Zilker

Zilker, Austin

Zilker runs south from Lady Bird Lake, with Zilker Park, Barton Springs Pool and the Barton Creek Greenbelt along its northwest side. Its other edges are the Union Pacific railway to the southeast, Barton Skyway to the south and Rabb Road and Azie Morton Road to the west. The first homes here went up in the late 1920s.

Zilker at a glance

Homes in Zilker

In 1918 Andrew Jackson Zilker deeded 35 acres around Barton Springs to the City of Austin. The first homes in the Zilker area followed in the late 1920s.

In the late 1940s, Vincent Canizzo owned much of the west end until the City used eminent domain to buy the site where Zilker Elementary now stands. The remaining land, from Ann Arbor Road to Rabb Road, became the Canizzo Subdivision. In 2018, Robert E. Lee Road was renamed Azie Morton Road.

Barton Creek, the Greenbelt and Zilker Park line the neighborhood's northwest side. Zilker is not among the City's eight local historic districts. Landmarks include Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Barton Springs Pool.

HOA, rules and districts

The Zilker Neighborhood Association (ZNA), founded in 1981, is an all-volunteer 501(c)(4). Membership is open to residents 18 and older, renters or owners, and dues are charged; nonresident owners are not eligible. Its work includes code enforcement, traffic safety and wildfire mitigation.

Zilker has no known mandatory HOA, so confirm for a specific lot through the title commitment. City of Austin tree rules apply: protected trees are 19 inches and larger, and heritage trees are 24 inches and larger of listed species.

Parks, trails and nature

• Zilker Park: 351 acres and about a million visitors a year, home to the Zilker Holiday Tree, the Trail of Lights and the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
• Barton Springs Pool: the Joan Means Khabele Bathhouse renovation began in February 2024. Changing areas partially reopened in October 2025, the rotunda is likely closed until December 2026 at the earliest, and the pool stayed open during construction.
• Barton Creek Greenbelt: more than 12 miles of trails, with a main trail of about 7.5 miles. The Zilker trailhead at 2212 William Barton Dr. has a lot that is free on weekdays and $7 on weekends and holidays from March to September.
• Zilker Botanical Garden, 2220 Barton Springs Rd.: closed October 1, 2026, for abatement and renovation, with reopening set for October 16 and the main building possibly closed longer.

Dining and shopping

Barton Springs Road is the closest dining strip. Oria, a wood-fired Mediterranean restaurant at 1530 Barton Springs Rd., opened February 27, 2026, and Green Mesquite BBQ was open under new ownership as of April 2025. The road has also seen closures, including Thom's Market, a neighborhood grocery that closed around Easter 2025.

On South Lamar, Matt's El Rancho has been at 2613 S. Lamar since 1986 (it opened on East 1st Street in 1952) and is closed Tuesdays. Mendocino Farms opened at 1100 S. Lamar Blvd. on September 22, 2026. Casa Fina, a Spanish tapas restaurant at 408 Josephine St., was slated to open in September 2026.

Schools

Zilker is in Austin ISD, and Zilker Elementary is in the neighborhood. On AISD's 2026-27 feeder chart, Zilker Elementary feeds both O. Henry Middle and Lively Middle, then Austin High and Travis Early College High School, so check which applies to a given address.

Under the Becker Elementary closure approved November 21, 2025, Becker-zone students were reassigned to Galindo Elementary or Zilker Elementary starting in 2026-27. A Phase 1 boundary vote covering campuses receiving students from closed schools was expected in September 2026, with changes effective 2027-28. Confirm zoning for the exact address with the district before you buy.

Getting around

Barton Springs Road, South Lamar, Barton Skyway and MoPac are the main roads. MetroRapid 803 runs on South Lamar with a Barton Springs stop, and Route 801 stops at W. Riverside and Barton Springs Rd.

A Stratford Drive shuttle served Zilker Park in summer 2025, when polo-field parking was cut to weekends and events only. Light rail Phase 1 does not run through Zilker.

What's changing

• Zilker Park planning: the Zilker Park Vision Plan was shelved in August 2023, leaving older plans and reports to guide park work.
• Erosion and capital work (as of October 2025): a roughly $6 million emergency trail-bank project was due to finish by the end of 2025, and Sunken Gardens rehabilitation (about $9 million) was requested for the 2026 bond.
• City parks bond: voters approved a $260 million parks bond on November 3, 2026.
• Bathhouse: about a year past its October 25, 2025 deadline as of October 2026, with no grand opening scheduled.
• Barton Springs Pool retaining wall: restoration of the historic stone wall on the pool's eastern edge began September 8, 2026.

What to check in Zilker, whether you're buying or selling

• Flood plain: check the address on ATXFloodPro. Local rules use the 500-year floodplain, and maps are being updated for Atlas 14.
• Barton Creek: the City warns that water levels "can rise quickly, even in dry conditions."
• Event impacts: ACL Festival closes the Great Lawn for two weekends and the load-out, and the western Great Lawn reopened October 27, 2026.
• Trees: City rules protect trees 19 inches and larger, and heritage trees 24 inches and larger of listed species.
• School assignment: Zilker Elementary feeds two middle schools, so check the specific address.
• Permit history: pull City of Austin permit records for past additions and remodels.

If you already own here, check your address on ATXFloodPro, pull your City of Austin permit history and time listing photos and showings outside ACL Festival weekends.

Current Zilker homes for sale appear below.

Working with Albert Allen

Albert Allen is an Austin native and Luxury Real Estate Advisor with Compass, with more than a decade of experience helping clients buy and sell across Austin.

Albert represents buyers and sellers in Zilker and throughout South Central Austin. Schedule a Walk & Talk, request a home valuation or ask about private listings.

Common questions about Zilker

Where is the Zilker neighborhood?

Zilker runs south from Lady Bird Lake to Barton Skyway, between the Union Pacific railway and Rabb Road, with Zilker Park and Barton Hills to the northwest.

What school district serves Zilker?

Austin ISD. Zilker Elementary is in the neighborhood and feeds O. Henry and Lively middle schools; confirm zoning with the district for the exact address.

Is there an HOA in Zilker, and what are the dues?

There is no known mandatory HOA. The Zilker Neighborhood Association is an all-volunteer group open to residents 18 and older, and it charges membership dues.

What makes Zilker different?

The neighborhood shares its name with the park that hosts ACL Fest and the Trail of Lights, and Barton Springs Pool and the greenbelt trailhead are next door.

Does ACL Festival affect selling a home in Zilker?

It can affect timing, since the festival closes the Great Lawn for two weekends plus load-out.

Sources: City of Austin, Zilker Neighborhood Association, Barton Hills Neighborhood Association, Austin ISD, Austin Chronicle, KUT, Austin Monitor, Community Impact, FOX 7 Austin, Axios Austin, Matt's El Rancho, Wikipedia. Albert Allen, REALTOR®, Compass RE Texas, LLC. Information is believed reliable but not guaranteed.