Take a Hike

The 11 best hiking trails in Austin and beyond

McKinney Fall State Park Austin Texas hiking hiker trail outdoors 2015

McKinney Falls State Park is one of our top picks for hiking in Austin.

Austin is adorned with a host of outdoor gems just beckoning to be explored. Maybe you've always wanted to try hiking, but you weren't sure where to start. Or maybe you're an outdoor enthusiast and looking for new trails off the beaten path.

No matter your experience level, here are 11 of the best trails around Austin.

Barton Creek Greenbelt
Where: West
Difficulty: Easy to vigorous
With several entry points and unofficial trails crawling across the 7-mile stretch of greenery, you can easily explore different areas each time you go. If you're just starting off, try the Loop 360 access point or the entry near Zilker Park.

Violet Crown Trail
Where: West
Difficulty: Easy to vigorous
The first 6-mile leg of what will eventually be a 30-mile regional trail is now open to the public. This inaugural portion shares real estate with the Greenbelt, from the Zilker Trailhead running south past the 360 Trailhead.

Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park
Where: North
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
This northern haven offers a handful of different trails, most of which are long, winding paths looping around the entire park. The terrain here is varied, showcasing everything from grassy areas to wooded enclaves. Walnut Creek is both dog and bike friendly. This is a full-fledged park, so you can also find sports complexes, barbecue pits, picnic tables, a swimming pool, and more.

River Place Nature Trail
Where: Northwest
Difficulty: Moderate
River Place is a beautiful neighborhood spot worth the trek to northwest Austin. The trails include an easy boardwalk, rocky staircases, and a more natural trail. Clear streams trickle in the springtime, but abundant wildlife and manmade rock formations can be found all year long. A few changes in elevation offer great views of the surrounding landscape. Some of the trails are easy enough for a stroll, but other areas can be more taxing than they initially look.

Mayfield Park
Where: West
Difficulty: Easy
Mayfield Park (the Mayfield Nature Preserve) is a great option for families or those looking for something more leisurely. This easy adventure lets you choose different paths that take you through a variety of native landscapes with abundant wildlife near the Colorado River. When you find yourself close to the cottage grounds near the parking area, keep an eye out for the roaming peacocks.

Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve
Where: West
Difficulty: Easy
Wild Basin is one of the best spots to spy on native wildlife, including the golden-cheeked warbler. There are 2.5 miles of trail, but the looping paths around the preserve allow for a longer hike if you're into exploring. This spot has a really beautiful Central Texas vibe with tons of trail guides to point out animal and plant life. There's not a lot of change in elevation, but there are a few great lookout points. Admission is free, but there is a suggested donation of $2 to $3.

St. Edwards Park
Where: Northwest
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
This lesser-known jewel has multiple trails offering a variety of experiences, from a laid-back walk with a splash in Bull Creek to an elevated trek with great views of the surrounding Hill Country. The creek is stunningly clear when the water is running and the landscape is a perfect mixture of taller trees and low-lying cactus. In a word? Lovely.

Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
Where: Northwest
Difficulty: Easy to vigorous
Here you have the Hill Country in a nutshell: Rugged Texas landscapes with juniper and oak trees as well as beautiful plants and an abundance of native animals (it is a wildlife refuge, after all). Balcones Canyonlands is huge and includes about 7 miles of trails. In addition to hiking, this is a great place for outdoor photography and bird watching.

Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park
Where: South
Difficulty: Easy
Mary Moore is a "love it or hate it" kind of park. The trails are easy to access for those living around South Austin, and the park's many amenities make it a great place for families to check out. However, it's not very removed from the surrounding city so it doesn't offer much of a wilderness reprieve. Pay close attention to the trail markers, because some of the paths can get a bit confusing.

McKinney Falls State Park
Where: Southeast
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Splurge for a day pass at this state park and explore the multiple trails around the land. For a more isolated hike, opt for the trails on the northern side of the park past the Lower Falls (and cool off in Onion Creek afterwards). While you walk, keep an eye out for historical relics like the old Thomas F. McKinney homestead.
Cost: $6; Admission is free for children 12 and under

Emma Long Metropolitan Park
Where: West
Difficulty: Moderate
Another popular camping destination, Emma Long is a large park nestled against the banks of Lake Austin. Swimming and boating are big draws, but the varied terrain on the hike and bike trails offers an adventure that's a little off the beaten path. Depending on which trail you pick, you may find rough terrain, creek crossings, and sweet hilltop views.
Cost: $5 Monday through Thursday; $10 Friday through Saturday and on holidays

nature fitness

Be Free

Free Week is ready to rock again with new City of Austin funding

Photo courtesy of Red River Cultural District / Renee Dominguez

Chancla Fight Club performs at Valhalla during a previous Free Week Festival.

The Red River Cultural District (RRCD)'s Free Week music festival is back, and perhaps better than ever after some newly secured funding from the City of Austin.

On January 3 and 4, this admission-free winter music festival will bring Austinites back-to-back performances from dozens of local musicians, spanning over 20 venues, restaurants, bars, and food trucks in the Red River area.

Free Week, which began in Austin over 20 years ago, was nearly canceled earlier in 2024 due to lack of funding. But thanks to a decision made on November 7 — after a long and hard-fought battle between RRCD and City Council — Free Week and RRCD's other popular festival Hot Summer Nights are saved for the foreseeable future.

Here's what happened, according to RRCD interim Executive Director Nicole Klepadlo.

Back in 2023, RRCD — a few blocks featuring a high concentration of popular music venues and other nightlife destinations — started pleading its case for funding with the City of Austin. At the time organizers were hoping for a cultural funding grant to help support their donation-based summer festival, Hot Summer Nights. Unfortunately it was declined and still, today, Klepadlo is not really sure why.

"We were just kind of perplexed," she says.

So, they needed to pivot. In January of 2024, they presented their case to the City of Austin's Boards and Commissions, essentially requesting funding for the district as a whole, which would ultimately support their festivals. After some back-and-forth negotiating and even rejections early in the year, finally, on November 7, the RRCD's advocacy paid off.

"We received $150,000 annually for up to four years for cultural district funding," says Klepadlo. "It will largely go to supporting Free Week and Hot Summer Nights. But it will also go to an economic analysis. One of the things people kept saying is 'What is the economic impact of your district?' So this will help leverage us for other future funding opportunities through brands or donors."

It's not just about urgent needs, now. RRCD is also planning to start work on a new "cultural history project" showcasing the area's lasting value to locals.

"We want to start diving into the musical heritage of the Red River Cultural District and start telling the stories," says Klepadlo. "Many of these venues were different venues than they are today; we've had a lot of musicians who got their start here back in the 70s."

Some of the venues and businesses involved in the RRCD include the Waterloo Amphitheater, Mohawk, Cheer Up Charlies, Stubbs, Valhalla, The 13th Floor, Elysium, Empire Control Room and Garage, Creek and Cave, Chess Club, Swan Dive, Barbarella, Flamingo Cantina, various food trucks, restaurants, and groups like the German Texas Heritage Society, the First Baptist Church, and the Austin Symphony. All told, there are about 40 businesses that are engaged on a regular basis.

Of course, it wasn't always like this. After a wave of venue closures back in 2015, a group of music venue representatives, small businesses, and members of cultural institutions all got together for one of Klepadlo's "favorite meetings" at The Mohawk.

"Back then there were over 12 independent live music venues, so there was a lot of competition," she says. "But we were all sitting around this table at Mohawk realizing, 'We've got to band together.' And that has morphed into forging this unified voice and collective, that has really ended up identifying the needs for this particular place. Not just for locals, but for jobs and tourism."

A meeting at Mohawk back in 2015 helped form what the RRCD is today.Photo from redriverculturaldistrict.org.

Another of the RRCD's hopes is that it can keep the vibe of the area intact going forward, even through the fast development is sweeping across the east side of downtown. Organizers want to collaborate with the city to make sure the district stays there (and stays cool) for years to come.

When asked if there might be something the RRCD could do to prevent venues from getting bulldozed and replaced by condos or something, Klepadlo replies, "We wish."

Right now RRCD hasn't gotten the traction or support it'd like in order to ensure that future development in the area honors what the district is all about. But Klepadlo is hopeful.

"This funding gives me hope that as we start to think about what happens to the eastern part of downtown, there will be a Red River Cultural District that looks like it does today; only more vibrant," she says. "I'm really excited to see where things go from here."

Aside from this new funding from the City of Austin, this year's Free Week is also supported by sponsors and partners like Airbnb, Austin Chronicle, KUTX 98.9 FM, Downtown Austin Alliance, The Moody Center’s Red River Rising, and many more.

The music lineup for Free Week will be revealed soon, as well as a new lineup of food and drink promotions. CultureMap will share updates as they're available.

civic issues city council live music concerts festivals free