The hubs and I are on a walking tour of nearby parks. We get dedicated talk time in a focused manner and we also get a number of steps in with walking (10,000 steps a day is the goal). St. Edward's park is small somewhat unkemp park. The entry is filled with prickly cacti. Once you make it past the cacti, the park opens to small, narrow and rocky walking or hiking trails. There is a section of the wooden fence which is falling down. While the foliage is appealing, navigating this park can be very challenging. We did not stay for an extensive period of time. It's a high probability we will not be returning to this park. There are more visually appealing parks in Austin and there surrounding areas to choose from. read more

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Don't come here until Austin get out of drought condition. Also there are other posts about car break-in so be careful. A lot of trash at the parking lot btw. Some people just don't take care of things. Currently the weir is dry and the creek drying up. Without water, the scenery is not as vibrant as before. You can tell they been sun bleached. If you get close to the water you can see there are still small fishes living in the water. read more

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Mixed rating. Not maintained park but there's beauty in the raw disheveled nature. Walking is like being in the uncharted woods. Root stubs on the trail added mystery to the walk. To w water seemed not welcoming---almost like it is its own world. Underwater vegetation/moss we saw turtles in the water. It was a good short walk. Quiet, my grad fur babies had fun! Lots of parking but there was a review about car break ins. read more

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Download the AllTrails app because the trails aren't always clearly marked on the path. This is my first time on this trail, so it was definitely confusing for me during certain parts. I took the red trail, which looped for ~2.7 miles back to the parking lot. I'd recommend also wearing longer pants because there were parts of the trails that had leafy greenery growing out of it, and I am not sure which ones are poisonous or not! Anyway, there were also a lot broken glass in the lot, so don't leave valuables in your car within sight (or just don't bring valuables at all). read more

This is the place for my trail blazers. There are so many different paths on this trail, perfect for spontaneous hikers that don't care about getting lost. Some areas are on flat land, surrounded by beautiful Texas wildflowers and other places are shaded but you're going up rocky hills. Every now and again you'll come across a swimming hole which is the perfect way for you and the pups to cool down! The only thing that was unfortunate was this is an on leash location and my dog is very used to being off leash. We made it work though. read more

St Edwards Park - river swing!! - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

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GOT MY CAR BROKEN INTO HERE DO NOT GO!!!! THEY TOOK EVERYTHING & you can tell they've been doing this for a while. I will never go to this park again. The glass everywhere says it all read more

St Edwards Park is not too big, and not too small. I like the easy-going trails, but I also enjoy the mystery of what could be on the other side. Follow the signage and find out (we ran into two dead ends). There is a little water hole where people swim that's not the clearest/cleanest, but it's hill country, so what do you expect? It's the Texas way. Pups are allowed, parking is easy, add this to your list of things to do on the weekend with your dogs! read more

St Edwards Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

My car got broken into as well, we didn't know this but the park is notorious for smash and grabs. Beautiful park though! I wouldn't even bring a car next time and uber instead, because we didn't have anything valuable in sight, just a bag of clothes and that was still taken. ‍ read more

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This place was much better to navigate with better trails signage and less crowded than the Bull Creek Greenbelt section, though they do connect at some point. The trails are somewhat "labyrinthine" and they do spur quite a bit, but there are markers at each split and some even have a parking lot "P" to redirect you. There is a neat little quasi-waterfall that you can walk across and walk off-trail to access from below. I even managed to find a spot along the creek all to myself...which in the ever-overcrowded city and it's increasingly overcrowded trailways was a rare and valued commodity! I took off my shoes and waded in the water and even found a lone rock in the middle of the stream to attempt yoga poses and meditation on. Eventually my solitary zen was intruded upon by a hiker and their dog (at least this one was leashed), but I thoroughly enjoyed being able to achieve some nature-soaked solitude in a city where that seems more and more an impossibility. This place is a great city park gem, but "shhh" don't let the word get out lest it become Barton Greenbelt: Part Deux! read more

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This place is so cool. It's real easy to get to if you live in the northern parts of Austin. This can be good and bad as there isn't much for parking. When the tiny lot is full you'll be on the mostly shoulder-less street. The trails can be a little rough and unkempt, sometimes muddy after a rain. It's worth it, though, for access to a cute little river and pleasant hiking. In the summer there are lots of people there to keep cool. Walking in the shallow parts of the river is a fun adventure and there are hidden trails along the way. read more

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Absolutely phenomenal hiking but I got my car window smashed in the parking lot and they stole my entire backpack with my wallet. The entire parking lot and spots along the side of the road are covered in car window glass. If you are going to hike at this park I would Uber, I would never park my car here again and that is my reason for one star. Other than that the hiking is great and the creek is very nice. read more

St Edwards Park - This is my car windows smashed in - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

St Edwards park sits on bull creek -Boatright were giving the land in late 1800's for clearing the area of native Americans who masssacured Moses Austin first settlers ... two of Boatrights still live close by the park and donated the parkland - Park is full of wild pigs , deer, snakes , beautiful trees. Adjacent to creek w many diff birds.. FYI don't leave your valuables in ur car / few smash and grabs lately in the parking lot read more

It was a perfect "pretty day" activity. You drive through some pretty wind-y roads to get here (I'm so not used to this I'm from Houston!) but there is a small parking lot and a car was leaving when we arrived. Score! We took a picture of the map just in case and referred to it if we needed to. It was so easy to follow trails with the trail markers every so often Clearly most people come for the water. I think theres even a rope swing. The running creek was such a nice background noise as you got closer to it. There were lots of dogs and even a few kids. It wasn't too crowded when we went on Saturday around 4pm. For my first hike/trail experience it was great! read more

St Edwards Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This was my first time going to this park but I'm glad I did. There were numerous trails (big and small) around the park which made it interesting. Most of the trails were flat minus a few steep areas. There were small waterfalls and lots of greenery around each corner. We were able to find parking without any trouble (we came around 5pm on a Friday). Also, this park is dog friendly so a great place to bring your dog if you have one. read more

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This was a great little find. I'm slowly discovering that Austin is just filled with little parks that have surprisingly nice and long trails through beautiful greenbelts. My wife and I did about a mile out and back along the creek with great views of a few different small falls and nice clear water. I saw a few families playing around in the water as well and I have to imagine that during the summer it's a blast. read more

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Be careful going to this park. We saw three spots with smashed windows. Only hike at your own risk. Really a shame!! read more

Be careful! This would be a nice place if the cars weren't broken into constantly. They broke 2 of my rental car windows & There is glass all over the parking lot from the constant break ins. The locals said it's a huge problem & the police don't even address it. It was confirmed, as they didn't even bother coming by to make a police report. read more

Nice hiking area with water, hills, and a little bit of everything. The area has some trails that offer good views but the view of the hills is only available in a couple of spots. The trail along the river is nice but becomes muddy quite quickly in the rain and takes more than a few days to dry up leaving a couple inches of mud on the bottom of the shoes. Overall, a good area to visit. read more

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Easy parking. Easy to find! Clear trails. Very easy but beautiful. You're always near water and it's the perfect place to bring a dog. Nice for an easy quick hike! read more

St Edwards Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Very nice park. Has many intersecting trails with different elevations and terrain. We encountered a few steep and rugged climbs. Water at the dam at this time is ok, not too clear and personally I wouldn't get in to. However, upstream close to the road is clear and undisturbed. Encountered a lot of people so mask up read more

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DON'T come here, I have been coming here for years and it is honestly beautiful, BUT recently it has become a place where you car gets broken into. I don't read reviews or write them but I think people need to know it's not safe. It's honestly extremely disappointing because it is such a beautiful place. read more

St Edwards Park - Broken windows in the parking lot - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Don't come here. Broken glass every where, and all my things stolen out of my locked car. Someone was definitely watching me waiting for me to leave. It's really not that beautiful so not worth it to go here! read more

A nice spot to go to chill by the creek or go on a hike! I went for Mother's Day with my little family to have a picnic by the water and spend the day enjoying nature. The water was very low through most places along the creek. But we found a nice spot with smooth rocks to put our things and a small waterfall nearby. It was our first time coming out to this park and were unsure of a good spot to set up. But thankfully the trails were marked, making it pretty easy to navigate. And a lot less stressful as well! We enjoyed our day out here! We found plenty of interesting bugs, lizards, frogs and even caught a couple of fish! It's a good place to take the kids because the water is low and very clear! The only problem we had was the tiny parking lot. Other than that, It's a great place to check out on a hot day! read more

St Edwards Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Every single park has pros and cons. This park has pros, I will go over a few of those that I think are pros. This park also has cons, I will mention those to you in all fairness. First for the pros, this park will help you raise your heart rate because it is based on climbing up a steep hill, the reward of s great view won't happen however, is blocked by a lot of untrimmed over brush including a lot of dead trees and branches laying in the forest. This park is a endangered species habitat. It is important to stay on the trails. Knowing that, some people have taken to painting their names on the rocks. The park is not crowded early in the morning, Monday through Friday. I suppose that is a pro. However, the park is crowded and late afternoons and on Saturday and Sunday and holidays. That is most likely because it's close in and pretty accessible. But beware, there is not a lot of parking. And, you will notice the danger of coming here by all of the broken glass in the parking lot. This is a sure sign of car break-ins, hide or conceal, and lock your car well. read more

Fantastic park. First time I went, I had the whole place to myself. Good trails, pretty environment. Very interesting location. I even passed a custom castle home (in the middle of a suburb) on my way there. Really cool drive to get there! BUT, my second trip was cut short because I was being followed by an old creep in a tank top. Thanks Austin, but Iv had enough weird. He followed for well over 20 minutes, even when I tried losing him he'd show up. Ladies, parents, and photographers, be safe in austin parks. This is a safe area but there are bad people EVERYWHERE. read more

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While searching for a new spot for some outdoorsy activity near my new casa, I stumbled upon this beautiful park. There are two parking lot areas in different locations. On the way down here we saw several small bridges and the creeks were flowing heavily. While there is a map, most of the trails appeared overgrown and difficult to navigate for this reason. A couple times we had to turn back and find another way. Most of the people we saw here had come to play by the waterfalls. I enjoyed the diversity of the trails and the elevated hike up to the top. It doesn't feel very much like a "park" but more like an oasis far outside of the city. If you're looking for a secluded hike and lots of water to cool off in, then you've found your next favorite spot! read more

St Edwards Park - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Sooooooo this park can be a little difficult to get to if you turn onto spicewood springs from 360 and find spicewood springs entirely closed. I'm not sure for how long or where exactly it was closed, but I did a detour through a beautiful(ly expensive) neighborhood to get here. The trails are pretty well marked, and there are two small (think, 5 cars and 15 cars) parking lots available so head out early. As you're still very much in the city, I had no problem obtaining 4G signal to track my progress along the stream. Unfortunately, as you head north on the creek trail, your location is obvious as the cars speed past you. It only took about an hour to hike 1.8 miles of the creek trail and back to the parking lot as there was nearly no elevation change. I know a lot of reviews say cars get broken into, but in the hour that I was here, my window was not smashed. Granted, there was absolutely nothing in the car and I accidentally left the doors unlocked. Oops. read more

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Favorite park I have found in Austin thus far!! We got lucky with parking on a Sunday and found a premo spot in the lot around 10:30 AM. When we left around 1PM, there were a lot of people parked on the road due to the lot being full. Earlier the better as far as parking goes! Check the map in the parking lot to decide where you would like to go and so you can easily follow the colored paths. The blue path runs all along the creek so I recommend you get to that ! The beginning of your hike is through an open field with wild flowers. It is gorgeous! This area is not shaded, but is about 5-10 minutes until you are under shaded trails. Get to the blue path and discover some beautiful swimming areas! I recommend going now/soon because the depth of the creek right now is perfect ! The water ranges from ankle deep to tummy deep. You can easily walk in the water the whole time through the creek to discover different swimming spots! Perfect for puppies right now too because they can walk in water without having to swim if they didn't want to. The current is not too strong either ! GREAT for kids too! You could easily bring a picnic and find a spot for the day and the kids would have a blast. The water is perfect level for them right now and it is such a nice way to splash around in this heat. If you do not want to swim, there are a ton of trails just to hike around. Great time! Love this park ! read more

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A truly amazing hike in north Austin. Very easy and smooth terrain. While not paved, the trails are marked and well-traveled. Parking is easy to find. I used Apple Maps which directly took me to the parking lot and trailhead. Plenty of families and people on the trails. No restrooms, just nature. Take water and decent hiking/walking shoes equipped for dirt/mud. read more

Love this park! I used to being the kids with the dog (on leash) when they were little. Lots of people and trails. Slightly overgrown these days, but I think it's because of all the rain. read more

Really quiet and peaceful place to take a hike! Not as crowded as many other places for a hike and a swim in Austin! read more

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As far as hiking, the trails are well-marked and the scenery is lush. The red trail and blue trail are both close to the river, and I saw several lizards and birds on my walk. However, they are also close to the road in some sections, so it is quite loud. This is a short trail, so if you are looking for a longer hike this is not the park. The swimming hole and rope swing are a lot of fun, and it is not as crowded as Zilker or Greenbelt if you go on a weekday. However, I will not be returning to this park. My car was broken into and my purse stolen and window smashed. Another car was also broken into on the same day, window smashed and purse and laptop stolen. My purse was hidden under the backseat and a hoodie, as were the other woman's belongings. I had 2 other shopping bags in my backseat which were not disturbed, which leads me to believe that the thief was in the parking lot watching the cars, since they knew exactly where to look in my car for my belongings. After calling the police I looked around the parking lot and found a lot of broken glass, so this is a pretty common spot for smash-and-grabs and break ins. There are no cameras in the parking lot, and no signage indicating the high frequency of break-ins. Scenery and swimming hole were okay, but due to the lacking nature of the security and obvious break-in problem, I will not be returning. If you do decide to go here, BRING YOUR BELONGINGS WITH YOU!!!! Don't hide them under the seat or in the glovebox. read more

St Edwards Park - The blue triangle of glass on the right is my window :( - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

This park might be confusing to you if you don't have a natural sense for directions. This property has lots of trails that criss cross and jumble. Luckily this location isn't too big and you're able to find your way back to the parking lot eventually. If you're able to stick to the path or learn your ways, then the effort is worthwhile. The blue path runs along the water, and that's likely where you're wanting to line up. The spots along the way are beautiful. There's a few hidden rope swings, waterfalls, and trickling cliffs. In the spring the wildflowers run thick and tall, it's like a wonderland. The winter is dry and shows signs of life hiding and waiting for it's time. I've been to St. Edward's hundreds of times and it's always beautiful. Take your pup, there's lots of friends along the way. read more

St. Edwards Park features two hikes that are chronicled here on Austin Explorer. The Creek Trail parallels Bull Creek upstream for a mile, often within earshot of Spicewood Springs, but providing a few wonderful spots from which to view or wade into the creek. The Hill Trail takes the high road by crossing Bull Creek and and ascending to the highest point in the park at the southern tip. Of the two the Creek Trail is the easiest. The Hill Trail provides far more solitude and more of a challenge for hikers who like to climb. - from website. I really enjoy this park, because it is right in Austin and there are not many hikers. If you want to find a really quiet park and still have a lot of fun, go there. There are plenty of areas you can play. You just have to hike throughout and you will find the neat spots. If you want to have a very nice picnic or a romantic lunch - privately, I think this park is a perfect place. :) read more

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I love St. Edwards Park and no it's not located at St. Edwards University as many think it is when you mention St. Edwards Park, or St. Eds for short. The only complaint I have is the parking. The parking lot only fits 15 cars at the most. I may be exaggerating that number. But that's the only parking available in that area. I only heard about this trail because a couple of trail runners I know go running on that trail a lot especially the brown trail. I do recommend when you run on St. Eds. is to follow the color trail and it is marked pretty good. Also if you need to get back to the parking lot just follow the arrow marked P and you will head back to your car. The brown trail is pretty intense hiking uphill but it will head to the trail going to Bull Creek. The river has a part where it has 3 swings to jump out. You can easily run some miles in this area. read more

This is one of my favorite parks and always has been. But, please BE CAREFUL!!!! We saw a bunch of broken glass on the ground when we got there, but we're only taking a 15 minute walk so didn't think much of it. We got back to the car, maybe 20 minutes after parking and my passenger side window was broken in and they stole the bag I left in there with my wallet in it. Shame on me for leaving my bag in my car but I thought it was a safe neighborhood. Another woman got her car broken into at the same time I was there! So please, just be careful leaving your car here. read more

Loved this place. Great trails, stops to cool off in the water, and the dogs loved it! read more

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Butiful the water was just perfect the grass and trees are beautiful. There wasn't a lot of parking but there is two parking and not a lot of people on the road to river. But be careful there are a lot of different roads to the rivers so watch out read more

BEWARE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY THIEVES. The parking lot is covered in glass with cars being broken into. Was gone from vehicle about 30 minutes and had cc stolen from hidden bag. I believe My friend was scouted. Was told by two other hikers that their car was broken into in the last year. Don't leave any belongings in the vehicle. Beautiful park though read more

Fun, fun, fun! Great place to hike, swim, and get lost! Con: dog poop is picked up, but lazy owners are leaving the baggies all over the place. Please pick up after yourselves! read more

St Edwards Park - The water was Nice and cold! Make sure to take water shoes :) - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas