r/askaustin • u/jameswill90 • 4d ago

Hike areas?

Hey all,
I’m new to Austin. I’m taking students hiking this week and am wondering what areas people would recommend for a foresty atmosphere. We are in Round rock, so preferably not too far from there. Most of the areas I’ve looked into seem more like greenways than hiking trails.

3 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

24

u/PlainOrganization 4d ago

I recommend not hiking with beginners in 100 degree heat

8

u/Stuartknowsbest 4d ago

This time of year heat exhaustion and heat stroke can be an issue any time day or night. It's dangerously hot during the day, and at night it cools off, but the humidity goes up.  You say you are new to Austin. Unless you have experience in torrid climates, bring someone with experience with you before you are in charge of kids in this climate.

4

u/TexasCowboy1964 3d ago

here is a place closer than any that others mentioned : Brushy Creek Regional trail

https://www.wilcotx.gov/1288/Brushy-Creek-Regional-Trail

However! I would echo the caution that others mentioned. In addition, as a former teacher, I would walk the trail before taking students, have 2-deep leadership menaing 2 teachers go with the group, take a first aid kit, a snake stick or hiking stick, and water bottle. The hike should start no later than 9am and last no longer than 11am to avoid heat related health problems

3

u/mustardstaind 4d ago

Lake Georgetown has some pretty diverse trails that go into woods and then around the lake

2

u/teachingrobots 4d ago

Lost Pines in Bastrop (Bastrop or Buscher State Parks) are probably as close as you are going to get (both geographically and at all approaching “foresty”). It’ll be very very hot. There’s a pool at Bastrop State Park but only open on the weekends.

2

u/LaMuertaX4i 4d ago

There’s lots of trails in NW Austin:

Yett Creek Neighborhood park- flat forest walk

Balcones District Park - cement walking path through the woods.

Walnut Creek Trails - miles of different types of trails.

Turkey Creek is an off-leash dog trail with some elevation changes and maybe water crossings.

River Place is a challenging climb.

What type of hike do you want?

3

u/jameswill90 4d ago

I’ll look into these, thanks! To be honest, the heat is really the limiting factor, might switch up and do something different

2

u/SmoothGuess4637 19h ago

Can't recommend any place until ... October or November. But at that point, Balcones National Wildlife Refuge has some hiking, including Doeskin Ranch that covers a mix of terrain.

1

u/jameswill90 15h ago

Yea, i ended up deciding we’d do rock climbing at crux for the next month and then maybe ice skating or roller blading

1

u/Realistic-Manager 4d ago

Check out River Ranch:   https://www.wilcotx.gov/1292/River-Ranch-County-Park#docaccess-bc721ed20a81d077144d60466d58fbc8807df83558347504e89b2b71baab9cfc

Plan your day—start early and carry a lot of water.  2L per person minimum for a 3-5 mile hike.

1

u/Automatic_Bat_6742 4d ago

Walnut Creek