One of our favorite spots for hiking, creek play, and soaking in the tranquility of nature is St. Edward’s Park & Greenbelt Trail. Located in northwest Austin along Bull Creek, this park offers a variety of trail options — easy, flat walks for young kids as well as a more challenging hill trail along a bluff for more ambitious hikers. While a quick search on Instagram might tell you this is a prime location for taking selfies in front of a small waterfall (haha), we really appreciate the varied terrain in this park — swampy green waters in which you could imagine spotting Kermit the Frog, open meadows full of prairie grasses and wildflowers, shaded woodsy trails, and creek rock beds that are great to climb through when dry, or fun for shallow swimming after a series of good rains. And yes, there is a popular small waterfall, too!
To access St. Edwards’s Trail, you take a short drive on Spicewood Springs Road off of Capital of Texas Highway/Loop 360. You’ll pass a sign for St. Edward’s Trail and small parking lot on the left. There you’ll find a kiosk and map.
For hikers on a mission, it can be a slightly confusing route to follow, but if you go with kids and have flexibility in mind when it comes to exploring, you can enjoy one of many side trails, just looking for adventure along the creek. To help on your way, you can take a photo of the map at the entrance or open on Google Maps to consult on your walk. If you walk along the creek on the same side as the parking lot, you’ll find it easier with kids. If you cross the creek, you’ll find steep terrain and some tight cliff-side edges.
If you go after a big rain, consider wearing swimsuits and water shoes, as the kids might beg you to jump in. You might consider taking along small nets and buckets for the kids to explore what’s in the water. (As with any Central Texas outdoor creek, keep watch for snakes.) Don’t forget towels to have on hand for your ride home. And of course, pack plenty of drinking water for yourselves, too.
Do note that with all great trails, this one does get busy on weekends — especially hikers on the hillside trail. If your schedule is flexible enough to allow you to go on a weekday morning, you’ll find it to be a much more peaceful spot.
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