Where are some good places to hike in Austin Texas? I’m such a newbie and I just need a pro’s opinion.
@Orb2009 We also got some local perspective from our Austin team for this question:
We also encourage you to check out this thread as it has a couple of good ideas in it as well.
Hope this helps, thanks!
@REI-JohnJ has some good suggestions, but right now all of those are very busy and can get extremely crowded. I suggest looking into the state parks a little ways outside of Austin - Inks Lake State Park has some great trails and options for swimming after. McKinney Falls State Park and Lockhart State park are both good hiking options with a variety of levels of difficulty.
The great thing about the state parks is they are limiting the capacity right now, so unlike the local or county parks, you don't run the risk of them being overcrowded. You do, however, have to go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife website to reserve a day pass (usually $6 or less).
In addition to the other suggestions, Colorado Bend State Park is great. A bit of a drive, but not too bad.