Biking and hiking may be two of the most favored outdoor hobbies among Austin residents. The city features no shortage of opportunities for pursuing either, and one of the best may well be located at the Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park.
Situated near the northernmost end of North Lamar Boulevard, Walnut Creek boasts a wide range of winding trails and a healthy number of park facilities that make it an attractive destination for most anyone interested in a day at the park.
Families are a constant sight near the park's main parking area, where visitors will find plenty of picnic tables set up near a welcoming playground. A basketball court is also situated nearby, and next to that one can find a number of baseball fields. The fields feature electronic scoreboards that enable the convenient keeping of score during competitive play, but they are open to the public as well, should visitors be in the mood for swinging a bat.
The park's main attraction is the extensive number of trails that snake all throughout the land. Local cycling enthusiast Vytis Vardys considers himself a fan of the park after having ridden through it extensively.
“It's a nice representation of the local terrain, and it was cut pretty creatively by some people who probably had a lot of experience in cutting trails,” Vardys said.
The trails, each of which are laid out in detail on the park's official map, offer different experiences for cyclists who come with different goals in mind for their ride.
“There's a big winding loop, a BMX loop; the BMX loop has an awesome section with a lot of jumps and steep stuff. It's a lot of fun,” Vardys said.
Vardys explained the BMX trail is an example of a trail specialized enough to be most suited only for bikes intended for such a ride.
“BMX terrain has a lot of jumping and turning where smaller wheels are better, and that's why you need a BMX bike for that kind of thing,” Vardys said.
Fellow Austin resident and frequent cyclist Zach Miller also rides the Walnut Creek trails regularly and calls the park “a great place for a ride.”
“You can just bike through those trails for hours,” Miller said.
Visitors looking for a more leisurely experience might choose to hike through the park instead. Walnut Creek boasts some welcoming terrain for the casual hiker, including dry river beds, stone pathways and small creeks that can be successfully crossed with a few long strides and a bit of dexterity.
Unfortunately, the park has not proven impervious to some of the typical marks of urbanization. Some trails are split by prominent power lines, while others might lead you to barbed wire fencing and large stacks of trashed materials.
But overall, Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park is likely to impress. And this just happens to be a fine time of the year to visit if you're interested in a generous spread of vibrant bluebonnets and other blooming flowers of various colors.