Lake Austin and the hills west of Northwest Hills, seen from Mount Bonnell. Photo: Spawnzilla, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

By Albert Allen, Northwest Hills resident and Luxury Real Estate Advisor with Compass. Updated November 2026.

One of the best parts of living in Northwest Hills is how quickly you can get from your driveway to a trail. Within a few minutes you can be at a creek, a canyon overlook, or a wooded hilltop, without leaving this part of Northwest Austin.

This guide covers the parks, greenbelts and preserves inside Northwest Hills and just outside it, plus how access actually works at each one. A few are open every day. A few are guided-hike only, and one isn't open for drop-in visits at all. That's worth knowing before you load up the car.

At a glance

Park finder: what to do, difficulty and facilities

Difficulty is my own rating based on trail length and terrain: Easy means short and mostly gentle, Moderate means longer distances, rocky ground, creek crossings or steep steps. Trail lengths and allowed uses come from the City of Austin trail directory. None of these trails are listed as ADA accessible.

Trailheads and parking

Addresses below go to the main entrance or trailhead. Barrow Nature Preserve isn’t listed because it isn’t open for drop-in visits, and Bright Leaf Preserve’s meeting spot is shared when you sign up for a guided hike.

Inside Northwest Hills

Allen Park

A 10-acre Travis County park at 6413 Westside Drive, with a short trail through juniper and oak woods, a covered picnic shelter and picnic tables. There's no water or electricity, so bring your own. It's open daily from sunrise to dusk, and leashed dogs are welcome.

Stillhouse Hollow Nature Preserve

A short paved trail, about 0.3 miles, leads to a wooden overlook above a canyon with a spring below. Benches and an information kiosk were added in 2016, and birders have recorded dozens of species here. Like all City of Austin nature preserves, it's off-limits to dogs.

Loewy Family Playground at Murchison Pool

An all-ages playground that opened in March 2020. Neighbors built it: the project started with NWACA's Parks Committee and was funded by the Loewy family, more than 140 neighbors, an Austin Parks Foundation grant, NWACA and city programs. Murchison Pool next door is a free 25-yard, six-lane pool; check the city's schedule before you go.

Steck Valley Greenbelt

About 38 acres reached from Adirondack Trail and Steck Avenue, on the side of the neighborhood closest to Great Hills. The trail is informal and often follows the creek bed, so expect uneven footing and some climbing.

Shinoak Valley Greenbelt

A 10.5-acre greenbelt off Dry Creek Drive, mostly left natural.

Barrow Nature Preserve

A 7.5-acre spring-fed canyon on a Bull Creek tributary, home to rare plants. It isn't open for drop-in visits so the plants can recover. NWACA's Firewise committee has held volunteer cleanups here with the city and the Austin Parks Foundation, which is the best way to see it.

Just outside Northwest Hills

Bull Creek District Park and Greenbelt

The standout for getting outside. The 47-acre park on Lakewood Drive has limestone ledges, small waterfalls and creek swimming at your own risk. The Lower Greenbelt trail runs about 4 miles and the Upper about 2.4. It's open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., free, and leashed dogs are allowed. Next door, the Forest Ridge Trail in Austin Water's Bull Creek Preserve needs no permit in 2026 under a pilot program, but it has its own rules: no dogs, no bikes, and groups of 10 or fewer. Getting there, keep an eye on the 2222-to-southbound-360 ramp closure and construction on Spicewood Springs Road. More on the permit in what changed with the Bull Creek permit.

Limestone ledges and a creek pool at Bull Creek District Park in Austin. Photo: Larry D. Moore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

Rocky trail along the Lower Bull Creek Greenbelt in Austin. Photo: Larry D. Moore, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

North Cat Mountain Greenbelt

About 30 acres along Cat Mountain Creek, next to Bull Creek District Park.

Bright Leaf Preserve

About 215 acres just south of RM 2222, known for fossils, geology and an old quarry that shows layers of rock. The land was left on the condition that visits are guided, so there's no drop-in hiking. Sign up for free guided hikes through the City of Austin’s wildland events. In October 2026 the city approved adding about 6.9 acres next to it.

Mount Bonnell (Covert Park)

About 100 limestone steps to one of Austin's best-known views over Lake Austin. Open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Overlook at the top of Mount Bonnell in Covert Park, Austin. Photo: Spawnzilla, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve

Near Tarrytown, peacocks have lived here since the 1930s, along with lily ponds and walled gardens. It's on the National Register of Historic Places. No pets anywhere in the park or preserve.

Lily pond and walled garden at Mayfield Park in Austin. Photo: LoneStarMike, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.

Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park

Across MoPac in Allandale, with a 50-meter pool, tennis courts and a duck pond. The playscape is being replaced, with work starting in late 2026 and finishing in spring 2027.

Good to know before you go

• City of Austin nature preserves don't allow dogs. Parks and greenbelts generally allow leashed dogs.
• Most city parks are open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. unless posted. Allen Park, a county park, closes at dusk.
• Creek swimming at Bull Creek is at your own risk, and water levels change fast after rain.

Living near the greenbelts

Many Northwest Hills homes back to green space, and buyers often pay attention to it. A greenbelt view usually means more privacy, but it also brings questions about who owns the land, drainage and slope, and wildfire preparedness. Before you buy, read the greenbelt behind your fence isn’t yours. Thinking of selling a home near the trails? Start with setting the right list price in Northwest Hills.

Related reading

• The nature preserve behind Mesa Drive that most neighbors never find
• What Austin’s parks bond names for District 10
• Outdoor living and weekend fun around Northwest Hills
• Where to play tennis in and around Northwest Hills
• Summer in Northwest Hills: a local’s playbook
• Northwest Hills neighborhood guide for home shoppers
• Choosing the right home in Northwest Hills
• Northwest Hills housing market explained
• Back to the Northwest Hills neighborhood guide and home search

Common questions

What are the best hiking trails near Northwest Hills?

Bull Creek Greenbelt has the longest trails, with about 4 miles on the Lower Greenbelt and 2.4 on the Upper. For shorter walks, try Allen Park, the paved Stillhouse Hollow overlook trail, or the steps up Mount Bonnell.

Where can I swim near Northwest Hills?

Bull Creek District Park has creek swimming holes, at your own risk. For a pool, Murchison Pool is a free lap pool in the neighborhood, and the Sheffield Northwest District Park in Allandale has a 50-meter pool.

Which trails near Northwest Hills are dog-friendly?

Bull Creek District Park, Allen Park and most greenbelts allow leashed dogs. City nature preserves such as Stillhouse Hollow don’t, and neither does Mayfield Park.

Can I hike Bright Leaf Preserve on my own?

No. Visits are guided only. Sign up for a free guided hike through the City of Austin's wildland events.

Do I need a permit for Bull Creek in 2026?

Not for the district park or its swimming holes. The Forest Ridge Trail in the Bull Creek Preserve also needs no permit in 2026 under a pilot program.

Are dogs allowed?

On leash at Bull Creek, Allen Park and most greenbelts. Not in city nature preserves such as Stillhouse Hollow, and not at Mayfield Park.

Which parks are inside Northwest Hills?

Allen Park, Stillhouse Hollow, the Loewy Family Playground at Murchison Pool, Steck Valley, Shinoak Valley and Barrow Nature Preserve.

About Albert Allen

Albert Allen is an Austin native and Luxury Real Estate Advisor with Compass. He is a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist™ and a member of the Million Dollar Guild™, serves as 2026 Board President of Rebuilding Together Austin and is part of the 2026 Advisory Group for the Austin Board of REALTORS® Foundation.

Albert specializes in buyer and seller representation in Northwest Hills, where he lives, with more than a decade of experience helping clients buy and sell luxury homes in Northwest Hills and throughout Austin, including Barton Creek, Westlake Hills, Tarrytown, Lake Austin and Downtown Austin condos.

Sources: City of Austin Parks and Recreation park and trail directories, Austin Water, Travis County Parks, the Austin Parks Foundation and NWACA, checked November 2026. Hours and access rules can change, so check the official park page before you go.