Bull Creek Park and Greenbelt

Barton Springs, inside Zilker Park in Austin, has developed an almost cult-like following among the sunbathers, tip-toe-ers, and splashing swimmers of Austin, but that means it is often  quite crowded on weekends and during the summer.  Fortunately, Austin also has some smaller, more secluded natural bathing areas that have fewer crowd and offer just as much splashy fun.   

Bull Creek Park and Greenbelt offers a great place for an impromptu dip or a place to spend the entire day with the family and a picnic.  The park is most known as an off-leash dog park, and is frequented by many four –legged friends.  The city has recently rescinded the off-leash status of this park, but you will still see many dogs splashing around in the water sans leash.

There are plenty of places for the two legged creatures to splash and play, as well.  The water is relatively shallow in most areas, but with some pools deep enough to plunge into from the giant rocks above.  The shallow water warms quickly in the Austin heat, so you can expect this water to be a bit warmer than Barton Springs and with less crowds there will be more room for your own little swimming, splashing oasis.

Know Before You Go:

Dogs are a plenty in the park, so if your little one is afraid, you might want to choose another area to play.

Bathrooms are available in the park and there is plenty of shade to protect you from the hot summer sun.

Hiking trails are available, if you need a place for some dry fun.

Water levels can vary dramatically, depending on the rain.  If there hasn’t been much rain, there might be very little water in the creek, but a big rain could leave the area (including the road) flooded.