Beautiful Creek, Awesome Ferns; More Dogs than Required

The Fern Wall after Heavy Rains
The Fern Wall after Heavy Rains
User: plectrudis - 6/13/2016

Location: Turkey Creek Trail

Rating: 4stars
Difficulty: 3stars  Solitude: 3stars
Miles Hiked: 2.50 Miles  Elapsed Time: N/A

Comments:

This is one of my very favorite hikes in Austin--the creek is beautiful, the woods smell of cedar (most of the time), there's an awesome wall of ferns, and because the trail's in a narrow little canyon, it's a few degrees cooler than most Austin hikes in the summer.

From a non-dog-owner perspective, the trail's leash-free status can be a drawback--sometimes the first quarter-mile of the trail reeks of dog urine, and I've had a couple of scary run-ins with dogs that really shouldn't be roaming freely around people or other animals.

OTOH, as you get further from the parking lot, things get a lot quieter, and the creek is so very pretty and cool.  The poster who recommended wearing water-friendly shoes was spot on--it's much easier (and more fun) to wade across the creek than to balance on those wobbly stepping stones.  

Be sure to visit in the autumn to see the beautyberries in bloom.



Log Photos
The Fern Wall after Heavy Rains
Area around Turkey Creek Trail
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