While the Barton Creek Greenbelt might be the most popular hiking spot in Austin, there’s another Greenbelt in town that provides similar opportunities to hike and splash: Bull Creek Greenbelt.

Following Bull Creek, as it snakes back and forth across the Capital of Texas Highway (also known as Loop 360) between Spicewood Springs and 2222, the Greenbelt has trails frequented by hikers, mountain bikers, pet owners, and families. The Upper Greenbelt technically begins at St. Edward’s Park, a beautiful spot that we love to explore with our kids. However, the more frequently visited part of the Bull Creek Upper Greenbelt begins near the intersection of Spicewood Springs and Adirondack Trail. There’s some parking along Adirondack, including a small parking lot with a restroom. There are trails on both sides of Bull Creek, although you will need to cross the water to hike the inner trail, depending on the time of year, water levels, and recent rainfall.

The trail ends at Bull Creek District Park on Lakewood Drive, which is considered the Bull Creek Lower Greenbelt. Along the way, you may spot herons, snakes, turtles, and plenty of fish. You’ll see lots of dogs and their humans happily playing, as this is an on-leash dog park (although many owners allow their pooches to roam free, as seems to be common on the Greenbelt trails). There is a fern grotto on the west side of the creek just before the park comes into view, along with wagon tracks etched into the limestone, dating back to the 1800s when the creek bed was a “commerce highway”.

Lower Greenbelt, photo by Heidi Okla.

Fern grotto. Photo by Heidi Okla.

Water falls over the limestone rocks in the heart of the District Park, and large boulders draw rock climbers on weekends. Picnic benches under sprawling oaks provide a respite from the sun. There are lots of rocks for skipping if it’s not too crowded. There is a dedicated parking lot at the District Park, as well as overflow parking near the boulders along the edge of the park.

Photo by Heidi Okla.

Photo by Heidi Okla.

There is no admission fee at Bull Creek. The trails aren’t stroller-friendly, and restrooms are few and far between (there is one at the Bull Creek District Park and another near the intersection of Old Spicewood Springs Road and Spicewood Springs), so it’s probably best to take care of that before you leave.

There are plenty of trails and areas to explore, so just do as much as your family is up to on your first outing, and know you can return again, and again!

If you are lucky, you might find a tiny turtle while exploring along the Creek! Photo by Nicole Basham.

Looking for more great trails to visit with the kids? Check out:

This was originally contributed by Nicole Basham. A native Austinite and soccer-playing mom, Nicole Basham uses her son as an excuse to rediscover her hometown through his eyes. In Thoreau’s words, her mission is to “suck out all the marrow of life”, or in her son’s words, to cultivate in him a love of adventures.