Shoal Creek Greenbelt — Attraction in Austin

Gorgeous park with off leash area for dogs, trees for hammocks, the creek and creek beds to explore, a large paved trail as well as small footpaths leading to the creek and other beautiful little areas. Lots of picnic tables and a few benches. Mixed in with lots of mature trees is a conservation project of newly planted trees. Pease Park is closed for upgrade or “revitalization” but everything around it is open. Parking available on and off street.

Yet another little slice of heaven in this crazy little city, which literally has endless parks, trails and creeks to explore. I ❤️ Austin and really hope we can all share and preserve it. I drive 15+ min to get here now since I now live as far NW as the Austin city limits go, due to gentrification. I’ve been priced out of my normal Austin neighborhoods several times over the years and pushed further and further (and further) out and away from who and what I know due to skyrocketing rent prices.

However, when I’m in the parks and on the trails, I still feel like there’s hope. It’s still Austin and...

Great park, I go there pretty early to escape the crowds, but with much of the years of flooding-mitigation completing the park is regaining its popularity. Majority of dogs and owners in the park are great folks and friendly, but occasionally there's a squabble.

Pease Park at the Southern end is a bit more of a traditional playground park with a water feature for little kids (only), swings and playsets and a fair amount of picnic tables, trash cans. There are also some high-quality wood/charcoal smokers and grills that can be presumably rented/reserved through the parks department.

The greenbelt gets a bit wilder the further north along the trail you venture, though it's a relatively tame walk, around 2 miles from the southern edge of Pease to the current exit at 29th. The trail from 29th up to 31st Streets has been blocked off for some time due to extensive erosion resulting from the Memorial Day...

I did a ghost hunt near the Gideon White marker on 35th and Lamar. This was the site of an Indian massacre. No one is certain how many of the victims were buried at the site. (White's grave at nearby Oakwood Cemetery is also haunted.) There are many other unmarked graves at Shoal Creek. Many victims of cholera and yellow fever were hastily buried at the Creek. These include soldiers who camped at the creek during the Civil War, and those who served with General Custer during his Reconstruction occupation of Austin. Most of those bodies were later removed and reburied at Arlington National Cemetery, but about 35 graves were never found. Then, in April 1915, a flash flood took even more lives along the banks of Shoal Creek. They report that bones were exposed from unmarked graves. I like that it's public park and open...