Austin >
Sporting Goods >Outdoors >
Town Lake Hike-and-Bike TrailS First St, Austin, TX | Directions 78701
30.263360 -97.747806
view & uploadView Less

If there's one place where I don't mind a little exercise, it's the Hike and Bike Trail. For a peaceful jog around Town Lake, or a relaxing walk with a friend, I usually hit up the Lamar Pedestrian Bridge along the trail. Beautiful people and views of downtown Austin.
Yes, it occasionally gets overrun by hard-core Run Texers preparing for ultramarathons, but the Hike and Bike trail around Town Lake is a reliably groomed and (for the most part) even-grounded route for casual joggers and dog-walkers. I personally love the fact that it hugs downtown Austin, so that at some points in the trail, there's city lights flanking your one side, a natural expanse flanking your other.
Such a great trail to walk and run on...the bikers do make it kind of stressful when they are trying to speed through the trail and weave in and out of people and dogs. Beautiful Austin backdrop and so nice with the beautiful weather.
This is an oasis in the middle of the city. A ten mile walk/run/bike trail surrounding the lake. The local run shop supplies it with free water.
Ladybird lake ( aka. Town Lake ). the city needs to do a better job on maintaining this place the weeds and trees are getting out of control between mopac and lamar bridge . As for the park patrol they need to make more frequent patrols because these dog lovers have their dogs pooping all over the trails .AAAAUUUGGGG
This waterside path is a scenic thoroughfare of outdoor activity..
In Short
Lined by shady trees, the 10 miles of trail are primarily crushed gravel, with concrete in some places. The most popular meeting spot for weekend warriors who frequent the trail is "the rock," near the north end of Mopac Bridge. Mile markers start at Auditorium Shores and head west. Each of the five bridges is passable and water fountains are located approximately every .75 miles; restrooms every 1.5 miles.
This is the place!. Not really a hiking trail. It's a "fitness" trail. I like seeing the out of shape folks attempting to regain their former vigor. And it doesn't hurt to get some inspiration from the beautiful people that make up about 75% of the walker/runners. I do wish that EVERY dog owner would retrieve the 'gifts' left by their pets, and, let's face it, this is a 'biking' trail in name only. With so many people, serious biking is out of the question, and most true bikers know that. Besides which, the dust they stir up often ends up under my contact lens. Ouch! Mile markers every 1/4 mi on the 4.1 mile circle from Mopac to the S. 1st St bridge. Very handy. So, looking for a quiet hike where you can commune with nature? Not here. Want to people watch while firming up and trimming down? This is the place!
Nirvana in Austin. The hike and bike trail is the place to people watch while you are running in Austin. Just watch out for the bike riders who will run you over and the walkers who walk 3 or 4 a breast making the trail an obstacle course for runners.
Best Place in Austin!. The H&B trail is my favorite place to go in Austin. The lake makes the ambiance, and you don't realize you're exercising because of the beauty. If you're biking, though, watch out for those walkers---they come out of the woodwork!
Doesn't get much better than this. I feel like no matter what you want out of a trail, you can get it here (except maybe a super-rough trail). The scenery is lively with Town Lake, the downtown skyline, passenger bridges and the crushed-granite trail itself. Walk around Zilker and watch the kids play. For bikers, this trail is fairly level and wide enough to pass walkers and joggers. You should watch your speed because it's very easy to start going too fast. For walkers and hikers, there is plenty of room if you want to go with friends and have a chat. Also, because of the design of this trail, it's very easy to gauge where to park and go the distance you desire. If you bring a dog, bring a baggie and watch the leash.
Excellent trail. This is one of the best places to get away and still be in the thick of the city. Tall trees provide great shade for runners and walkers, and even though plenty of people make use of the area, it never feels crowded. Excellent way to clear your head and get some exercise.
Sign in with Facebook Sign in with Facebook to see what your friends are up to!
Do you have a review of Town Lake Hike-and-Bike Trail on your blog? If you include the Citysearch image link (shown below) in your post, we'll automatically link to your review from the business profile page. Here's how our Linkback system works:
The Linkback system is free and automatic. It's really that easy.
To link to our business profile page, copy the html below to your web page.
Get the Citysearch Mobile app so you can spend less time searching for great places, and more time enjoying them.
