River Place Nature Trail

Beautiful spot! If you do the 6 mile out and back to the ridge over look be prepared to work and bring plenty of water. It is a beautiful trail though. Watch for low hanging branches and trees and be mindful on the stairs as they are log stairs mostly and errosion has done it's duty.

If you’re over the flat, packed city walks and want a real, leg-burning workout without driving all the way to West Texas, you need to hit up River Place Nature Trail. Tucked into the Northwest Austin hills, this spot completely busts the myth that Central Texas hiking is just a leisurely stroll through the cedar trees. It’s a 6-mile out-and-back mix of Panther Hollow, Little Fern, and Canyon trails, and it is hands-down the best hike in the Austin area.

It is a beautiful place to hike. The $10 charge is completely justifiable, because the trail must be maintained which cost money. The $10 fee helps with that cost, and it is only for a few hours on Saturdays and Sundays. It also is not a leisurely stroll, it is a real hike! Of course, The Little Fern is always free (government grant portion) which some may consider more of a leisurely stroll, but the Canyon Trail is a wonderful hiking challenge! Y'all enjoy and keep in mind very little in this world is free, most times this trail is except during the peak hours of Saturday and Sunday on the Canyon Trail portion! Enjoy! FYI: Only two volunteers showed up to help with the trail. The trail has to be maintained to be enjoyed!

My girlfriend and I recently hiked the full out-and-back route at River Place Nature Trail. The trail is about 5.5 miles with roughly 900 feet of elevation gain, making it a challenging but manageable workout. It’s well marked, well maintained, and beautifully scenic. There’s a $10 per-person fee during peak weekend hours (around 8:00 AM to noon), which supports trail upkeep. Volunteer staff at the entrances make payment easy with card tap or Apple Pay. Overall, it’s a fantastic spot for a rewarding hike in the Austin area.

Nice canyon trail in the middle of the neighborhood. Glad that small piece of nature is preserve instead turning into someone's backyard. 2.5 mile one way. It said it has a lot of steps (2736) but they are not continuous so don't worry. There isn't a overlook but at the hill top u can see over the valley a little bit. I started around lunch time . 11am. 89F. Maybe because I was little sick but I drank 24fl oz of water at 2mi mark. So bring more water if u plan on going back. Which will be a 6mi total hike. I see people being kids so it is not very difficult. Scenery: currently Texas is under a drought so all the creek is bone dry as u can see in my pictures. There many different of plants u can see along the path. Flowers and berries too. $10 during peak hours which I assume is weekend. And for parking, you can just park on the street