Rock Climbing
Away from the river is rock climbing that offers open-face limestone walls tough enough to draw climbers from all over the country.
Pedernales River
Though the trail down to the river is definitely a climbing shoes task (we learned that the hard way)- three miles of open access to pristine waters are worth the effort.
Mountain Biking
Winding through the rolling grasses of the hill country are 18 miles of trails through the heart of Texas hill country.
Nestled on the way to Hamilton Pool is a sprawling Travis County Park, Reimer’s Ranch. The area itself is breathtaking – Hamilton Pool Road is actually one of my favorites to just drive down with the windows rolled down. Since it was a quiet weeknight, my husband and I decided to just fork up the $10/car entrance fee to watch the sunset along the riverbed. Fees climb to $15 on the weekends in the Summer
The park itself is a study of the contrasting landscapes of Austin’s hill country. There are rolling beds of wild grass, huge, knotted Cedar trees, and rocky trails leading down to the Pedernales River (having been to the Pedernales Falls State Park, I recommend Reimer’s instead – the entrance fees are comparable). There are 18 miles of mountain biking trails, world class rock climbing, an astronomic observatory and three miles of river access. The whole place feels like a natural playground for the adventurous spirit.
Madie Leon Riley 