Got the cliff jumper in you?

Are you daring enough to jump in the water from a cliff 25ft up? How about 50ft up from the second cliff rim? Personally, I'd probably be caught sky diving before jumping even 15ft off a cliff into water. I may not be the most daring-cliff-jumping gal, but I can explore like no other.

Many Austinites have been to a few places on the Barton Creek Greenbelt, or at least know about some populars like Sculpture or Twin Falls off of Capital of Texas HWY and Mopac. I recently explored a new place on the Barton Creek Greenbelt West that I wanted to share called Gus Fruh park. It's just a bit more hidden than others.

There are some small waterfalls, cliffs, a big swimming hole (pictured) and a few trails that lead you back and forth across the creek. It's extremely quiet as well. Amazingly, it's only about 7 minutes from the downtown skyscrapers.

HOW TO GET THERE:
From downtown, take Mopac South. Exit Capital of Texas HWY and take a left (going East). You'll pass under Mopac. Take a left at the second light called W Gate Blvd. It'll look like an office complex, but keep following the parking lot to the left and you'll find Barton Creek Greenbelt Trail parking. Or Google Gus Fruh Park.

TIPS TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT:
Wear good walking shoes with grip. Depending on the trail you take, there are some steep areas up rocks. Also, bring a bathingsuit. If you're daring, you'll probably want to jump in from 50ft up, right? : ) Or maybe not.

COST:
Free

A Downtown Park on Lake Austin (without the traffic)

I always feel so blessed when I drive across the Congress or Mopac Bridges and take a quick glance left or right, catching an eye full of our precious Town Lake (I still refuse to call it Lady Bird Lake. I'm all about short names and that just doesn't quite work for me). Walking around the lake will surely set your mind in relax mode, but I frequently don't want to search for a parking spot during the busy times.

I recently found another portion of Town Lake that not nearly as many people seem to know about. It's immediately East of I-35 on the North side of Town Lake at Fiesta Gardens. I had heard of Fiesta Gardens before (and had even been to a few events there myself), but I never traveled passed the facility. There is a massive park on a peninsula right next to it!

HOW TO GET THERE: From most places downtown, take E. Cesar Chavez passed I-35. Take a left on Comal. Go until it hits the water.

TIPS TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT: Keep driving down the park - going East - until you hit the small boat launch. The parking lot ends and the park becomes a peninsula of grass and trees.

COST: Free

Doeskin Ranch at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

Doeskin Ranch is a special treasure hidden among the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, an 80,000 acre conservation area about the size of Austin. Of the two trails open to the public on the refuge, Doeskin Ranch in the largest-a little under 4 miles.

This is one of the most solitary hikes I've found near Austin. It's not rare to only pass 1 or 2 people during the hike. Doeskin Ranch is filled with lots of prairie grass, scattered trees, and a few small creek crossings. The hike is mostly flat, except for the small, but easy climb to the plateau that overlooks the prairie fields below.

How to get there:

From Austin, go north on US 183 to Cedar Park. Turn left onto FM 1431 and continue through Janestown and Lago Vista. Turn right onto FM 1174 and head north for 5.6 miles. The entrance to the preserve will be on the right. It's a little over an hour away from downtown.

Tips to make the most of it:

Take the longer route and drive on Cow Creek Rd (off of FM 1431). Go during the spring or fall. Because there isn't a lot of tree coverage, the summertime might be a bit much. In other words, don't go during the summer.

Cost:

Might take you a lil' gas to get out there, but other than that...it's free! Gotta love free.

Pedernales Falls State Park - My Personal Fav

This park is a little bit different each time I visit because the current rain levels north of the falls make a visible difference in the way the water moves and how the landscape looks. This is also probably the main reason it's my personal favorite: there's always something new to explore!

Take the leisurely 5 minute walk from the parking lot to the falls for an outstanding view. Some people just hang out here, but the best part of this place is jumping from rock to rock to find what's around the corner. The flash floods have carved out incredible holes, nooks, crevices and pools over the years. It makes for great "mini rock climbing"- some rocks are high enough that you have to use your hands and feet to climb, but mostly you can hop to and from them.

While the main attraction is definitely The Falls, the park does have camping (primitive and non), and swimming (not at the falls, though). Notice the danger signs because apparently flash floods can happen in 5 minutes!


To Make The Most Of It:
Bring tennis or hiking shoes with a decent grip; the rocks can get slippery when wet. Find your perfect smoothly-carved rock peninsula and bask in the sun.


How To Get There:
From Austin take 290 West towards Johnston City past Dripping Springs. Take a right on RR 3232 and follow the big fat signs. It'll take you about 1 hr from downtown Austin.

Cost:
Park admission is $5 per person and gives you access to other state parks that day.

Austin 360 Bridge - A quick and easy hike

One of my favorite spots around Austin is actually only about 15 minutes from downtown: Above the 360 bridge. You may not sweat from the hike (it's relatively short and easy to get to) but it has gorgeous views of downtown, the infamous bridge and Lake Austin.

Tips To Make The Most Of It:
You can walk up both sides, but the side closest to the city (East) rarely has any other visitors. Once you get on top of the rock, there is a short 5 minute hiking trail to your left. Great on a hot summer day!

My Favorite Part:
As a female, there are very few places I feel comfortable hiking or relaxing in nature alone. During weekend days on the rock farthest from the city (West), there are enough people that it feels safe, yet it's not so packed that you can't set up shop with a blanket, book and snacks for a solo relaxation.

How To Get There:
From downtown, head North on Mopac, exit 2222 and go west (left) until you hit 360 (aka Capital of Texas Hwy). Go South (left) on 360 and park before the bridge. Hike 2 min. up the rocks on either side of the rd.

Hello world!

Hi there! My name is Cierra and I love exploring new places in and around Central TX. I have been wanting to set up a blog for a long time; a place to share my experiences of places to see and things to do to keep life interesting!

There are so many incredibly neat places to explore and things to do in Austin - for either free or for very little of that special stuff we call dough.

I hope you enjoy my show-and-tell and share your experiences with me!