We came here in the early hours of the morning. Hiked a ways up the creek bed and saw tons of…read morewildlife. It was a nice hike... We heard it before we saw it. A rushing water sound made by the many waterfalls into the narrow canyon. I've traveled so many places, but I was awestruck at the beauty of this place. It looks exotic and out of place in Texas. Still, it was wonderful. It should be open to the public and protected at the same time. To get to it, walk the length of the Blanco River from either the north or the south. Really truly do not pass over private property. They will catch you and at the very least you will get a really expensive fine and Class C misdemeanor. They don't mess around. No one owns the river as the Blanco is known as a perennial River and these types of rivers cannot be privately owned. So, take the river from public property and walk up or down it to reach the Narrows. Don't litter as the place is pristine and really don't jump from the cliffs. We tried to be as respectable to the place as possible and left it how we found it. Please do the same when you find it.

This is the most serene , intimate, natural slice of Texas I have ever seen. The natural swimming…read moreholes are what I envisioned the fountain of youth to be like when I heard that term. I have been twice and want to go a few more times in this life while I still can. The water is perfect and clean, the canyon walls are pristine, and the area is quiet. I went to find it on the advice of a beautiful woman and it was worth the cost of doing so. It is extremely hard to get to if you don't have access from the surrounding property owners, and a sheriff will find you on your way out. I actually favor this situation by it has preserved the narrows, even though 99.9999% of people will never see or even know this spot. Life is not fair. I got an expensive misdemeanor after the second time. But I also took the beautiful woman with me the second time, and money can't buy happiness.

If you're looking for a quick outdoor escape in the Texas Hill Country, Old Baldy Park is one of…read morethe best hidden gems in Wimberley. This small park, just a couple miles from downtown Wimberley, is all about the climb and the view. It's only about a 0.2-mile hike, but don't let the short distance fool you--the 218 rock steps will definitely get your legs working. Once you reach the top, you're rewarded with stunning 360-degree views of the Texas Hill Country, making it absolutely worth the effort. The vibe here is peaceful and scenic--perfect for a quick nature break, catching a sunrise or sunset, or just enjoying some quiet time with great views. It's also very family-friendly and pet-friendly, though the stairs can be a bit challenging for some. Old Baldy isn't a long hike or a full-day park--it's more of a quick but rewarding climb. Simple, scenic, and one of those spots that feels like a local secret. Definitely worth stopping by if you're in Wimberley, especially for the views at the top.

In Wimberley, Texas (Old Baldy Park): * The Hike: A short…read morebut steep climb up 221 limestone steps to an 1,182-foot summit. * History: Originally called Prayer Mountain, a dance floor and jukebox were added in the 1950s, giving it the "bald" look; locals saved it from development in 2014. * Views: Offers 360-degree views of the Wimberley Valley.  Well worth the time to walk up!

This trail walk (or "hike") is a fairly pleasant one. We went early March, and it was a bit…read moreovercast that day. It's about 30 mins or so to the very end where the mini falls are. During that time, it was lush and water was flowing pretty high, but you had to go all the way to the very end to see water. Ive also been here one time in April and the water was flowing about halfway through the trail. It's not strenuous at all, very nice refreshing walk. Brought the pup out there and he did really well. Getting there, don't follow the Sculpture Falls direction because it will take you to a non-accessible location. Instead, make a U-turn on Capital of Texas Hwy and head east. Then you'll turn into the mopac entrance but instead of going on ramp, you take a right and you'll see a bunch of cars parked. The entrance to the trail is off the right side.

Decided to go for a little hike and ended up going to see the sculpture falls. The falls weren't…read morelarge but just as beautiful. The walk however was exhausting. Going down wasn't too bad but going back up was. We later learned it was called the hill of death. The pictures do not show the intensity, depth, treacherousness or level of difficulty walking up the hill.

I'll have to say this is one of my favorite parks for hiking. There are so many trails! You can…read morespend an entire day and then some just hiking. Of course getting to view the falls is wonderful. It's a lovely, peaceful, and serene setting. The swimming areas, canyons, and rocks are great to climb, rest, nature watch, and splash around. A quick 45 min-hour drive from Austin making it a great place for a day trip. A few hours in nature does the soul good!

Pedernalas Falls. We hiked the short path to the falls. The view was beautiful. But guess…read morewhat... no falls. Pretty dry here at the park. Well there was some water running on the other side We did hike down to the river bed and walked around the rock formations. Pretty cool! On the way out of the park we saw some Greater Kudu! Beautiful animals!

I'm sure that during its peak season and at its full potential, the well will be much more…read morecaptivating and visually appealing than my experience of it. But despite that notion, Jacob's Well overall is very underwhelming. The hike is probably the shortest and least challenging I've ever experienced. There are several mini trails that are great for kids to explore, along with a large tire swing at the front entrance. Jacob's Well is definitely very kid- and senior-friendly as it's not very strenuous at all to hike or walk around. It's a nice that it's there for everyone to experience nature but again, very underwhelming. We spent about half an hour there which was enough time to experience the entire area. Definitely worth a visit if it's your first time in Wimberley.

We were told by an employee that the drought, as well as the blooming algae has had Jacob's well…read moreclosed to swimming for 4 years now...

Mount Bonnell is the quintessential Austin spot for breathtaking panoramic views of Lake Austin,…read morethe surrounding hills, and some of the most impressive homes in the city. I usually visit here as a part of run club destination run as the sounding area is very hilly and a challenging running route. The best time to visit is around sunrise or sunset as the overlook provides plenty of opportunities for photos, whether you're capturing the water, the skyline in the distance, or simply enjoying the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country. The trail itself is relatively short and manageable, though there are a few stairs to navigate. Parking can be limited during peak times, so arriving early is a good idea. Despite its popularity, the atmosphere remains peaceful and makes for a great spot to relax, reflect, or bring out-of-town guests for a memorable Austin experience. Whether you're a local or just visiting Austin, Mount Bonnell is a must-see destination that showcases some of the best views the city has to offer.

Mount Bonnell was a place that we were told we really needed to go when we were visiting Austin…read more You get on top of the ridge (at least this is a ridge to me as I was born and raised and lived in mountain states where the mountains are quite large) and you can get a great view of downtown Austin with it's cityscape and then you can also get a good view of the Colorado River and the neighborhoods across the river which are quite nice. The terrain is rocky on top so watch your step and there are a fair amount of people up here enjoying the view as well. I am sure sunrises and sunsets are beautiful and very impressive. We walked for a ways and got a few different vantage points of the views so if you are able to do that I definitely recommend doing so. It's a great place and indeed a place to go when visiting. The locals enjoy it too!

Maxwell trail is located off of 1826. The trail is approximately 5.25 miles; the Main (West) loop…read moreis approximately 3.25 miles and the Outer (East) Loop is approximately 2.0 miles. I discovered this trail when attending a trail run with East Side Beer runners. To access the trail, turn into the main driveway off FM 1826. Drive to the parking lot and you'll see an opening through a gate that leads to the trail head. There is limited parking available on site. There is a historical house and plaque about Mary Maxwell. Bikes are only allowed to ride clockwise, while hikers and those riding horses must use the trail in a counter clockwise direction. The trail had some technical sections with rocks and tree roots, but there were also some flat parts as well. A good portion of the trail was covered with grass so it was difficult to see rocks and other obstructions. I managed to finish the 5 mile run without injuring myself. The trail is pretty flat but there were a few portions that had some steps or a bit of elevation. Overall a good start trail for a mountain biker or trail runner.

It was a pretty trail, there wasn't enough tree cover. The grass was a bit high for runningread more

Well well well! This scared the bejeebers out of me! I did not know I had claustrophobia challenges…read moreuntil I decided to give this a try. I 100% would have turned around 20 feet into this cave if it weren't for Jef, Liz, and their team of guides to encourage me to: relax, look around, ensure me it was safe, breathe, drink water, and try again. I will put this in my memory bank as one of my favorite life time experiences. Why? Well, because I was REALLY scared, and did it anyway. When I face my fears, my confidence grows, and that feels...amazing. If you are considering caving here, know that it is physically challenging, there are some really tight spaces, and you will get to meet some super cool people who love educating and exploring caves. Happy Caving!

Small walking trail, no whirlpool or cave. Saw lots of dog walkers and found a other to Costco.read more