Challenging and beautiful hike for Austin area... DO IT!!

Finished in 2.5 hours.

A couple of my friends and I are training for a bigger climb coming up in a few months.. I did my research for hikes in and around the Austin area to break in my hiking boots before I can go hike some larger mountains in the country.. Came across this one and the reviews were quite unbelievable and too good to be true for the Austin area.. Especially since none of my hiker friends ever mentioned this particular hike, I really didnt know what to expect. However, loved this hike! It has very well marked trail signs, directions, mile markers and some gorgeous views of the golf courses down below and some million dollar houses in the area.. There are tons of steps made from tree barks but very well grounded which make the trail a good mix of trail ground plus uphill steps for that stairmaster cardio workout.. We saw a little bitty frog, a red bird and not a lot of people on the trail which was good as it let us go at our own pace without holding up too much traffic. The trail one way, to the other side is 2.5 miles which makes it 5 miles round trip. It is a good mix of uphill and downhill either way (one way slightly more than the other though). Since Austin has no water in the area right now, the creek area was absolutely dry but am sure it is a pretty sight when there is water flowing down it.. In short, I would highly recommend this trail if you are looking for a great Sunday morning workout and a beautiful, shaded hike not away from the city (which is the most important part)! We entered at the pond on  Big View Drive which is the south end of the trial..