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Mueller Trails

Type: Trail

Length: 5.00 Miles

Elevation Gain: 61 Feet

Cost: N/A

Rating:

(3.35)17

Difficulty: halfstar

(0.91)

Solitude:

(1.26)

ADA Accessible: Yes

Bikes Allowed: Yes

Dogs Allowed: Yes

Interpretive Guide: No

City: Austin

County: Travis

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Lake Park is one of the Mueller development's public spaces put into place following the 1999 closure of Austin's Mueller Airport. The large arched roof of the filming set along the trail is what remains of a private plane hanger.

The trails at the park are connected with trails in parks to the north and south. I could find nothing on Austin's website that gave a name to the trail(s) that was distinct from the parks themselves. The tight integration and close proximity of all of them tend to support treating them as one unit.

The trail is mostly paved in Lake Park itself. Some of the outlying trail surfaces consist of crushed granite. It's mostly flat and suitable for all ages. Currently the trails might total up to about 5 miles. There are indications that the system around Mueller development when complete will total 13 miles of trails.

There are plenty of ducks and geese in the lake that gives the park its name. Bring some bread on your visit and you're sure to have a crowd gather in no time. Some of the ducks seemed too comfortable with humans in close proximity. Sleeping ducks on the trail itself didn't seem disturbed by people passing right by them.

The main parking area in Lake Park is right across the street from the new Austin Children's Museum, Thinkery. So it's a convenient spot to exercise your mind and body.

Photos

Foggy waterfall. (Photo by Eveline)

Very nice park. (Photo by Eveline)

Another view of the lake. Part of the walking paths here are at the top of the concrete stairs leading to the water on the opposite bank. (Photo by Austin Explorer)

A shot of a water feature and the remains of an aircraft hanger from the area's days as Austin Mueller Airport. The structure is often used by film crews these days and there was a crew at work as I walked by. (Photo by Austin Explorer)

Another view around the lake. Note all of the ducks in the water. A swarm would form when visitors brought bread for them to eat. (Photo by Austin Explorer)

The mostly paved trail circles the lake that gives the park its name and joins up with smaller parks to the south and north. (Photo by Austin Explorer)

Log Entries

Good jogging trail with interesting sights
By heatharcadia on 1/2/2017
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Distance: 3.01 Miles Duration: 34 minutes

I went out to the Mueller Trails to jog today (my last day of vacation before I have to return to work-- boo hoo). I began at Mueller Lake, looped around, and jogged down to the Southwest Greenway portion of the trails.

Most of the trails I jogged on today were crushed granite. They aren't very wide, which poses a problem when a lot of people are using them (there were many people out this morning), walking side-by-side. There were a couple of time I had to jog off the trail to pass around groups. Still, I enjoyed my jog. This is not somewhere to go if you want solitude.

The two ponds I jogged around (Mueller Lake and the pond in the Southwest Greenway) were nice to look at. The one in the Southwest Green way has some nice man-made waterfalls.

The Southwest Greenway area was especially interesting: There are gardens with signs telling about them (it looked to be native plans and educational information about them-- I'll have to come back in the Spring to see them in their glory) as well as three large metal sculptures: A sphere, a rocket ship, and a spider.

By ValEpiscopo on 1/19/2014
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Distance: 6.00 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 27 minutes

Finally, went the whole length of the trail. Started at Home Depot.Then, went down past the food courts, to the other end and back. The full trail is approximately 3 miles, each way -- counting the sidewalk from Home Depot to the begining of the trail. Most of the way is crushed granite. A few spots are sidewalk. There is a nice parking lot at the far end, on Tom Miller Street, and lots of access points along the way.

By ValEpiscopo on 1/2/2014
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Distance: 3.50 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Went from Home Depot down past the food courts, to the split near the pond, and back. Most of the way is crushed granite. A few spots are sidewalk.

By ValEpiscopo on 12/26/2013
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Solitude:

Distance: 3.50 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Went from Home Depot down past the food courts, to the split near the pond, and back. Most of the way is crushed granite. A few spots are sidewalk.

By ValEpiscopo on 12/24/2013
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Solitude:

Distance: 3.50 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Went from Home Depot down past the food courts, to the split near the pond, and back. Most of the way is crushed granite. A few spots are sidewalk.

By ValEpiscopo on 12/16/2013
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 3.50 Miles Duration: 1 hour

Went from Home Depot down past the food courts, to the split near the pond, and back. Most of the way is crushed granite. A few spots are sidewalk.

By ValEpiscopo on 11/26/2013
Rating:

Difficulty:

Solitude:

Distance: 5.00 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 16 minutes

Went from Home Depot down past the food courts, almost to the end by the pond, and back. Most of the way is crushed granite. A few spots are sidewalk.

By ValEpiscopo on 11/20/2013
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Distance: 3.00 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 3 minutes
Went from Home Depot down just past the food courts, and back.

Combined Mueller Greenway
By Austin Explorer on 11/19/2013
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Distance: 4.29 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 39 minutes

Walked the trails of Lake Park and then the connecting area north to the Best Buy. The weather was fairly pleasant today so I thought I get some walking in before lunch. Not sure if all of those areas should be treated as one trail or not.

In addition to the ubiquitous ducks around the pond I spotted a small flock of green parrots, who must be the descendants of escaped pets. Not native, but still more pleasant than the grackles!

By ValEpiscopo on 11/14/2013
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Distance: 1.00 Mile Duration: 1 hour
Went from from food court, after eating, walking middle part of trail, doing loops around lake. Very pleasant to see the ducks, geese and foliage. This part is is almost all paved.

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