The quintessential public park of Austin, Texas – Lady Bird Lake is actually a dammed portion of the Colorado River. The reservoir was created in 1960 to cool a power plant. The lake is 6 miles long and 2,500 across feet at its widest, generally 14’ deep.
It didn’t always have its current name, but was formerly and mundanely referred to as ‘Town Lake’. That was prior to the passing of the First Lady, Claudia Alta Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson, a fixture in Austin’s environmental scene. The lake is rife with recreational opportunity. If you want to walk, jog, or cycle – join the locals who frequent the 10 miles of trails within the park. Don’t miss the pedestrian bridge which cuts across the lake.
From this height you get a different view of the downtown skyline.
If you want to paddle you can rent a kayak and work your way across the miles of waterway, and into Barton Springs Creek. You can choose to swim at adjacent spring fed Deep Eddy Pool on a hot day, it is the oldest in the city. Bring a kite, a frisbee, or a picnic and enjoy one of the many open green spaces.
For fans of the blues, be sure to visit the memorial to the legendary late Stevie Ray Vaughan.
He was a resident of Austin and frequently played shows at the park, before his untimely death.