Nine major park areas of more than 7,753 acres, including five
municipal golf courses, 75 play-grounds, 44 swimming pools, 70
tennis court areas and four tennis centers, 15 community recreation
centers and 172 athletic fields.
Emma Long Metropolitan Park, beside Lake Austin about 17
miles northwest via R.M. 2222. Offers rugged mountain bike trails,
swimming, fishing and camping. Admission fee.
Walter E. Long Lake and Metropolitan Park include all
lands around 1,300-acre lake; fishing, sailing. About 5 miles east
of downtown, Blue Bluff Rd. off Webberville Rd. Admission fee.
Fiesta Gardens on Town Lake; displays of exotic flora and
lagoon.
Mayfield Park recalls the cottage gardens of England
where the landscaping, the home, and the boundary walls interact to
create the setting. Mary Mayfield Gutsch created more than 30
raised flower beds separated by narrow paths while her husband, Dr.
Milton Gutsch directed the building of the stone walls, ponds, and
other garden features. Peacocks roaming the grounds are descendants
of those given to the owners in 1935. Historic 1870s cottage and
grounds available for parties. The park is open daily. At 3801 Old
Bull Creek Rd., next door to Austin Museum of Art-Laguna Gloria.
For information, call 512/480-3036.
Zilker Park in southwest Austin includes popular Barton
Springs swimming pool (open year-round; fee). Splash! Into
the Edwards Aquifer is a hands-on exhibit for kids and
adults that explains how the aquifer is recharged and how the
creeks and rivers in the Austin area are monitored for pollution.
Visitors see the evolution of how rain in the city makes its way to
the Gulf of Mexico and back in the form of rain clouds. Very
educational and entertaining. In the Beverly S. Sheffield Education
Center. Open Tues. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun. noon - 5 p.m. For
tour information, call 512/327-8181.
Other attractions within the park include Zilker Hillside
Theater and Zilker Botanical Garden. Free Hillside Theater presents
shows under the stars, early June - Aug. Zilker Botanical Garden is
a free, beautiful showcase of flowers, shrubs and trees; Japanese
Garden and Rose Garden; and the new Hartman Prehistoric Garden. For
information, call 512/477-8672.
Other popular facilities of Austin parks are hike and bike
trails in scenic areas along Barton Creek, Town Lake, Shoal Creek
and Blunn Creek.