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!