Pennybacker Bridge overlook above Lake Austin
I’ve lived in Austin for 24 years and yet somehow, until recently, had never seen the city from its most famous overlook along Capital of Texas Highway on the north side of Lake Austin, where a limestone cliff offers a postcard-worthy view of iconic Pennybacker Bridge (aka the Loop 360 Bridge) and, in the distance, the city’s fast-growing skyline.
I learned afterward that the city is trying to discourage people from visiting this romantic spot, which is part of the right-of-way for busy Capital of Texas Highway, also known as Loop 360. Parking along the highway median is prohibited, which I’d say most of Austin does not know since people park up and down Loop 360 to decorate juniper trees for the holidays and undecorate them afterward, as well as access nature trails like this one. At any rate, the city says no parking.
Spray-painting rocks and trees is not cool, but people do that too.
Some of the graffiti is more picturesque than others.
But nature doesn’t need our help to induce a dreamy mood. Just look at this shaggy-trunked juniper embracing a cloud of white mistflower.
One of my favorite fall-blooming native plants, white mistflower (Ageratina havanensis) scents the air from late October through mid-November.
I also like spaghetti-leaved Texas nolina (Nolina texana), which visually flows down a rocky slope like a living waterfall.
Juniper, silver-leaved cenizo, and goldeneye daisy make another pretty native-plant combo in Central Texas.
The goldeneye daisy was fading but still suffused the cliff face with a sunny glow as we admired the view. On the way home, we saw the first Xmas-tree decorations on the wild junipers along the highway. And so fall slides quickly into the evergreen and festive Southern winter.
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It’s a beautiful view and I can understand why people are attracted to the area. Maybe the city should look for a middle ground by offering a pay-to-park lot, with the proceeds going to clean up graffiti. Signs of the coming holidays are popping up here too – 2 giant Christmas trees created from lights strung up flagpoles across the canyon are now visible from my home office window.
I hope the city will do something besides just fine people who park there, although it is a safety issue, so I can see why the city is taking that action. Because the highway is built right alongside the cliff, there’s nowhere to put a parking lot that I can see. But I’ve read that developers are eyeing the adjacent area for condos (ugh), and if they could be persuaded to make a park of the area and put in parking for it, that would be a plus.
This is a marvelous spot. No wonder people want to go here. Aren’t you glad you saw it before they start enforcing the regulations?!
I’m really glad I saw it (finally!). But to clarify, they have been enforcing no-parking there for almost 2 years. I just didn’t realize that until after my visit. As I understand it, it’s not illegal to visit the spot itself, just to park there.
It must be 20 years since I walked up there. The lack of parking is an issue now and I would never risk getting a ticket. Seeing that spray painting is offensive. 2 rescues from people who have fallen over the side says quite a lot. I might guess the fragrant mist flower would find a home up there just like it did in my garden-I didn’t plant that one either. So that was where the Nolina was.
I always get a little thrill out of seeing, in their natural habitat, native plants that I grow in my garden. Nolina, mistflower, cenizo, goldeneye daisy, evergreen sumac, and more were all looking pretty there. If only human visitors could behave as well, right?
This is just another kicking of the ladder by the wealthy against the middle class and poor.
They don’t own the view but they are essentially banning anybody who doesn’t have the money to live in that area. There is no other parking for it other than illegally parking or parking across the bridge and walking on the bridge. Courtyard has office buildings that are private property too.
Come on Austin, you’re a liberal city so this shouldn’t happen here. Pressure City Hall to make the city for everybody and not just 1%ers.
I agree that the parking ban is essentially banning the public from accessing this spot. I also believe that safety considerations are important, especially if people are routinely darting across the busy highway, as one of the local news shows reported. Surely there is a viable solution that would allow for safe public access. Concrete barriers to protect pedestrians? A dedicated pedestrian crosswalk and a longer light for them to cross the road? Paid parking spaces in Courtyard?