MountainBikeTx.com

Directions:

Length:

Technical Level:

Trail Type:

Configuration:

Trail Map(s):

Fee:

Trails:

Amenities:

Links:

Contact:

Comments:

Photos:

Video:

Trail Review:

MapIt!

5 miles

2

singletrack

loop

City of Austin (Lower Bull Creek)  |  City of Austin (Upper Bull Creek)

none

Inga's Trail  |  Skip's Loop  |  Bluff Trail

• Restroom
• Swimming area

Austin Parks & Recreation (Greenbelts)  |  Bull Creek Foundation

(512) 974-6700
Click here to send an email

• Also check out St. Edward's Park

unavailable

  The nice thing about Bull Creek Greenbelt is that it can be completed as an out and back or as a loop, depending on whether you wish to ride along both sides of the creek. If you decide to ride it as a loop, I recommend that you ride clockwise, keeping Bull Creek on your right. There’s no real reason behind the recommendation, but that’s the way I rode it and it seemed like a decent direction to go.
  Although most of the trail is true singletrack, there are a few sections that widen out a little. Also, many of the sections are right along the creek bank and, as a result, are sheer rock. That’s not necessarily a bad thing unless it has rained recently or the surface is damp for whatever other reason. If they are wet, they can be quite slick; dry, however, and they offer very good traction. There is one section like this that presents an added evil; gaps between the rocks [see photos]. Let your front wheel get caught and one of these and you are sure to be making a quick, unplanned dismount.
  You’ll know you have reached the turnaround point (if riding out and back) or turning point (loop) when you come to essentially a 5 way intersection. Straight bearing right will take you up a steep hill to one of the many trailheads, and straight bearing left will take you back into a section that seemed to be more rogue trail than anything. Make a left and you can hit Skip’s Loop; nothing overly exciting, but a nice little loop to give you some added mileage.
  If you make a right at the 5-way you will proceed down some “steps” to the edge of Bull Creek. Feel free to ride across if it isn’t too deep, and proceed up the hill (no trail) and to the right. You’ll see another trailhead with the Greenbelt map on it, go ahead and jump back on the trail here. This will eventually put Bull Creek alongside you on the right. On the return trip if you are doing the loop you will come to a few places that aren’t really rideable in which you will have to dismount. These are mostly ledges that aren’t capable of being climbed on two wheels. Just lift your bike up and jump back on. Eventually you will come out at another trailhead with a low water crossing where the road crosses the creek. You can either cross the road, turning left back on the trail, or simply cross the creek on foot right before the overpass. Although you can, you won’t have to cross the creek until you reach this spot.
  On your trip out you would have come down some steps and crossed a low water section with a fire hydrant in the middle. Don't ask me. On the return trip, take the left split in the trail to avoid having to ride up those steps. As you near the end you’ll come out to the main road. Safely cross, jump on the little stretch of singletrack and you will find yourself back at the trailhead parking area.
   Although once part of a series of parks, the center section (Forest Ridge) no longer allows mountain bikes, so St. Edwards Park can no longer be reached directly from Bull Creek. Nevertheless, Bull Creek Greenbelt alone is a pleasant ride that should entertain most everyone. It's only real negative aspect would be that some sections are in need of a little trimming.
~ MountainBikeTx.com