FREE In Austin: Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park (And It’s A Gem!)
I love scoping out free things to do in Austin, because sometimes it seems like the cost of simply walking out your door is $400 these days! (Does anyone else feel this way?) There are loads of free things to do in Austin, but one of my very favorites is finding incredible public parks and playgrounds and exploring them with my two young kids. One of the very best ones in Austin? Walnut Creek Park.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelsey Kennedy is a native Texan and a local Austin author, photographer, and blogger with a serious obsession for all things Austin. As the creator of four Texas-focused travel websites, her work has reached over 12 million readers in 38 countries, all searching for the coolest things to do in the hottest cities in Texas. For more insider tips on the capital city, check out her bestselling travel book, Austin Food Crawls: Touring the Neighborhoods One Bite and Libation at a Time.
A Quick History Of Walnut Creek Park
In the 1960s, the city of Austin started noticing that northeast Austin was expanding super fast. So they acquired about 80 acres to build Walnut Creek Park.
It opened in 1967, and then the swimming pool was added in the 1970s. Since then, the park has continued to expand and now includes softball fields, dozens of miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, an epic playground, picnic space, and hundreds of acres of green space for forest bathing or just enjoyin’ the great outdoors.
Walnut Creek Park is one of the biggest public parks in Austin at 293 sprawling acres.
5 Things To Do At Walnut Creek Park
The Playground! // This is the crown jewel of Walnut Creek Park. I mean, just check out that 2-story slide! It’s just as cool in person as it looks in a photo. Kids absolutely love this thing.
There are three different climbing structures at Walnut Creek Park playground, including slides, swings, a climbing wall, and more. My children will play for hours and hours here.
Hiking trails // Again, this is an excellent thing to do if you want something FREE to do with children, and you have a lot of time to kill.
The hiking trails at Walnut Creek Park are so accessible and easy (if you stay close to the playground), making them an excellent option for families. And then if you want to do something a little bit more intense and enjoy a heart-pumping half-day hike? You can totally do that at Walnut Creek Park, too. This is one of the best hiking spots in Austin.
Swim at the Walnut Creek Pool // This is a city of Austin-operated pool and it’s only open in the summer months, but it’s FREE for residents! It’s a great pool for lap swimming, so if you’re looking to switch up your fitness routine in the summer months, buy a cap and some goggles and start swimming laps. It’s also a really fun pool for kids - that zero depth entry is awesome for little toddlers.
Mountain biking // Full disclosure: I haven’t personally tried this at Walnut Creek Park, but I saw lots of people mountain biking while I was there! There are 4 different trail heads and dozens of miles of trails. Most of it is pretty flat/easy, but there are rocky areas, waterfall crossings, and the trails are overall just a fun experience. There’s even a bike path called the BMX loop!
Play basketball or softball // get some buddies and play a pick-up game of basketball at Walnut Creek Metro Park’s basketball courts! There are also lots of softball fields which, in full transparency, get crazy on the weekends during softball season when kids have their games and practices.
Short and simple, but here’s the message: Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park is just as fun as many of the pricey kids experiences in Austin (like indoor play places, museums, etc.) My children have SO much fun walking on the hiking trails, looking for sticks, and then poking said sticks in the mud. They can spend hours here! (I just have to remember to bring a clean set of clothes for the car ride home - hot tip for ya.)
I hope you put it on your calendar to go check it out soon and take advantage of this free park that Austin has given us!
Looking for more free fun in Austin? Here are 100+ free things to do in Austin, and don't forget about this guide to the best playgrounds in Austin.
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