MTB Trails In Austin, TX
Where to ride MTB in (and around) Austin, TX
We are extremely lucky to have so many fantastic trail networks available to ride here in Austin. With countless places to ride within an hour drive of our shop, we are sure there is something to keep you happy and pedaling for a long time. Check out some of these trail networks and then maybe book a rental MTB to test out some new trails!
| Trail Network Name | Distance from Cycle Progression |
|---|---|
| Lake Austin / Town Lake | 4 miles ----- ~16 min drive |
| Little Walnut Creek | 5 miles ----- ~13 min drive |
| Walnut Creek Bike Path Trails | 6 miles ----- ~14 min drive |
| Barton Creek Greenbelt | 6 miles ----- ~17 min drive |
| Roy G Metro Park | 7 miles ----- ~18 min drive |
| Walnut Creek Metro Park | 9 miles ----- ~17 min drive |
| Thumper | 9 miles ----- ~21 min drive |
| St. Edwards Greenbelt | 11 miles ----- ~21 min drive |
| Onion Creek Metro Park | 13 miles ----- ~33 min drive |
| S.A.T.N. (Veloway trailhead) | 14 miles ----- ~30 min drive |
| McKinney Falls State Park | 14 miles ----- ~34 min drive |
| Steiner Ranch | 15 miles ----- ~33 min drive |
| Brushy Creek Lake Park | 19 miles ----- ~32 min drive |
| Lakeway City Park | 25 miles ----- ~43 min drive |
| Mount Lakeway (Trophy Dr. Trailhead) | 25 miles ----- ~42 min drive |
| Lake Georgetown | 30 miles ----- ~53 min drive |
| Reimers Ranch | 34 miles ----- ~1 hr 3 min drive |
| Pace Bend Park | 37 miles ----- ~1 hr 3 min drive |
| Pedernales Falls State Park | 41 miles ----- ~1hr 10 min drive |
| Muleshoe Bend | 42 miles ----- ~1 hr 18 min drive |
| Smithville/Rocky Hill Ranch | 50 miles ----- ~1hr 10 min drive |
| Reveille Peak Ranch | 60 miles ----- ~1hr 26 min drive |
| Spider Mountain Bike Park | 62 miles ----- ~1hr 30 min drive |
Lake Austin / Town Lake
Right in the heart of Austin is the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail - MTB's are NOT required on this wide, flat gravel path and this hike and bike trail is a nice way to get ~10 miles of pedaling in in the center of Austin. Pedestrian traffic is common on this loop!
Little Walnut Creek
The Little Walnut Creek trail system is a small network of tight and twisty trails with some steep ups and downs. Located near the intersection of 51st St/Springdale Rd, this small network offers some added technical riding close to the shop as well as the trails off the bike path nearby!
Walnut Creek Bike Path Trails
On either side of the Walnut Creek bike path (the one that heads towards Manor!) are miles of tight and twisty single track. These trails are relatively tame feature wise, but their tight, twisty and fast nature makes this network extremely fun and challenging way to get miles of riding in. Very accessible from the center of Austin!
Barton Creek Greenbelt
One of the most well known trail in Austin with a myriad of places to drop in, the Barton Creek Greenbelt has a good mix of technical rock features, small ledges and drops interconnected by fun single track. Pedestrian traffic is common in the first few miles from the Zilker Park trailhead, but the trails further down are often quiet and only traversed by MTBers.
Roy G Metro Park
The Roy G. Guerrero Metro Park has a small network of hiking and MTB trails located on the south side of Lake Austin (Town Lake). This small network offers several miles of windy riding on mostly hardpack dirt and rocky terrain, with a few minor rock features and gullies to contend with. Worth checking out if you're near Town Lake!
Walnut Creek Metro Park
A fun network of trails in the north Austin metropolitan area, Walnut Creek is a great option for riders of all skill levels. Foot traffic can be prevalent on weekends and holidays due to the proximity to nearby neighborhoods, but most trails are well marked and conditions are mainly hard-packed dirt and small loose rock.
Thumper
Thumper is a long standing Austin classic MTB trail off of Yaupon Dr. This is very technical trail with steep ups, downs and rock features - lots of elevation packed into a relatively short trail. Its recommended to check trail conditions before attempting, the trail can be overgrown in spots and hike-a-biking is required.
St. Edwards Greenbelt
Located off of Spicewood Springs Rd, the St. Ed's Greenbelt has several miles of rocky riding featuring short drops and a long steady climb. This park also has river access and offers a nice change of scenery while still being close to the center of Austin!
Onion Creek Metro Park
Located on the south side of the Onion Creek waterway, this Metro Park can be connected to the S.A.T.N. via some highway underpasses and a few road transfers. This park offers a tight network of XC-esc riding on primarily hard pack dirt with a few rocks and roots.
S.A.T.N.
Boasting over 100 miles (yes, 100 miles!) of single track, the South Austin Trail Network (S.A.T.N.) is a system of interconnected greenbelts and trails in southwest Austin. There are multiple points to drop in and most of the trails are tight, twisty and hard-packed dirt with the occasional rock garden. One of the most fun hidden gems of Austin MTB, these trails are best experienced with a guide or a sense of adventure - plenty of opportunities to get turned around, but you'll never be too far away from a road to pedal back on!
McKinney Falls State Park
McKinney Falls State Park has approximately 10 miles of trails that surround a popular waterfall and swimming hole at Lower McKinney Falls. These trails are relatively tight single track with a few rocky sections and lots of rooty riding. There is often a fair amount of wildlife in the woods around the Falls!
Steiner Ranch
Weaving through the Balcones Canyonland Preserve's hills in the Steiner Ranch neighborhood, this system of trails is a relatively new addition to the list of Austin MTB trails. Lots of rock and fun, technical climbs and descents, this network is an exciting addition and is growing everyday thanks to the Steiner Ranch NICA team!
Brushy Creek Lake Park
The Brushy Creek network of MTB trails is located in Cedar Park (another Austin suburb), and boasts over 30 miles of single track and double track. These trails cater to a variety of skillsets, with some tamer green trails traversing the river line that serve the whole network and then some more technical trails branching off. Fun riding, and a huge network of riding in a relatively urban area!
Lakeway City Park
The Lakeway City Park is a tamer alternative to the Mount Lakeway trail network in the same vicinity. This small network has nearly 12 miles of greenbelt riding, offering nearly all-day shade on a majority of the system. These trails covering a variety of terrain with minimal mandatory features and the occasional rocky section.
Mount Lakeway
The Mount Lakeway trail system is one of the not-so-hidden gems of Austin riding. Highly technical with lots of up and down, Mount Lakeway is built through the hills country and suburban neighborhoods of Lakeway (an Austin suburb). Not an easy network to ride, but definitely one of the more fun experiences if you're up for a challenge!
Lake Georgetown
Lake Georgetown offers a very rugged 26 mile loop around the lake. Lots of rocky outcroppings, rock gardens and ledgy rock features are common throughout this entire loop!
Reimers Ranch
With a variety of loops that cater to a range of rider skill levels, Reimers Ranch has a little bit of everything. Sandy trails, rocky descents and single track pedaling, this private ranch has over 20 miles of unique and fun riding!
Pace Bend Park
Pace Bend Park is one of the more popular parks in the greater Austin vicinity, offering more than 9 miles of shoreline on Lake Travis and over 12 miles of well built single track thanks to the Austin Ridge Riders! This trail network has some rocky sections and technical spots, but this venue has been used for XC and XTERRA races and most of the trails follow a more traditional XC format. Fun riding, and Lake Travis is waiting once you're done pedaling!
Pedernales Falls State Park
This state park has a fun loop of riding in a unique to Texas location. With the trail constructed mainly on a ridge line, there is relatively low amounts of elevation change, but plenty of rock gardens and rock surface riding to contend with!
Muleshoe Bend
Muleshoe Bend has several miles of trails located just off of Lake Travis. While a small network of trails, this is a fun way to get a bit of pedaling in before jumping in the water!
Rocky Hill Ranch
Located in Smithville, TX, Rocky Hill Ranch is one of the best XC venues in the state of Texas. This private ranch has sold off a large portion of property, but thanks to the gracious land owners and our very own Tristan Uhl (mostly his dad, Paul Uhl, actually), there is nearly 20 miles of fun, fast, twisty and flowy single track.
Reveille Peak Ranch
Reveille Peak Ranch is a huge network consisting of hand cut single track trails, jeep roads, a Super-D course, pump track and flow/gravity trails. This private ranch boasts nearly 100km of trails out in Burnet, TX and at less than 2 miles from Spider Mountain, RPR is worth the drive. It'll take a few days to really discover all the fun!
Spider Mountain Bike Park
Spider Mountain is the ONLY lift access bike park in Texas! Located in Burnet, TX and essentially across the road from Reveille Peak Ranch, Spider Mountain offers a wide variety of gravity focused trails catering to all skill levels. From greens, to double black diamonds, Spider Mountain has it all!