The gist
More than 18 years in the making, the trail now stretches 13 continuous miles from Zilker Park to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, in what the nonprofit says is the “first regional trail system in Central Texas.”
A collaborative effort among the city of Austin, Austin Parks and Recreation Department and the Hill Country Conservancy, the trail provides a unique recreational experience, connecting scenic natural areas to neighborhoods, shopping centers, and public amenities and parks.
“Spending time outdoors is an essential part of the Austin way of life,” Austin City Council member Paige Ellis said in a statement. “Having access to parks, trails and green spaces like the Violet Crown Trail is vital to the well-being of our community. This is a once-in-a-generation project that will benefit Austinites for decades to come.”
The nonprofit utilizes both public and private partnerships to help fund their projects, with the city having contributed $2.9 million in funding from the 2016 Mobility Bond toward the $12 million in total cost of the first phase of the Violet Crown Trail project.
Looking ahead
Hill Country Conservancy is expected to break ground on the next phase of the planned 30-mile trail beginning in 2025, continuing the trek farther south into the countryside of Hays County.
The next 17-mile section of the trail, to be known as the Wildlands, will connect the existing trail at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center southward into water quality protection lands.
