In our mission to spend 1000 hours outside this year, we’ve decided to revisit some of our favorite hiking spots and seek out new ones as well. We’ll be sharing one with you every week in our series titled “This Week’s Hike”.
✅ Trails for Children
❌ Swimming (seasonal)
❌ Bathrooms
❌ Playground and Sports Fields
✅ Free Admission for Park and Trails
❌ Stroller-friendly Trails and Bike Trails
❌ Reservations needed
In the heart of Austin, just down the road from the famous Mount Bonnell, lies a beautiful park with unique flora and entertaining fauna, as well as a shaded trail system. We’re excited to share everything we love about Mayfield Park, Nature Preserve, and Trails! (3505 W. 35th St., Austin, TX 78703)
The Animals!
As soon as you walk up, you’ll be greeted by an ostentation of peafowl, perched in the trees, guarding the walls, and roaming the grounds. They’re active, loud, and beautiful. Spring is the best season to visit so you can witness their mating calls and dances, but they’re full of stories and surprises anytime you go. Don’t let the peafowl distract you too much from the gorgeous koi ponds, though. Those are definitely worth checking out as well.
Beautiful Gardens
This park is the perfect spot for photo ops. With multiple gardens full of vibrant flowers and towering trees, you can’t help but get a few framers while also learning a lot about local flora.
Variety of Meandering Trails
While the trails aren’t really stroller-friendly, they are a lot of fun for ambling children and adults alike. 23 acres is a lot of space to wander through, and with multiple forks in the trail, you can get lost on purpose while discovering additional wildlife and searching for the tributary of the Colorado River bordering the park.
Unique Museum and Sculpture Garden Next Door
After entertaining yourself with the peafowl, koi, and maze of trails, seek out the Contemporary Museum and Laguna Gloria just down the road. You can explore the beautiful grounds, a sculpture park, and an historic home full of modern art. Check website for admission fees and to make reservations.
Whether you’re looking to add on a little additional fun to your trek up Mt. Bonnel or wanting a cool activity to keep your kids entertained, we highly recommend blocking off an entire morning or afternoon to get to know this unique and beautiful destination of This Week’s Hike!
Follow @dripping_with_kids on Instagram or this blog so you don’t miss out on the best places to go in the Texas Hill Country! We’d love to hear about your favorite spots too.