Outdoors in Austin

Austin's Great Outdoors

Austin is an outdoor city to its core. With over 300 parks, 228 sunny days per year, and a landscape defined by spring-fed pools, limestone cliffs, and the winding Colorado River, Austin offers some of the best outdoor recreation in Texas — and arguably the entire American South.

The crown jewels of Austin's outdoor scene include Barton Springs Pool, a 68°F spring-fed swimming hole that draws crowds year-round; Lady Bird Lake, a 10-mile urban reservoir perfect for kayaking, paddleboarding, and rowing; and the Greenbelt, a rugged 7.25-mile trail system with swimming holes hidden among the limestone.

Water Activities

Austin's relationship with water defines the city. Lake Travis and Lake Austin provide boating, cliff jumping, and lake swimming, while Barton Creek offers more intimate wading spots. Water temperatures fluctuate dramatically by season — our water temp tracker helps you know exactly what to expect before you pack your swimsuit.

Kayaking and paddleboarding are Austin essentials. Lady Bird Lake is the most popular spot, with multiple launch points from Zilker Park, the Rowing Dock, and Congress Avenue. But experienced paddlers also explore the upper reaches of Lake Austin and the quieter stretches of the Colorado River downstream.

Land Adventures

Disc golf has exploded in Austin. From the legendary Roy G. Guerrero course along the river to the challenging Circle C Metro Park layout, the city has over a dozen courses covering every difficulty level. Our disc golf tracker helps you find open courses and check conditions.

Bluebonnet season (March–April) is a Texas tradition, and Austin sits right in the heart of the wildflower belt. Highway 290 toward Fredericksburg, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and scattered spots around Lake Travis burst with color every spring.

Wildlife

The Congress Avenue Bridge bat colony is North America's largest urban bat population — roughly 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats emerge at dusk from March through November. It's one of Austin's most iconic spectacles, and our bat bridge tracker tells you the best viewing times each evening.