November 14, 2013
There are so many beautiful parks and natural areas to explore in Austin and throughout Texas, especially as you head west into the Hill Country. I enjoy sharing my nature hikes here at Digging. I hope they’ll inspire you to lace up your boots or put on your swimsuit and get outside too!

BALMORHEA STATE PARK POOL

Located 400 miles west of Austin

Balmorhea Pool

BARTON SPRINGS POOL

Located in Austin’s Zilker Park

Barton Springs Pool

BAT WATCHING at CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE

Located in downtown Austin

Bats flying over Lady Bird Lake

BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK

Located 436 miles west of Austin

Big Bend

BLUE HOLE REGIONAL PARK

Located 38 miles southwest of Austin in Wimberley, Texas

Blue Hole

BRACKEN CAVE PRESERVE

Located 66 miles southwest of Austin near San Antonio

Bats flying out of Bracken Cave

BULL CREEK GREENBELT

Located in Austin

Bull Creek

DAVIS MOUNTAINS and McDONALD OBSERVATORY

Located 430 miles west of Austin, near Fort Davis

McDonald Observatory

ENCHANTED ROCK

Located 95 miles northwest of Austin

Enchanted Rock

HAMILTON POOL

Located 30 miles southwest of Austin

Hamilton Pool

INNER SPACE CAVERN

Located 26 miles north of Austin in Georgetown

Inner Space Cavern

JACOB’S WELL NATURAL AREA

Located 36 miles southwest of Austin, near Wimberley

Jacob’s Well

KINDER LAND BRIDGE, MEMORIAL PARK

Located in Houston

Kinder Land Bridge

KLYDE WARREN PARK

Located in Dallas

Klyde Warren Park

KRAUSE SPRINGS

Located 36 miles northwest of Austin in Spicewood

Krause Springs

LADY BIRD LAKE HIKE-AND-BIKE TRAIL

Located in Austin

Lady Bird Lake

LAGUNA GLORIA

Located in Austin

Laguna Gloria

LOST MAPLES STATE NATURAL AREA

Located 145 miles southwest of Austin, near Vanderpool

Lost Maples

MAYFIELD PARK

Located in Austin

Mayfield Park

McGOVERN CENTENNIAL GARDENS

Located in Houston’s Hermann Park

McGovern Centennial Gardens

McKINNEY FALLS STATE PARK

Located in Austin

McKinney Falls

MOUNT BONNELL

Located in Austin

Mount Bonnell and Lake Austin

MUELLER PARKS

Located in Austin’s Mueller neighborhood

Arachnophillia at Mueller’s Southwest Greenway

PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK

Located 475 miles northwest of Austin, near Amarillo

Palo Duro Canyon

PEASE PARK’s KINGSBURY COMMONS

Located in Austin

The Treehouse at Pease Park

PEDERNALES FALLS STATE PARK

Located 42 miles west of Austin

Pedernales Falls

PENNYBACKER BRIDGE OVERLOOK

Located in Austin

The Pennybacker Bridge over Lake Austin

RED BUD ISLE

Located in Austin

Red Bud Isle and Lady Bird Lake

SELAH, BAMBERGER RANCH

Located 49 miles west of Austin, near Johnson City

Bamberger Ranch

ST. EDWARD’S PARK

Located in Austin

Bull Creek at St. Edward’s Park

WATERLOO PARK

Located in Austin

Waterloo Park

WESTCAVE PRESERVE

Located 31 miles west of Austin

Westcave Preserve