talking downtown. That goes for any Austin neighborhood – including South Austin.
Here are the five best parks located in South Austin!
Auditorium Shores
Auditorium Shores is one of most well known parks in Austin and with good reason. The park is often the locale for outdoor concerts, festivals, and other events. Other times, like now, it is a great open space to take the family to fly a kite, play a game of frisbee, let your dog roam freely, or have a picnic.
McKinney Falls State Park
McKinney Falls is an actual state park. Here you can camp, hike, mountain or road bike, picnic, or go bouldering. You can even fish and swim in Onion Creek. Don’t forget to visit “Old Baldy,” one of the oldest bald cypress trees in Texas. “Old Baldy” has been estimated to be 500 years old and 103 feet tall!
Mary Moore Searight Park
This South Austin park features six miles of trails with intermittent fitness stations and hike/ bike/ equestrian trails. The park also many other options including picnics areas, playgrounds, basketball courts, disc golf, volleyball, and a soccer field.
Circle C Ranch Metropolitan Park
Circle C on Slaughter Creek offers a variety of trails, volleyball courts, soccer fields, and a large disc golf course. It’s a popular spot for pictures of two legged babies to fur babies.
Bauerle Ranch At Slaughter Creek Greenbelt
This hidden gem is the perfect place for hiking, biking, and running. Located only 20 minutes out of downtown in South Austin, it’s a great spot for all nature lovers. There has been a lot of deer and other animal sightings have been reported so keep that in mind if you’re taking a dog or your kids with you.
Before you go:
Due to the newest city regulations in regards to COVID-19 many of the parks in Austin are experiencing closures and reduced occupancy. Please visit Austin Parks and Recreations for the latest updates before you make plans to visit a park.
