An awesome playground, a huge swimming pool, great trails for hikes and mountain biking, and dog-friendly creeks — Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park really has it all! Our family has loved taking our dogs to this park for years since it’s a popular spot for off-leash hikes. You’ll find dozens of pups on the trails and splashing through the waters of Walnut Creek almost any day of the week. But when this City of Austin park recently got a major playground upgrade for the kids, we just had to share this park with all of you.

Whether it’s new to you or you’re already in-the-know about why this is a local favorite, we want to shine a spotlight on Walnut Creek Metro Park!

— About the Park: Walnut Creek Metro Park is located in North Austin at 12138 N Lamar Blvd. It boasts 15 miles of trails, multiple ball fields, and lots of picnic tables and grills for gatherings. The wooded trails lead to the waters of Walnut Creek which is surrounded by limestone bluffs. The park was mostly developed in the 60’s and 70’s, which is why we were so thrilled to see some great recent upgrades.

— New Playground: The new play structures were designed to be accessible for children of all ages, and includes a terrific large (fast) slide for big kids, as well as structures for toddlers and preschoolers. Additionally, there is now a section of the park that was transformed into the Park & Recreation Department’s first official Nature Play Space. The signature play feature is dubbed “the Fairy Pavilion”, re-homed from a previous Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Fortlandia exhibit. This nature-play expansion was supported by a grant from St. David’s Foundation.

— Swimming Pool: We love this huge City of Austin public pool. It’s got everything a family could want for a place to cool down — a shallow kiddie section, large area for kids to play, lap lanes, and a diving board. It’s also surrounded by grass to spread out in. There shaded picnic spots are limited, so take along a blanket for seating if needed. For the latest info on pool hours and admission, please click here. (FYI, we went mid-day on a Tuesday in early July 2021, and it was almost empty. Admission was free on our visit but we were told that might change this summer, so it’s best to check the city of Austin aquatics website before you go.)

— Trails: At Walnut Creek, you can find many trails that are great for hiking, running mountain biking and taking the kids, too! To prep for your first visit, we suggest visiting this breakdown of Walnut Creek Trails on the AllTrails website. They have the scoop on 5 easy trails ranging from 1.1 to 3.3 miles. Do take note that you will find lots of off-leash dogs on these trails. If your kiddos are not comfortable with canines, a hike in this location might not be a great fit for your family.

Take note that if you want to ride bikes or jog along a paved trail, there is an awesome section that runs for 3.5 miles, from Walnut Creek Metro Park to Balcones District Park. Click here to read all about the Walnut Creek Trail System on the City of Austin’s website.

For more info about Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park, please visit the Austin Parks Foundation website. Enjoy your visit!