Return to Williamson County Regional Park

Easy hike, didn't see many people
User: heatharcadia - 5/21/2017  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3point5stars Difficulty: halfstar Solitude: 4point5stars
Distance: 5.18 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 50 minutes

I hiked the Jim Rogers and Granite Trails today, both very easy trails. I enjoyed the Jim Rogers trail the most; it was more nature-y (but still backs up to a neighborhood at some points, so you never get the feeling that you're totally out in the wild). I saw wildlife, including a cute fawn, and hardly any other hikers/bikers. I did notice many smaller, less-developed trails branching from the main Jim Rogers trail, so I do plan to come back when I am better dressed for them (sturdier shoes and long pants) and explore more.

Nice- if you take the single path
User: Sunshinedog - 11/9/2014  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 4.00 Miles Duration: N/A

Off the mulch trail, I took the single path to the left, followed it along the barbed-wire fence, followed a few paths aff it and returned.  Strolled down the jeep road for almost 3/4 of mile.  Then took another single path to the right until I hit the main trail again.

morning run
User: austincyclist - 11/29/2013  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 4stars
Distance: 6.00 Miles Duration: N/A
This trail is great, if you notice on the map the white trails, those are singletrack (mostly) so in total, 2 miles of mulch, 2 miles of crushed granite, and another 2-3 miles of primitive singletrack. Good for mountain biking, running, and hiking. On my run this morning, saw 5 deer, 2 people, an 2 dogs. some evidence of wild hogs, but I run out there all the time and have yet to run into any.
First hike with Hannah
User: bigtim1763 - 1/29/2012  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3point5stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 3point5stars
Distance: 2.50 Miles Duration: N/A
User: Frank James - 6/20/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 4.00 Miles Duration: N/A

Walked this out today and i have to say it was pretty enjoyable. I was out there around 1pm and didnt see anyone on the hike and bike trail untill i was done. I walked down on which seemed like a dirt road about 1 mile then turned back around, cause i wasnt to sure if it was the nature trail or someones propertry. Now that i read Riffraffs log I found out it was the nature trail, so I intend on going back.

User: Crazydad - 6/6/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 4stars
Distance: 4.00 Miles Duration: N/A

Got out this afternoon and checked out the nature trail and have to say I was pleasantly surprised. As the description says, it is not difficult at all, but it is nice and quiet. I saw more deer (3) than people (1) at about 4pm. Overall, a nice place for a quick getaway that is only a few minutes from home.

Great short hike
User: texaskdog - 3/6/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 3.50 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 2 minutes

Riffraff had an EXCELLENT description of how to find the nature trail.  On a 65-degree Saturday we only encountered a pair of bikers and no one else on it.  Coming back on the other trail, we pass two cricket games and the train, and many soccer games.  Doesn't rank among my favorites but I liked it enough to want to go back every now and then.  Very isolated for its location.  No water but the trees made it a nice one-hour hike.

Pretty Normal
User: Daniel N - 1/16/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 1star
Distance: 2.00 Miles Duration: 35 minutes

Great place to go for a walk but don't expect solitude or exploring. It is a good place to let the kids do some exploring or bike riding and the train is a nice treat too.

Pleasant
User: ResearchComm - 2/1/2009  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 4stars
Distance: 5.00 Miles Duration: 2 hours
This trail is wide and easy for joggers or dog walking. We saw several people with small children enjoying the lovely weather. There was even one horse & rider. I thought it remarkable that so few people were enjoying this trail which is essentially in a very urban area. One caution: There are NO signs to route you.
pleasant and close to home
User: joshandlea - 9/15/2008  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 3stars Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 1.75 Miles Duration: 45 minutes

This is my getaway spot.  It is very close to my house and so when I need to getaway and retreat I find myself walking here.  gives me a sense of a hike without exerting much time and thought.  I love it and will be back often.

WilCo Regional Park
User: Mere3 - 7/31/2008  [View Log Page]
Rating: 5stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 3.00 Miles Duration: 1 minute

This is a great trail - the back side of the granite trail and the entire mulch trail rarely have people on them. Very nice.

Nice, Easy Hike - bring your dog
User: Corva - 4/17/2007  [View Log Page]
Rating: 2point5stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 4.00 Miles Duration: N/A
I rated the solitude '3' because this park sees quite a spike in usage on the weekends. On a weekday, expect to see 1 or 2 people on the trails, while a weekend brings kids & adults to the soccer and football fields. I take this hike often and love the outer loop as well as enjoy having facilities to use. Dog friendly but watch for that train!
Day of caching
User: Austin Explorer - 2/4/2007  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 2stars
Distance: 3.00 Miles Duration: N/A
The length is an estimate, though we probably did more. Found 9 geocaches in the park today with the wife and kids. The park is getting more popular and saw more people on the trail than ever before, but that still only translates to about a half dozen people.
Bland hiking
User: wdoud - 11/7/2006  [View Log Page]
Rating: 2stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 2.50 Miles Duration: N/A
My hike about the nature trail took about 45 minutes, plus another 15 minutes to get back to the starting point along the trail that loops around the park. I'd like to have a nature guide that would identify fauna; otherwise it was a pleasant walk.
An Urban Hike
User: wdoud - 11/4/2006  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 2stars
Distance: 2.50 Miles Duration: N/A
My wife and I hiked the granite based trail around the park, and we moseyed along about a mile of the nature trail. It was pleasant enough, but the park is crowded with soccer players on the weekends, so there was little solitude. But we enjoyed the afternoon, watched some of the games and the train.
Quiet weekday afternoon
User: Riff Raff - 5/15/2006  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 2point5stars
Distance: 3.50 Miles Duration: N/A
As usual, did not see a single person on the nature trail portion. Went ahead and did the larger loop though, and saw a few people once I got to the soccer fields by the road.
NIce flat trails
User: rnlott - 3/13/2006  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 4.00 Miles Duration: N/A
This was a nice hike. Flat and smooth. The nature trail was good with birds and plentiful butterflies.
Quiet area when the fields are empty
User: Riff Raff - 12/29/2005  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 2point5stars
Distance: 3.50 Miles Duration: N/A
For my second outing here, I started off with the nature trail and continued around the rest of the park on the hike and bike trail. On this warm winter day all the dozen soccer fields and such were empty, so the place was actually pretty quiet. Just saw a small group playing soccer on one field and a tennis coach barking orders at her dozen or so kids. Easy walking, and after two outings now I have yet to spot a single other person on the nature trail.
Nice walk, close to home
User: Riff Raff - 11/13/2005  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 2stars
Distance: 2.00 Miles Duration: N/A
First off, be aware that County Road 175 is known as "Sam Bass Road" up there so look for that when turning off of FM 1431. Now for how to find the (completely unmarked) nature trail. When you enter the park area, you first encounter a tiny traffic circle type thing. Go about 135 degrees around the circle and pull into the parking lot. This is the only parking lot that's right next to the road there, instead of by all the soccer fields and other such. Don't worry about the fact that you can't see the trail, just park there. Walk across the street, and the nature trail will be self-evident by the wide swathe of mulch. If you accidentally turn into the area with all the soccer fields and such instead, you can go all the way around that oval and park at the north end of the lot marked "Stadium".

At any rate, the nature trail is a very nice mile and a half to two miles (estimating). It's far enough from Sam Bass Road that you don't hear traffic noises, but if there are games going on at the dozen or so soccer fields then you will almost certainly hear the shouting and such for at least half of the walk. I happened to be there on a busy weekend day when every single soccer field had a game going. I actually saw a cricket match going also, on one of the many fields.

When you reach the end of the nature trail it just kind of runs into the street. Follow the road southwest (past Soccer Field 11 I think it was) and you'll see a little crosswalk for the hike and bike trail. Turn right to get back to your car, or turn left to take a longer loop around the park. Very easy walking here, and recommended if you live in the area. I wouldn't go very far out of my way for it though.
User: Team Maya - 11/5/2005  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3point5stars Difficulty: halfstar Solitude: 2point5stars
Distance: 3.30 Miles Duration: N/A
Nice little walk via the nature trail.
Quiet, except when it is near soccer fields
User: figment - 10/1/2005  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 1point5stars
Distance: 2.00 Miles Duration: N/A
I couldn't find the nature trail at this park at all. There was no trail signage that I could see, although the gravel hike and bike path is easy to pick up. I followed it all the way through, and there are some nice wooded bits. Lots of soccer games today. This park kind of reminded me of Slaughter Metro is Southwest Austin. Will try and find the nature trail next time.
Lots to offer, not many people
User: Austin Explorer - 8/13/2005  [View Log Page]
Rating: 2point5stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 2stars
Distance: 4.08 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 38 minutes
For a multi-use park, there weren't a lot of people here. Even the hike and bike trail provided a bit of solitude in places. This park could easily handle several times the number. Maybe they're planning on Williamson County growing lots more.

On the nature trail portion of the park I didn't see or hear another person at all. The nature trail features a soft mulch surface throughout its length, making it easy on the feet.