Stephenson Nature Preserve And Outdoor Education Center — Attraction in Austin

I have lived a block from the preserve for 35 years and it has been a wonderful spot for the neighborhood. Unfortunately, now it is rare to see deer, rabbits, roadrunners and even javelina that used to be a common sight in the preserve.

Although it is posted that no pets or wheeled vehicles are permitted, many people openly ignore the rules. Their pets have destroyed nesting sights and filled the area with feces despite posted signs prohibiting any pets or vehicles. Bikes and even mopeds have deepened the trails into narrow furrows and made them difficult to hike. It is also an occasional campsite for homeless people.

Sadly, the city does nothing to enforce their own regulations and the area is far from what it used to be. In addition, they do not enforce the leash laws in Longview park which is the gateway entrance to the preserve. It is sad to see the degeneration of this...

If you're up for exploration, this is definitely the place for you. None of the trails are well marked so you take a turn and see where it leads you. Or make sure your phone doesn't die on you half-way through the hike. I say "half-way" because I spent as much time trying to get out of the park as I did deliberately hiking at the beginning.

Not sure if I came during the low season (Sunday early afternoon in June) but I saw a total of 2 humans and 2 deer during my 3hr walk.

It has a good mix of sunny and shady trails and some really funky, weird, "very Austin" sculptures sprinkled throughout.

There is also no main entrance, as far as I could find. Just park along one of the residential streets and walk in via...

The Stephenson Nature Preserve is an amazing spot to commune with nature in Austin. This land straddles two different geological zones that stretch across Texas down to the border with Mexico. It's not nearly as crowded as other outdoor spaces in town such as the Zilker greenbelt, but due to an abundance of animal trails (that get mistaken for actual trails) and other factors, many folks report experiences of losing their directional bearings. For some, this can be an exciting and recharging experience. If looking to avoid getting lost, I recommend downloading the Gaia app-- apple maps shows inaccurate trails.

Please remember that this is a preserve and dogs should be kept on leash at all times,...