Business Hours
ClosedMonday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 – 5:00 PM
301 Nature Center Dr, Austin, TX 78746, USA Get directions
Zilker Nature Preserve sits on a wooded hillside above the Colorado River, a quieter counterpart to the busy parkland nearby, with about two miles of unpaved trails winding through cliffs, woodlands, and a small pond. Wear sturdy shoes for the uneven terrain, leave the bikes and dogs at home, and note that it's open only on limited weekday hours, so it's worth checking before you go.
Monday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 – 5:00 PM
Austin
Tucked into Zilker Park along Barton Springs Road, this collection of themed gardens winds across a hillside, with the serene Taniguchi Japanese Garden and its koi ponds usually the first stop visitors gravitate toward. Don't miss the Hartman Prehistoric Garden, planted with cycads and ferns around the site where dinosaur tracks were discovered on the grounds.
Austin
Visit Widget's Texas Capitol sits at the head of Congress Avenue, its dome rising a few feet higher than the U.S. Capitol in Washington and clad in distinctive "sunset red" granite quarried from nearby Marble Falls. Free guided tours walk you through the rotunda and legislative chambers, and the surrounding grounds and underground extension are worth the extra time if you have it.
Austin
A short scramble up the rocky trail on the north side of Loop 360 brings you to a clifftop view of the burnt-orange steel arch of the Pennybacker Bridge spanning Lake Austin, with the surrounding Hill Country rolling off in every direction. Come toward sunset when the light warms the limestone and the water below, and expect company—it's a well-loved spot, so the small pullout parking fills quickly.
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