City: Austin, TX
Neighborhoods: Downtown, Barton Springs
Distance: 3.3 Miles
I love living in Dallas, but I wish the city had more nature to offer. DFW sits flat on a grass plain, so not a lot of awe-inspiring landscapes like Lady Bird Lake Trail in Austin.
Luckily, Austin isn’t too far of a drive. It’s a great city to visit for its arts & culture, but it also has a lot of nature to offer.
You can find plenty of parks and trails right outside Austin, but if you don’t want to venture too far, why not go run on Lady Bird Lake Trail? The lake runs right through the city, and its trails offer nature and Downtown views.
Directions
- Start at the Butterfly Bridge in Downtown
- Head south on Shoal Creek Trail
- Head west on Ann and Roy Butler Hike Trail
- Continue on trail under MoPac Expy
- Head east on trail (south side of lake)
- Run north on Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge
The Run
Start your run at the Butterfly Bridge running over Shoal Creek. You can see Lady Bird Lake from the bridge. Take the nearest staircase down to the Shoal Creek Trail below you, and head south.
Head down to the Ann and Roy Butler Hike Trail and head west. Run under the MoPac Express Highway. You’ll cross over to the other side of the lake and head back east. Run the trail in a perfect loop back to where you started.
You’ll finish at the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge. Take the opportunity to take a few selfies like I did. It’s a fantastic view of the city!
