Sometimes the best hidden treasures are in our own back yard. Inga Trail is one of those hidden…read moretreasures, not literally in our back yard...just a few miles away but close. My hubby and I decided to go walking at Inga trail near Bull Creek this morning and ended up going back in the evening. It's a relatively short trail and surrounded by little pools of water. It is literally underneath Capital of Texas highway near Old Spicewood Springs Road. The Inga VanNynatten Memorial Trail offers a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of Austin City life. Mostly locals know about it because you have to turn off old Spicewood Springs Road to get to it (off the beaten path.) The trail is named after a University of Texas naturalist Inga, which honors her legacy. In the morning, the quiet is hypnotic...you can hear the bird singing, crickets chirping and the tree branches gently whistling in the wind. While this is a short trail, it is a good aerobic workout while basking in early morning sun. Surprisingly, we were not the only early morning trail enthusiasts. Two creeks on each side of the street were gurgling, including little bush debris floating around. Trail hikes are appealing because you get to enjoy nature, get a great workout and it is free. Along the trail you can see large stones, many green trees, and bushes along the path. You can also take in a few wildflowers along the path. In the evening, we went back and sat on a rock while dipping our feet in the creek. Nice and relaxing... Inga Trail is Austin's little hidden gem. It is ideal for a short hike, a time to relax or meditate, or a dip into creek.

Love it! I use my…read moredog as an excuse to hike this trail. My dog loves it but I think I love it more. As many folks here already said, this is an off-leash trail for all practical purposes. It's beautiful any given day. But after some rains, when the creeks are full this place is just magnificent.

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.

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!

This is a decent hike as it is somewhat challenging at times, especially in the uphill sections. We…read moretook the rimrock trail and it took about 1-1.5 hours, so it felt kind of short. The only really good views are at the sharp ascent at the very beginning of the trail because after that you can't really see anything because the view is blocked. There is no shade and there are bathrooms at the trailhead. I don't really think it's worth the drive from Austin more than once, but it is free.

This a review for the Wabler Vista location. I'll start by saying I'm a casual hiker. Its closer…read moreto Austin than the Doeskin Ranch location. We took the Cactus Rock trail to Ridgeline, then took Ridgeline to the Sunset Deck. The Cactus Rock trail was easy, and would be fun with small children. The views on Ridgeline were not that great and it was more challenging. I like the challenge of the Ridgeline, but it just ends so you either just take that trail back or walk along the road back to your car. I was tired by then so we took the road back. I really enjoyed the Sunset Deck. You can skip the trail walking and just park close to the deck. The covered deck has comfortable benches so it would be a nice place to take a book and just enjoy nature.

Beautiful trail, unfortunately people do walk their dogs off the leash. Not sure if this is allowed…read moreor not but on this particular day there was a pack of 4 large dogs off the leash 3 huskies and a Dalmatian and they were nudging and shoving us out of the way with no owners in sight. It ruined the experience because the dogs were being very rude and the trail is narrow and rocky so to have dogs playing and fighting on the trails and pushing you is very annoying and I am a dog lover.

This is a rustic trail compared with Riverplace. Rustic in the sense it is not well-groomed. There…read moreare a lot of rocks, tree roots, and fallen debris. Just pick your feet up a little higher, and you'll be fine. The big plus for dog owners and lovers is that dogs can run free. If you don't like dogs, definitely do not come to this "dog party". If you do love dogs, you'll be in heaven watching them run down the trails and in and out of the water. Dog owners seemed very conscientious about picking up their dog's leavings which is a plus as well. If it's a nice day, the parking may fill up fast. The trail is free and offers a lot of shade. Enjoy.

Very cute, small trail recommended to me by a friend. The trail is part of a larger park/preserve…read morecalled Mayfield preserve which is maintained by the city of Austin. There's a little lookout area you can walk to easily (ie even if you weren't wearing hiking shoes it's quick to get to) and you can take a couple little laps around the trail path for some fresh air and decent exercise. The trails are pretty easy to nav, although the little stairs in some areas are rockier/slightly eroded so you'd just wanna be careful. And if it rained, it would DEF get very muddy so be mindful, but otherwise it's a very easy place to come for a little walk or picnic (I saw people doing that on a Saturday around 6p when I came). Also there is a little parking lot, and free street parking in front of the Westwood Country Club just across from the trail entrance. Took off one star since the path is a little rugged at stair areas like I mentioned, and cause it's just not that long! But if you want a shorter trail where it's hard to get lost - great option :)

Update on this trail: A few years ago the paved hike/bike trail was completed that connects the…read moretrailhead at Oakbrook west of Lamar, with the longer paved Walnut Creek trail going through Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park and up to Balcones District Park. Eventually there will be more trails, but for now, it's accessible for bicycles, strollers, walkers, skaters. The meadows along the way are spectacular, especially in spring. There are still more rustic paths for those who prefer that. A few spots to access the creek easily for dogs, children, and their big people. A true success story of neighbors working with bigger entities to create more access to greenspace.

Great trailhead! This is a good place to build your endurance if you're new to bike riding. Lots of…read moreserious riders out there too. Plenty of shade on certain parts of the trail. People are friendly. The only issue I have is the parking. Hopefully if and when the pool opens, they'll open up the restrooms to the public. As far as I know, I didn't see any other restrooms close by.

This is the trailhead located at 51st southbound on 183, for the 183 Trail. The parking lot…read moreconsists of 24 non-handicapped parking spaces, and 1 handicapped parking space. The parking lot has lighting. There are no trees to provide shade on the lot. From this location there is easy access to the following 3 areas: the bridge which crosses over 183 leading to the YMCA across 183 to the Walnut Creek Trail; the 183 trail (it's a sidewalk next to 183); and the Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt. The YMCA has a larger parking lot than this area though, however, that parking lot is located on 183 northbound. Additionally, there is some workout equipment at the base of the ramp leading up to the bridge, a couple picnic tables near the highway, and a map of the historical Chisholm Trail. An auto collision business and Enterprise-Rent-A-Car are located next door. If you walk up the ramp towards the bridge, you will see a few cameras mounted on a pole monitoring the bridge and surrounding areas. Note that no stairs can be used to access the bridge; onto the ramp. This allows those with wheeled apparatus, such as unicycles, tricycles, bicycles, and wheelchairs to access the bridge and cross over. For runners coming from the west on 51st Street, seeking to access the Walnut Creek Trail, this provides great access in that direction. I have also observed many cyclists take this route over the bridge in both directions, as bike lanes are available on 51st street.

This is the closest trail to where I live, and my husband and I walk on it almost daily. It's a…read moregreat spot to see wild animals. We've seen bunnies, owls, a baby snake, a field mouse, roadrunners, an armadillo and even a coyote on Via Fortuna last week! The trail is blooming with color in the spring. Fellow hikers always say hello, and the total walk time is about 45 minutes to an hour. It's a fun trail for kids, older people or experienced hikers. We've been walking this trail for 3 years and have really fallen in love with it.

Really nice trail and it was very clean. Not a lot of people which we prefer. We brought our dog…read morewho loves it as well. It's a strange area where the trailhead begins, a business park if you will. They have dog poop bags and trash cans set up along the trail as well.