What sets Austin apart from other major cities in Texas is its accessibility to parkland. Austinites have access to over 20,000 + acres of parkland. No matter what neighborhood you live in there’s plenty of great parks to choose from, regardless if you’re looking for dog friendly, kid friendly, or bike and hike trails. We’ve broken down the five best parks in the North Austin area.
Here are the five best North Austin parks!
Balcones District Park
Located off the North Loop this park offers tennis and basketball courts, a pool and a scenic creek with a nature trail and waterfall. The park breaks off into the Balcones Park Hiking Trail. The 1.3 mile trail is an easy hike and good for all ages.
Bull Creek District Park and Greenbelt
Bull Creek District Park is a 48-acre city park located in the Lakewood area. The park is named Bull Creek due to the stream that passes through it and provides the focal point for the park’s primary attractions like swimming, hiking, and fishing. Like most parks in Austin, Bull Creek is dog friendly!
Gracywoods Neighborhood Park
Gracywoods Park includes a volleyball court, swing set, gazebo and picnic benches. The heart of this area is marked by the waypoint “Park.” If you venture off the main trail you’ll be rewarded with several cliff views. All-in-all, it’s a great urban hike with a scene route.
St. Edwards Park
You can find this mostly hidden gem off Spicewood and like many of the North Austin Parks it is connected to Bull Creek. The 80-acre park provides dog-friendly trails and swimming amid lush greenery, small waterfalls and ponds. The park has various trails and we recommend mapping it out before hand to avoid getting misdirected. Don’t forget to stop and enjoy the views along the way, there are plenty of them.
Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park is a 293-acre public park in Northeast Austin. The park features 15 miles of hiking trails, multiple softball fields, a swimming pool (currently closed), a playground, and numerous barbecue pits and picnic areas. Visitors will find that there are more than enough trails and paths tucked into the park to explore a different area on every visit. The trails are not paved, so they are not stroller friendly, but the trails are overall family-friendly. It’s also a great place to bring your four legged friends. Most of the park is off-leash unless otherwise stated.
Before you go:
Please visit Austin Parks and Recreations for the latest updates before you make plans to visit a park.
Don’t forget the Texas summer essentials; water and bug spray.
Feature photo courtesy of @austinparksfdn
