Cedar Park - Far Northwest Austin Edition | June 2023

REGIONAL GUIDE

A noncomprehensive guide to regional hike and bike trails

2023 HEALTH CARE EDITION

Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail

Hamilton Pool Preserve

COURTESY CITY OF AUSTIN

COURTESY TRAVIS COUNTY

COMPILED BY CARSON GANONG Central Texas is home to hundreds of miles of trails with options for casual or experienced hikers as well as cyclists and wilderness enthusiasts. This list is noncomprehensive. SOURCES: CITIES OF AUSTIN, PFLUGERVILLE & ROUND ROCK & COMAL, HAYS, TRAVIS AND WILLIAMSON COUNTIESCOMMUNITY IMPACT

KEY

H Hiking

B Biking

E Elevation gains

Comal County 1 Panther Canyon Nature Trail is a gently sloping pedestrian trail that begins near the headwaters of the Comal River and leads hikers through almost a mile of the Balcones Escarpment. H E Distance: 1 mile Located at Landa Park Drive and Ohio Street in New Braunfels www.comaltrails.org/trails/panther-canyon Hays County 2 Purgatory Creek Natural Area features a series of trails popular among hikers and mountain bikers as well as bird watchers and nature explorers. H B Distance: 12 miles 2102 Hunter Road, San Marcos www.sanmarcostx.gov 3 San Marcos River Walk is a paved trail that runs along a portion of the San Marcos River, passing through the San Marcos City Park and Rio Vista Park along the way. H Distance: 2.4 miles 170 Charles Austin Drive, San Marcos Travis County 4 Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail , named after a former Austin mayor

and his wife, runs largely along the banks of Lady Bird Lake. H B Distance: 10 miles One entrance is near the intersection of River- side Drive and Blunn Creek in Austin www.austintexas.gov 5 Barton Creek Greenbelt Trai l is a mod- erately challenging trail traveling along Barton Creek that is rocky and rugged in many places. H B E Distance: 12.68 miles 3755B Capital of Texas Hwy., Austin www.austintexas.gov 6 Gilleland Creek Trail begins at Gilleland Creek Park and continues along the creek of the same name. H B Distance: 4.1 miles

Spicewood Valley Trail

Brushy Creek Regional Trail

COURTESY CITY OF AUSTIN

COURTESY WILLIAMSON COUNTY

and features a playground at one point along its length. H B Distance: 0.53 miles 1891 Oxford Blvd., Round Rock www.roundrocktexas.gov 14 Lake Creek Trail travels along Lake Creek Park, connecting Parmer Lane to Broadmeade Avenue and passing through the Town & Country sports elds along the way. H B Distance: 1.5 miles 9504 Braes Valley St., Austin www.wilco.org 15 Old Settlers Park Trail is a paved trail in Old Settlers Park passing by the Dell Dia- mond, the soccer complex, and the Rabb and Lakeview pavilions. H B Distance: 3.3 miles 3300 Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock www.roundrocktexas.gov 16 Pickett Trail is a short urban trail that begins at Blue Hole Park and overlooks the San Gabriel River at several points along its length. H E Distance: 0.5 miles 100 Blue Hole Park Road, Georgetown https://parks.georgetown.org 17 San Gabriel River Trail is a mostly granite and concrete trail that begins at San Gabriel Park and travels along a section of the San Gabriel River. H B E Distance: more than 3 miles

H B Distance: 3.3 miles

18216 Weiss Lane, Pugerville https://parks.pugervilletx.gov

9 River Place Trail System is a series of shady trails near West Lake Hills that includes a variety of diculties with some narrow rocky trails and other more casual hikes. Entry costs $10 per hiker on weekends and holidays. H B E Distance: 3 miles 4998 River Place Blvd., Austin www.riverplacelimiteddistrict.org 10 Spicewood Valley Trail is a trail in North- west Austin that passes through dense woods and includes a waterfall along its length. H B Distance: 1.32 miles Located on Callanish Park Drive across from Mountain View Park in Austin www.austintexas.gov Williamson County 11 Brushy Creek Regional Trail is a mostly paved trail that begins in Round Rock and ends in Cedar Park, passing though several city parks along the way. H B Distance: 7.75 miles 204 E. Little Elm Trail, Cedar Park www.wilco.org 12 Good Water Trail is a lengthy trail be- ginning at Georgetown’s Cedar Break Park that almost completely encircles Lake Georgetown. H E Distance: 16.5 miles 2100 Cedar Breaks Road, Georgetown 13 Kensington Greenbelt Trail is a paved neighborhood trail that is almost entirely at

700 N. Railroad Ave., Pugerville https://parks.pugervilletx.gov

7 Hamilton Pool Preserve is a steep quar- ter-mile footpath that ends at the Hamilton Pool Preserve. Entry costs $8 per hiker over 12 years old and $12 per vehicle. H E Distance: 0.25 miles 24300 Hamilton Road, Dripping Springs https://parks.traviscountytx.gov 8 Lake Pugerville Trail is a 3-mile gravel trail that loops around the entirety of Lake Pugerville.

HIKE PREPARED Trail visitors should be prepared before their hike or excursion with adequate supplies for hydration, protection from the outdoor elements and other essentials. In almost all these hiking areas, uneven surfaces and slick rocks are common, and encounters are possible with snakes, bees, wasps and mosquitoes. Hikers should bring or have available:

445 E. Morrow St., Georgetown https://parks.georgetown.org

Water Food Proper shoes Sun protection Insulation Bug spray Socks

SOURCES: COMAL TRAILS ALLIANCE, NATIONAL PARK SERVICECOMMUNITY IMPACT

CEDAR PARK FAR NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION • JUNE 2023