Austin is a city that prides itself on its parks and trails. Lady Bird Lake, (formerly Town Lake) Trail, Zilker Park, and the Barton Creek Greenbelt are all part of what makes this city so unique.
The 10-mile hike and bike trail along Lady Bird Lake (formally known as Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail) is a great place to be active while enjoying the Austin skyline. The newest potion of the trail is the 1.3 mile long Boardwalk section opened in 2014. The trail, which is open to walkers, cyclists, and runners, runs from the Tom Miller Dam on Lake Austin to Longhorn Dam at Town Lake Metropolitan Park.
You will frequently see rowers on the lake (something I’ve always wanted to try) from one of the bridges crossing the lake. Canoes can also be rented to get on the lake. If you go to the Congress Avenue bridge close to sunset you might see bats coming out in force. The Four Seasons hotel also sits on this trail.
The main portion of the trail has two lanes to accommodate both bikers and runners. For those wanting some more exercise, walking and running loops are available at various points along Town Lake Trail which can add an extra two or three miles to your workout.
Directions to the Hike-and-Bike Trail
Use this interactive map from the Town Lake Trail Foundation to learn where you can park along the route, as well as where to find services like water fountains, restrooms, foot showers, public boat ramps, tree groves, and even ecological restoration areas. Between Pleasant Valley Road and Riverside Drive, there is free parking on South Lakeshore Boulevard. The trail is open between 5 a.m. and midnight daily with a mandated curfew of 12 am-5 am.
The hike&bike is really only good for biking if you like to go really slowly and don’t mind frequently having to slow down more or stop for pedestrians, joggers, dogs, and babystrollers in the middle of the path. The loop between Lamar and MOPAC is especially bad but East of Lamar to IH35 isn’t great either at peak times. East of 35 isn’t bad, except that the “loop” doesn’t actually close and you have to ride on the Riverside Dr sidewalk for a mile or two. Other than that, its great! 😉