Spent three nights in Site 251. Very tight for an RV. Crumbling asphalt sloping to front. Staff…read morecourteous and friendly at check in. Site is close to Devil's waterhole and hiking path. No direct access to water. Many sites in this park are very close together. Others are spaced out. Check map when selecting a campsite. Like most state parks, area outside immediate campsite is overgrown and not maintained. Restrooms and showers about 300 ft. - clean and everything works, with attic fans to blow the heat out in summer.

The Austin Astronomical Society hosts events where volunteers allow guests to look through their…read morehigh powered telescopes and that was the reason for my visit. Howver, the park is gorgeous, I will return to camp out there, the environment was accommodating and very clean. The Rangers were very friendly and involved with the community, the care was felt and very much appreciated.

The River Place Nature Trail is the perfect combination of breathtaking scenery and an opportunity…read morefor a great workout. The trail is known for its steep elevation changes, lush greenery, and tranquil water features. This trail is a favorite among outdoor enthusiasts and fitness evangelists. The trail winds through dense vegetation with a mix of wooden steps, rocky pathways, and shaded stretches. One of the biggest attractions is the seemingly endless staircase sections. Looking up from the bottom, those steps appear to climb straight into the heavens. I was mentally preparing myself for the challenge when I spotted a sign that changed everything: "Beware of Snakes. Stay on the designated trail." Excuse me...what?! Will a snake know whether or not I'm on the designated trail? I'm thinking no. Those slithering little noodles of doom that can inject venom and potentially ruin your entire day or your life? At that moment, my inner adventurer immediately became my inner safety officer. Mission status: Abort. Abort. Abort. Instead, we claimed chairs overlooking the pond and enjoyed the peaceful surroundings from a much safer distance. It was incredibly relaxing...except for the part where I spent a good portion of the time imagining snakes conducting secret meetings somewhere in the bushes. All humor aside, River Place Nature Trail is absolutely beautiful. The scenery is stunning, the atmosphere is serene, and for those brave souls who aren't distracted by reptilian concerns, it's an excellent hiking destination. As for me, I'll admire it from the comfort of a chair with a clear view of the ground. There is a fee to walk the trials. If you do not pay the fee, please feel free to donate to the trail fund. This is a very well-maintained trail.

Nice canyon trail in the middle of the neighborhood. Glad that small piece of nature is preserve…read moreinstead turning into someone's backyard. 2.5 mile one way. It said it has a lot of steps (2736) but they are not continuous so don't worry. There isn't a overlook but at the hill top u can see over the valley a little bit. I started around lunch time . 11am. 89F. Maybe because I was little sick but I drank 24fl oz of water at 2mi mark. So bring more water if u plan on going back. Which will be a 6mi total hike. I see people being kids so it is not very difficult. Scenery: currently Texas is under a drought so all the creek is bone dry as u can see in my pictures. There many different of plants u can see along the path. Flowers and berries too. $10 during peak hours which I assume is weekend. And for parking, you can just park on the street

Nice park tucked away on Lake Travis! Love that you can jet ski, kayak, picnic, people watch or…read morejust simply fly your kite as I love to do! Last year the lake was so full the water was up the sidewalk but it was beautiful! To get to the lake take the driveway all the way down to the 2nd level. Theres only a small older playground on the upper level where the little viewing gazebo area is. There's plenty of picnic tables and BBQ pitts as well I think I saw. Lakeway Police does patrol for safety. It definitely a beautiful view and very peaceful! I live on the upper part of the lake in the hills without access so it's rare that I get a chance to get down and this gives me my fix!

Park is small, but great if you have toddlers as the equipment is geared towards them. There are…read morerestrooms onsite and a short hike to see Lake Travis. While there, a man let his large dog defecate near the children and equipment. He didn't even think twice to curb his dog, but rather continued on with his walk.

We had a wonderful hiking experience along the greenbelt. We started at the spyglass trailhead and…read morefortunately found street parking. We went along the trail to the Gus frau trailhead and made our way up to the residential neighborhood above. It was a great hike - lots of woods around us and we saw some areas where folks were trying out rock climbing and bouldering. It's a pretty easy hike - not too much of an elevation gain. We saw a lot of families and dogs along the trail. The Gus Frau portion was a bit steeper but still pretty do-able overall. The hike is shaded which is much appreciated during hot Texas summers. I would certainly come back here to check out more of the Greenbelt!

Back in the day (and by that, I mean about a few months ago), I found this randomly and stopped to…read morewalk/hike around on a sunny sunday morning. I wasn't aware there were multiple starting points for this trail as there's a connection in the Townlake area; but I found this location! It's roughly 3 miles and covers the South Austin area with the trail that crosses underneath route 360 and goes alongside Barton Creek. There is plenty of uphill climb here that will give you quite the workout but it's well worth it! I saw a decent amount of hikers/walkers here with a couple bikers. Some trail areas are narrow so you may find yourself either stepping aside or influencing someone to step aside. I'll be back!

Was in the lago vista area and decided to kill some time by going here. Totally worth my $5. It's…read moregot great hiking trails and even 1 small ADA trail. Has an awesome looking playground that makes me jealous that I'm not a kid. Has charcoal grills at almost every picnic tables that are in the shade. An area to go swimming. Can also drop your boats in and camp if you choose too

My first visit to Arkansas Bend Park was very enjoyable, pleasant and impressed with the over…read morelayout of the park. Due to COVID-19, it was one of the very few parks opened the weekend of my visit. It wasn't crowded, plenty of open space for social distancing. I was impressed with the cleanliness, even the picnic tables and park restrooms were well maintained. The park offers a nice view of the lake with lots of boating & jet skiing activities. Boat ramps are available on the park. The over night camping section of the park remains closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. I will definitely consider Arkansas Bend Park in the future for outdoor activities. Next time I'll be better prepared for some picnicking & BBQ, along with some extended fun in the sun.

Loved this park. Wry quiet spot of Austin where you can sit by the river and have a nice sandwich…read moreor read a book ! Loved it !

This park is at the very end of Quinlan Park Rd. From 620 turn onto Quinlan Park Rd, regardless of…read morewhich way you are going on 620 you can only turn one way onto QP Rd (it dead ends into 620) turn that way drive all the way to the end. It dead ends at Lake Austin and the park. The park is about 5 acres and has picnic tables, grills and restrooms and the only boat ramp within several miles. There are no fees and fishing is allowed but not sure about swimming. I would not suggest swimming since the river is very narrow at this point . I have only actually used the park for the boat ramp. The park would get 4 stars the boat ramp a 2. The parking lot can only accommodate 10- 15 trucks with trailers attached. Today there was a party going on and the parking situation was insane - a lot of people blocked in and cars parked all along the boat ramp making the boat ramp almost impossible to navigate. The person in front of us side swiped a Jeep with his boat trailer. Even though the Jeep was not moving I think it was the Jeeps fault - what idiot parks there car on a boat ramp? It is hard enough to back a trailer down a ramp without having to navigating cars on all sides. If Mary Quinlan was not less than 5 minutes away we would drive the extra 20 minutes for the park at the 360 Boat Ramp.

Wild Basin Writing Workshop -- A Hidden Gem!…read more A friend told me about a writing workshop happening at Wild Basin, so I decided to check it out -- and I'm so glad I did! Wild Basin offers an Artist in Residence program featuring creatives in photography, writing, pottery, and more. From what I learned, residents spend about three months sharing their craft by offering a few workshops, and at the end, there's a celebration showcasing their work. One special piece even becomes part of Wild Basin's permanent collection -- how cool is that? Our workshop was led by Sarah Cypher, and it was absolutely lovely. We sat in a circle on the deck on a perfect, "almost-fall" morning. Most attendees seemed to already have their own writing practice, but Sarah made everyone feel welcome and at ease. She's a wonderful facilitator and presenter. We read a few poems, discussed what resonated with us, and then took some time to wander the trails for reflection and writing. It's been years since I've been in that kind of creative space (probably since college!), and it felt so refreshing to tap into that part of myself again. As a teacher, I spend my days helping kids become writers -- but this time, I got to write just for me. My favorite part? Honestly -- all of it. Huge thanks to Sarah, Paul, Wild Basin, and my friend Laura for sharing this experience with me. Funny enough, I drive past here all the time but had never stopped in -- that won't be the case anymore!

Wild Basin is Austin's first wildlife preserve and it was established in 1976. It is part of the…read moreBalcones Canyonlands Preserve system and co-managed by the City of Austin and St. Edward's University. While it is only about 270 acres it is packed with all kinds of features to satisfy any Texas outdoor enthusiast. Today (August 7) I attended the First Friday Walk and Talk led by their research director, Dr. Gabriella Pardee. While August can be brutally hot here in Austin, the walk started early enough to avoid the blazing sun plus the lower trails were mostly shaded. Inside the research center Gabby talked about the history of the preserve, how it is managed and some of the programs offered to the public as well as students at St. Edward's. Then we hit the trails which are well-maintained and have signage so you can easily find your way. During the hike, many topics were touched on like bumble identification, the diversity of animals/birds and stream ecology. Bee Creek runs through the preserve. I highly recommend signing up for one of these "First Friday" of the month hikes led by Wild Basin staff. You will learn a lot. Diving deeper into the natural history of this preserve builds a feeling of community and connection to the wildness so close at hand.

Great spot for a jog and hike with the family! There is plenty of parking, though it can get pretty…read morecrowded on weekends. The bathrooms are clean, and the walking trails are beautiful. It's very family friendly, and there are pickleball courts a short ways away.

Amazing trail! Lots of inclines and declines. Be prepared for your calves and quads to get a…read moreworkout. Really good trail. Lots of nice places to stop and enjoy the elements. It's of natural creeks. The sound of running natural water is so relaxing. Extremely beautiful. If you are biking be careful because there are some low spots that will take you head off if you are a tall rider and not paying attention. The Lakeway police are really nice and will let you park at their police station. Great for walking, biking and or meditation. I really enjoyed his ride. With all the inclines and declines you can definitely burn some calories fast. I highly recommend this trial is you are visiting Lake Travis or live in the area. I will definitely be stopping here next time I am in Lake Travis! Very nice trail!