The Boardwalk Trail at Lady Bird Lake

Wow! We finally made it to this beautiful place. We had an awesome time walking the Boardwalk and people watching of course. I highly recommend it. We met some really nice folks and took some amazing pictures.

I have tried most of the trails in Austin and this one is by far the cleanest! It is good for anyone who wants to get some time outdoors!
For the dog walker:
Did you forget to bring something to clean your dog’s droppings? There are doggie bags and trash cans along the trail to help clean those doggie doo doos! Also, there are doggie bowls at every water fountain so you and your little friend can hydrate simultaneously!
For the runner or biker:
The trail is almost entirely paved so you won’t trip on rocks or branches along the way! Half of the trail is over the lake so you get a beautiful view of the water and downtown Austin. The trail is also wide enough so bikers have plenty of room to pass pedestrians without causing a scene!
For the adventurer:
Sometimes walking next to the water isn’t enough! No worries, there are many places to rent kayaks or paddle boards along the way. However, I have been here multiple times and the hours seem to be random. Also, there are designated places for you and all your friends to stop and fish!

THIS WAS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!
I am at the tail end of a super intense U.S. tour and am rounding it out in Austin. Being exhausted and hungover, I am trying to eat healthier and get my body on a somewhat normal rhythm before returning to real life.
Yesterday, my friend who I’m staying with who lives nearby took me here and it was such a beautiful walk!!! The boardwalk is suspended above the water for a good chunk of it, which is really neat. There are also amazing views of downtown Austin the whole way. It was a great workout that I didn’t even notice because i was having so much fun looking at the views. Would definitely recommend on a trip to Austin if you need to get a run or walk in!

This board walk goes right along the entire lady bird lake. It’s wide enough for walkers, bikers, runners, and joggers. This walk is very calm and easy and gives iconic views to downtown Austin. You’ll see many people kayaking in the lake and there are bike, kayak, and paddle board rentals all around the trail. Would definitely recommend for a relaxing walk.

This trail is probably the best new addition to Austin in the 4 years that I’ve lived here. I really love jogging this trail, or going for a leisurely stroll with the pooch. I’m so glad to see that the city hasn’t forgotten about the east side completely!

The mighty Colorado river runs through the city of Austin and the Lady Bird Boardwalk is a trail system that allows people to enjoy the river and the beautiful juxtaposition of the city skyline.
There are restrooms located throughout the trail system. Lots of places to stop and relax, but most people use it as their daily jogging/​biking trail. Great public space that melds the outdoors with everyday city life.

I absolutely love being on the trail. It’s great for walking/​running or biking as its wide enough to accommodate both. Super dog friendly and it’s very clean. Great way to spend a morning getting some city views with your coffee or getting a great work out. Try taking the trail to Barton Springs and spending a day in the water.

Calling this a boardwalk really sets it up for disappointment, because I was kind of picturing a lake trail version of Santa Monica Pier… ooops! Being from out of town, we had a hard time locating an entrance to the boardwalk (Google Maps kept pointing us to the dog park instead). We ended up parking at Joe’s Crab Shack and walking to a nearby entrance. As a tourist attraction, this gives you a great view of the water and the city skyline, but there’s not much else going on. I was kind of hoping there would be tables or benches that would make it more conducive for pausing and pondering, but we didn’t encounter any in our brief walk. I imagine this would be great for jogging and cycling, as it isn’t too busy.

The trail around Ladybird Lake is one of my favorite things about our city. How fantastic that we have bridged (literally) the trail to create an extension to take us East of 35. This is a beautiful path with great views of downtown and East Austin. I like to hit the trail as often as I can! I usually just do 3 – 5 miles, and I love that I can change things up by hopping on at a different section. The Boardwalk is a great place to throw in throw in yo that mix!

Love the new boardwalk that connects the trail around the lake. It is clean, expansive, and has several great connections along the way back to the road so you are not «stuck» once you get on it. The views of downtown Austin are incredible, and the perfect place for a sunset photo. There are a couple of water fountains along the way that also have doggy bowls available. This is a definite place to take out of town guests for a photo opportunity of Austin.

One of the best views of Austin you can get. A great place to take visitors looking for a casual stroll. Be sure to adhere to pedestrian/​biking traffic etiquette, like staying to the right side and being aware of your surroundings.

Very cool boardwalk along Town Lake! Great place to walk or ride your bike! Great views of Town Lake and downtown!

The boardwalk was fantastic. It is wide enough to let bikers joggers and walkers all use it together safely. It has beautiful views of lady bird lake and the Austin skyline. The parking is an issue, but that’s downtown Austin. Will defiantly return and highly recommend.

The 10.15 mile river trail in the heart of Austin is beautiful and extremely popular. This relatively new boardwalk offers excellent views of the Austin skyline. You can adjust your mileage by taking different bridges. Most of the activity is near downtown to the West of 35. It also connects to the Barton Creek Greenbelt Trail.

This is a great place, but be aware that it is not 100% paved. There is also a lot of overgrowth and birds looking for food. But, you can’t beat the location and the views. It’s great for walkers, runners, bikers, and dogs (leashed, of course).

Oh when the sun shines down and you want some time outside
And your want a nice place to show a visiting friend your Austin pride
Lady Bird Boardwalk, along Town Lake, yeah
Walking, jogging, or relaxing… it’s where I’d be
(Lady Bird Boardwalk) Fine for a run
(Lady Bird Boardwalk) Not much shade from the sun
(Lady Bird boardwalk) People walking their pets
(Lady Bird boardwalk) Hope they pick up their mess
The Town Lake Boardwalk, boardwalk!
[apologies to The Drifters]
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
The Boardwalk Trail at Lady Bird Lake has one purpose. Before July 2014, those wanting to do the 10 mile-​ish loop along Town/​Lady Bird Lake from MoPac on the west to Longhorn Dam on the east had an unfortunate 1.2 mile stretch where you were forced to walk through an office parking lot, and dangerously along Riverside Drive with no sight of the water, before risking your life crossing over I-​35. So, just for being able to complete that loop without the need to go to street level, the Boardwalk deserves about a dozen stars.
Sure, if you’re not up to all 10 miles, and want your loop to stop at I-​35, you will need to do about a block along the access road before catching the ramps back down to the river at the NE corner of Riverside and 35. But even that is way better than before.
The views of downtown itself aren’t much different than you would get from many other spots around Town Lake. I’d even argue they may be inferior. But I like it more because it seems most folks tend to stay between MoPac and the Congress Ave. Bridge, so there’s less crowd on the Boardwalk side. And the uniqueness, and main reason to visit this part, is how it is incorporated in/​above the water itself.
For parking, find one of those spots at the south end of the South 1^st bridge, or on weekends — the Statesman lot and head east for an out-​and-​back. Or try along Lakeshore Blvd. on the east side of the I-​35 (the first light when headed east on Riverside from I-​35). Or do what we do… Park near Austin High and just put in the miles!
4.7 stars

The Boardwalk Trail is finally open to the public and it is a great addition to the beautiful lake!
Clean, wide, and spacious walkways. Perfect for leisure walkers, dog walkers, joggers, and bicyclists. Plenty of pit stops to take photos or give your dog (or yourself) a rest.
If you’re a dog owner, PLEASE pick up after them! I saw plenty of doggy bag dispensers throughout my walk, but also saw a lot of dog crap left behind.
If you’re a bicyclist, PLEASE call out if you’re coming up behind. I don’t appreciate it when you come up super fast, then cut me off. Please call out «On your left!» or «Behind!» and I will make sure to hug the railing to let you pass safely and that I won’t change my direction and allow you to hit me.
Also, pick up your trash! So much trash… such a beautiful lake. It doesn’t go together.
And I wish all the water fountains worked…
Besides those little annoyances, it was a great walk for me. Very peaceful and the weather was perfect. It provides an easier way to get from one part of the lake to another.

I’ll be honest. Most of the purpose of me driving 150 miles to Austin was to see the boardwalk and take pictures of it. I’m a sucker for beautiful skyline pictures and this is probably the best location for that now so be prepared for seeing thousands of engagement pictures here. I’m not quite sure how to get here the «right way» but I parked in front of the Long Center and made the trek there. Not sure if you’re allowed to use the Joe’s parking lot or not.
The boardwalk (dock, whatever) is very solid and has metal and concrete, but when larger people are running, you can still feel it shake which is not good for long exposures but you can time it to where there is no vibration. Also, watch out for bicyclists who think they own the boardwalk and are going 20 mph. Seriously, Lance, there are little kids and pets walking there and someone is going to get hurt.

Fantastic new addition to the Town Lake hike and bike trail! We walked a leisurely circuit of the entire thing on a cool winter’s day and enjoyed it immensely. Beautiful, ever changing views of the lake, with a wide variety of ducks, birds and turtles to admire every step of the way. My favourite part was standing right underneath the decks of I-​35. Even though it was rush hour and traffic was heavy, I was pleasantly surprised at how quiet it was right there at that particular spot.
The boardwalk is completely exposed to the elements, with very little shade or tree cover. Sun protection and water bottles are highly recommended, especially during hot weather.
Parking tip: We parked at the Austin American Statesman parking lot (having first gotten the thumbs up from guard at the visitor check-​in desk) as it’s really close to the western end of the trail.

I suggest to park on Lake shore blvd. Also, here are helpful tips when visiting.