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Dove Springs District Park

Type: Trail

Length: 1.32 Miles

Elevation Gain: 130 Feet

Cost: Free

Rating:

(1.50)4

Difficulty: 1star

(1.38)

Solitude:

(1.63)

ADA Accessible: N/A

Bikes Allowed: Yes

Dogs Allowed: Yes

Interpretive Guide: No

City: Austin

County: Travis

Log Your Hike

Map

Topo maps provided by MyTopo.com (buy now!) Larger Map Order Map

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Getting there: From I-35 in South Austin, take the William Cannon Drive exit and head east. Turn left onto Nuckols Crossing Road and then right onto Escuelita Drive. Go around the back of Widen Elementary school and look for the parking area on the right.

The Hike: Dove Springs District Park's trails can be divided into two completely separate experiences. Although connected, they are quite different. The first trail is a hike and bike path of crushed granite that loops around the ball fields in the park. It's completely open and occasionally hugs the edge of the dense tree cover the southern half of the park. On the topo map of the hike the easy trail resides in the treeless white space of the park.

The trail around the playing fields is about as easy as it gets.

Follow the trail into the tree cover and the difficulty increases a bit and the solitude shoots up a lot. Whereas you're well within view of almost anyone in the park on the granite trail, the rock and mud trails under the trees get far fewer visitors.

One of the most interesting spots along the trail is marked by the southernmost waypoint called "Creek". Here the water in the creek was a bit stagnant, but coming out of the caliche wall on the opposite bank was a cold, crystal clear stream of water. The contrast between the stagnant water and the spring outflow was remarkable.

Photos

The southeastern portions of the trail get a bit more difficult. (Photo by Austin Explorer)

The rock aggregate wall on the left side of Williamson Creek sported a couple of small springs gushing crystal clear water. (Photo by Austin Explorer)

The rougher portions of the trail provide ample shade from the Sun. (Photo by Austin Explorer)

I think I heard a deer on the trail, but this little fellow was just about the biggest non-bird that I saw. (Photo by Austin Explorer)

Log Entries

Not worth the trip
By texaskdog on 2/12/2011
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 1.00 Mile Duration: 23 minutes

This could be a beautiful park if they put a little time into cleaning it up and adding maybe one more trail going along the creek. I think a lot of the debris I saw was from the flood as it looked like someone decorated with plastic bags. It was okay but nothing great.

By austinali27 on 10/23/2010
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 1.32 Miles Duration: N/A

If you go on this hike I suggest bringing a bag with you and picking up some trash because it is nasty!! I had my dog with me off leash and I had to corral him in before he could get to the water. It was covered by a layer of scum.

The trail that isn't in the woods is nice enough. It weaves through playgrounds and fields. It wasn't too busy and the people there were entertaining!

Dove Springs
By Ollie on 1/27/2010
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 0.50 Mile Duration: N/A

The place could be very nice but there is a heck of a lot of debris along the creek and people everywhere. This trail needs an update or a group to come through and do garbage clean up... the land needs to be reclaimed. I was a bit dispointed.

Nice little trail system
By Austin Explorer on 8/8/2004
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 1.68 Miles Duration: N/A
Outside of the jogging path around the playing fields this park has a nice little network of trails under the trees along Williamson Creek. Not the best hiking around, but a nice enough place to get in a mile or two if you're in the area.

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