Return to Barton Creek - Upper South

Nice again
User: texaskdog - 3/21/2015  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 2point5stars Solitude: 2point5stars
Distance: 3.00 Miles Duration: 1 hour

As mentioned by another in 2010 they must have done something to the chain area as it does NOT look like it does in the picture.  I didn't like this one the other time we did it, 5 years ago, but liked it better with more rushing water this time.

very dry
User: jimmy peace - 9/15/2013  [View Log Page]
Rating: 2point5stars Difficulty: 2point5stars Solitude: 1point5stars
Distance: 4.50 Miles Duration: N/A
57yo and finally, finally hiked to sculpture falls, yes a little water there but, only water we saw, i was quite impressed with the hike lots of people, at least wasnt any trash other than friggin bags left by dog owners with nasty in them
Nice, easy, day hike w/kids and dogs.
User: maddix - 6/2/2012  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3point5stars Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 1star
Distance: 5.50 Miles Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Took my children and dogs on a nice close by hike. Trail was nice and not difficult but still interesting. We went for the hike but will plan on more water activities on our next visit.
always a great trail
User: Caledonia - 3/25/2012  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 2point5stars Solitude: 2point5stars
Distance: 5.00 Miles Duration: N/A

parked at Best Buy and walked down to the creek.  Beautiful day and the water is flowing.

Lots of bikes
User: Austin Explorer - 10/1/2011  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3point5stars Difficulty: 3stars Solitude: 2stars
Distance: 4.70 Miles Duration: 3 hours

Hiked to the springs at the end of the southern "shore" of Barton Creek with Madden Maniac.  Not much of a shore without any water other than the small springs there.  The trail is fairly dusty, but it was still nice to get outside and the weather is definately cooler now.

Encountered more cyclists than hikers, but generally had pleasant interactions with all.

User: karawynne - 5/30/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 1star
Distance: 3.20 Miles Duration: N/A
this hike was fun to do with friends. clearly, many people come here on the weekends with their families and friends to swim and enjoy the creek.
360 to underneath mopac and back
User: barefoot mcgraw - 5/27/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 5stars Difficulty: 4stars Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 2.00 Miles Duration: 1 hour

this is one of my favorite bits of the greenbelt. i love the part with the chain! although i swear i remembered that section as more treacherous than it appeared today. oh well.

met a lost runner and hopefully helped direct her back to where she started.

inspired by this encounter, i now carry small (4x6") maps of the trail to hand out in case i meet more lost people in the future. i think i can explain it better on paper than by waving my arms around and saying "360 that way! mopac that way!"

i still need to complete the rest of the south side on a future hike.

Not as good as the rest of Barton
User: texaskdog - 3/27/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 3stars Solitude: 2stars
Distance: 7.00 Miles Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes

We followed the recommendation and its is a really nice trail in the chain crossing area (which is not even narrow as it looks in the pic) but after Mopac is fairly average, not close to the creek in most places, and it just dead ends in sight of sculpture falls.  Would be nice if you can cross to the north at Twin Falls and take the north side to Sculpture Falls and beyond.  We took a side trail that we thought looped around and it came out in Travis Country.  Still 3 stars but there are much nicer hikes on Barton Creek.  Mural under 360 is beautiful.

User: Ollie - 1/23/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 5stars Difficulty: 3stars Solitude: 1star
Distance: 1.00 Mile Duration: N/A
Airman's Cave
User: Ollie - 1/4/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 3stars Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 1.50 Miles Duration: 40 minutes

Just kind of stumbled upon it... very cool.

Nice Hike
User: Ollie - 11/15/2009  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 2stars
Distance: 2.00 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Good hike and I made it all the way to MOPAC though I kept stopping to take pictures.

Lots more trails out there!
User: Caledonia - 5/15/2007  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4point5stars Difficulty: 3point5stars Solitude: 4stars
Distance: 8.00 Miles Duration: N/A
This is a great area because you can find more trails every time you go. Try the side paths and you will be treated to miles of lesser known trails which converge on Travis Countries power lines. West of the power lines the bike trails go through some of the prettiest scenery on the greenbelt. This may be the best area to find seclusion at a time when literally hundreds of people are at the creek. I hope this area never gets developed!
Some tricky parts, but nothing extreme
User: sprucega - 5/12/2007  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 3point5stars Solitude: 2point5stars
Distance: 3.00 Miles Duration: N/A
Due to the recent rain, the trail was a little muddy in places. This wouldn't have been a problem except that there were several spots on the trail that had small, steep slopes of rock, and it was difficult to get the traction we wanted when our shoes were now muddy. That was only an inconvenience, however, and it was definitely a surmountable obstacle. This was a nice trail.
User: timkimbrown - 6/20/2005  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3point5stars Difficulty: 1point5stars Solitude: 2stars
Distance: 5.37 Miles Duration: N/A
A great weekend for a hike...and everybody knew it
User: spmcfarland - 4/2/2005  [View Log Page]
Rating: 5stars Difficulty: 2point5stars Solitude: 1point5stars
Distance: 5.10 Miles Duration: N/A
The best weekend weather we've had in Austin in about 4 months. The hike was great, pretty easy with a few exceptions (the chain crossing, and some slippery slopes near Sculpture Falls) the only problem was the people. There were upwards of 100 people at and around Twin Falls, and despite the trail rules, many had alcohol. But it was easy enough to just pass them by and keep hiking.
Much quieter!
User: schrochem - 2/29/2004  [View Log Page]
Rating: N/A Difficulty: 1star Solitude: 2point5stars
Distance: 5.50 Miles Duration: N/A
Going on this side is soooo much better. Right now the creek is full (really full) in this area of the greenbelt, so it is nice to take in the falls. Sure you can hear people on the other side, but most of the time they don't even know you are there. It was threatening rain so that thinned out the masses. However, it got to a nice 68F with only a few sprinkles. I highly recommend this side and area of the greenbelt for its solitude and lack of bike riders. You can't quite make it all the way to sculpture falls but close enough. BTW, north of Mopac is nice area to walk barefoot.
A Great Walk in a serene setting
User: MattSeibert - 3/16/2003  [View Log Page]
Rating: N/A Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 3point5stars
Distance: 5.50 Miles Duration: N/A
If you want the be alone, get our there before lunch. I started out at 7:30 am, and saw maybe 3 people the entire way until noon. on the way out. On the way back, there were people lining up to swim and fish, bikers, and lots of dogs. With a comfortable pace, I got there and back, stopping for lunch, pictures, and some spelunking (see below) in about 4 hours. The majority of the walk is in the shade of overhanging foliage, alongside the creek (the path is actually the south bank of the creek in spots, watch your step). At the end of the trail (at the "Twin Springs" marker) there is a small cave / cavern complex in the rocks from where the springs originate. The left-hand cave is a comfortably large view into a dome formed inside of the limestone head. The right-hand cave is smaller (requires hands and kness for most of it) and has a crawlable outlet at the back which winds through the rockwork for another 20 yards or so. There is a REALLY nice rock to sit on at the mouth of the cave, and the cool breeze flowing out of the rockwork gives pleasant releif from the heat of the day. At the end of the trail is a terrific "swimming hole". It ends up being about 12 feet deep in the deepest part. All in all, this was a very peaceful and serene hike, with beautiful views and vistas of the Hill Country beyond and the creek itself, which has no steep grades or serious incline.