Have a great adventure biking on the awesome Southern Walnut Creek Trail!

Looking for some fresh air and a safe place to enjoy the open road? Then look no further than the Southern Walnut Creek Trail! Bike Austin calls this entirely paved trail the “gateway to cycling bliss.” Fun fact: this trail, which opened in 2014, took two decades to build and was Austin’s first urban trail!

Spanning a width of ten feet, this trail crosses only one roadway for a near-carless bike ride. In our books, that makes it the perfect place for beginners, gaggles of kids, bikers looking for a fun hang with friends, and those hoping to take in the gorgeous scenery – you’ll pedal past some waterways too.

Know before you go: 

The full trail runs about nine miles from Govalle Park to the Walnut Creek Sports Park in North East Austin (we’re talking east of 183). You can make this ride as long or as short as you want, but the first few miles are the most beginner friendly. Afterward, you’ll find some steep hills but the wide, paved path provides a smooth ride. If your crew is the exploring type, some unpaved side trails are also fun to ride around on!

Parts of the trail are quite shaded, while others offer awesome grassland views, wildflowers, and that big Texas sky. (The last few miles are notably less shaded.) As mentioned above, this is a well-loved trail by many cyclists, so it can get busy on the weekends. It is also rather toasty during summer afternoons. We suggest a morning ride to beat the heat and the crowds. Parking is usually a breeze as there’s a lot at the Govalle Park entrance.

Refuel with inexpensive burgers and more at Dan's Hamburgers or grab lunch from their drive-thru and bring it to Govalle Park to relax after your biking adventure.