Return to Spicewood Valley Trail

User: Chronicmama - 1/31/2021  [View Log Page]
Rating: 5stars Difficulty: 2point5stars Solitude: 3point5stars
Distance: 2.00 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Beauty to hike, not too crowded on a beautiful day. 

creek was drier
User: jimmy peace - 6/13/2019  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3point5stars Difficulty: 3stars Solitude: 4point5stars
Distance: 3.70 Miles Duration: 2 hours, 20 minutes

not many hikers today 

User: jimmy peace - 1/1/2019  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3point5stars Difficulty: 2point5stars Solitude: 3point5stars
Distance: 2.00 Miles Duration: N/A
Still unpopulated
Great hidden gem!
User: heatharcadia - 12/24/2016  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 3point5stars Solitude: 4point5stars
Distance: 3.26 Miles Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes

This is an interesting and diverse trail. You are often reminded you are in the middle of a neighborhood when you hear cars or see homes on either side of the canyon, but it is still an enjoyable, peaceful hike. There are several waterfalls which are nice and the rock ledge of the canyon is interesting. In wetter weather you can spot springs. If you follow a small side trail leading into a field you can see an old rusted and wrecked car.

I'm not sure if it was because it was drizzling most of the day today, but I did not see a single other person on this trail today. But use caution when hiking this in wetter weather: There are several places where the trail passes over large stones, which get slick when wet and covered in a layer of fallen leaves.

I parked by Mountain View Park and used the trailhead that is in between two homes. I first hiked the northern portion of the trail then doubled-back and hiked the southern portion. Reading logs here, I see that there is more to this trail system on the other side of the creek, near the middle school. I didn't cross the creek on this hike (I couldn't find a dry enough area to do so), but just sticking to the side I entered on I still had a great time. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a short hike in town. 

User: k84arnold - 11/24/2016  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4point5stars Difficulty: 2point5stars Solitude: 3point5stars
Distance: 1.00 Mile Duration: N/A
User: Riff Raff - 5/22/2011  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 3stars Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 2.80 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Started out on Upper Bull Creek and crossed over the dam, then explored all reaches of this trail network.  Much prefer the Spicewood Valley Trail side of things.

User: Riff Raff - 5/8/2011  [View Log Page]
Rating: 2point5stars Difficulty: 3stars Solitude: 2point5stars
Distance: 1.80 Miles Duration: 1 hour

As previously mentioned, this trailhead is rather hard to find since it just kind of pops up between two houses with no signage of any kind.  I practically walked right past it, even though I was specifically looking for it.

At any rate, it's a fairly nice area for an urban trail.  I did see where it connects with the Upper Bull Creek trail, so I'll have to try out that combination another day.

Re: finding the other trail
User: texaskdog - 10/25/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 4stars
Distance: 3.00 Miles Duration: 1 hour

To find the Upper Bull Creek Trail from this trail, you'll see a small dam/waterfall you can easily walk across.  Cross it and go left.  Easier to just park at the middle school though and hike the other path first.

User: Frank James - 5/10/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 3stars Solitude: 5stars
Distance: 2.00 Miles Duration: N/A

Loved this hike; was hard to find @ first. The enterance was between 2 houses. Very quite me and my Dogs where the only ones and we got close to some deer on the north part, while we where sitting down on the rocks.

Great!
User: texaskdog - 3/16/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 5stars
Distance: 4.00 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Okay I just review Upper Bull Creek, which is really an extenstion of this one (little did I know we did 2 hikes, I would combine them for the purposes of this page, you can do both in 80 minutes).  Great path, only passes two guys walking their dog, solitude!

Great secluded area
User: sandew - 3/6/2010  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 5stars
Distance: 2.00 Miles Duration: 2 hours

It's very treed and great area, might be great when it gets hot in the next couple of months.

Spicewood Valley Trail
User: Melissa-Austin - 3/20/2009  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 3stars Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 2.00 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

This was an interesting trail with two very different parts.  I was first excited about the rapid decline towards the creek with a beautiful natural stone staircase with a log handrail.  You quickly come to a "T" where you have to go left or right.  I first chose the left path.  This trail was absolutely beautiful - very natural, very secluded and lots of inclines and declines.  It had nice stepping stones to cross a shallow creek.  Along the trail, there were some large beautiful boulders and the pathway was very scenic and shady with lots of trees.  Unfortunately, this path was very short and I had to turn back.  I went back to the "T" and proceeded down the right path.  This side of the trail was very different.  The one thing that I loved was the river that had a beautiful waterfall sound that could be heard long before you reached it.  There were also nice sounds of birds and crickets, so it sounded like you were really away from it all.  However, shortly after passing this area, the trail became much wider and it almost seemed like you were walking down a dirt road.  There was no shade, no fluctuating elevations,  and I started hearing sounds of cars and construction.  This side of the trail was much longer, but it was not very impressive.  I came across a SUV which had burned to the ground in the middle of nowhere - very interesting.  Overall, I absolutely loved the left trail, except it was just too short, but I was not very fond of the right trail once I passed the waterfall.

great hike & great park nearby
User: tnash - 3/29/2008  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 2.00 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
nice
User: jeff - 8/10/2007  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 5stars
Distance: 1.30 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Took my 6 & 8 y/o kids before school started. Very pretty and has a small lake at end of hike. There is also a neighborhood park at trailhead for kids to play at.

A fun and relaxing walk in the woods
User: tres - 6/12/2007  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 2.60 Miles Duration: N/A
I hike here frequently and find it quite enjoyable. This trail winds through a wooded ravine from a reservoir in the north down to Spicewood Springs Road in the south. You feel quite isolated given that the park borders a housing subdivision. Typically I pass one or two other people along the trail. The net change in elevation is about 110 feet. Although the passage from the trailhead(s) in and out of the ravine is relatively steep, it only takes a few minutes. Along the main trail the slope is relatively modest. Points of interest not mentioned in other posts include a tree house, a small grassy meadow with wildflowers, and an old watering trough. If you want to start near the northern end of the trail, the alternate trailhead ("Alt-TH") is located at the intersection of Evening Primrose Path and Topridge Drive. The alternate trailhead meets the main trail just below the rocky path to the reservoir. On the southern end of the trail there appears to be a small, unofficial parking area at the intersection of Spicewood Springs Road and Scotland Well Drive (in front of the city wastewater utility lift station #105). An unmarked path goes directly from the parking area through the woods to meet up with the main trail. Alternatively, from the parking area you can take the sidewalk up Scotland Well and access the trail from the "turnaround" point. If desired, extend your hike by linking up with other nearby trails. Connect to the Upper Bull Creek Greenbelt trail by crossing the creek a few feet downstream of the man-made waterfall. The Upper Bull Creek Greenbelt trail goes through the woods, past a pond, and up to Canyon Vista Middle School. Also, the Talleyran Park hiking trail can be accessed from its "turnaround" at Old Lampasas Trail. It is about a 10 minute walk along a sidewalk from the Spicewood Valley trail "turnaround" on Scotland Well Drive to the Talleyran Park "turnaround" on Old Lampasas Trail.
Pretty & Serene
User: xoxolat - 5/26/2007  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4point5stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 4stars
Distance: 3.00 Miles Duration: N/A
I went in the afternoon after the storms we've been having. Descending the winding stone stairs in the beginning is truly beautiful.

I did the entire trail--both ways--and saw people below me in the creek when I was nearing the end of the "upper" trail. When I turned around to go onto the "lower" trail, I wound up following a friendly couple with two dogs.

It was getting into sunset, so the trail was dark in spots, but filled with fireflies! It was like a dream!

As it says in the main description, the "turnaround" is actually the end of the trail as it comes out onto Scotland Well Dr. Definitely no parking there, but I sometimes see cars parked down on Spicewood Springs. I may try that next time.

It was dark when I was done, so I had to walk up the hill and back to my car at Middlebie. OUCH! It is about .5 miles from the trail's end, up the Scotland Well hill--which is a 45-degree incline--and then how many streets to Middlebie? A great workout in the end!

Love the trees
User: schrochem - 5/26/2007  [View Log Page]
Rating: 4stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 1.00 Mile Duration: N/A
My son and I just did the northern section and took our time. We really enjoyed the trees and peeking at the creek every once in awhile. We climbed the waterfall at the end with all those huge boulders and saw the man made ravine. We climbed the wall to see that large reservoir before turning around and coming back. We didn't do the southern part but realized we were on it today when we did the Upper Bull Creek hike. We just did a small section of it but it was well maintained.
User: rhouston0405 - 12/27/2006  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 2.60 Miles Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
The northern half is very cool!
User: Austin Explorer - 5/27/2006  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3point5stars Difficulty: 3point5stars Solitude: 3stars
Distance: 2.46 Miles Duration: N/A
A nice trail overall, but the rocky northern half is really nice. The stonework done by the American Youthworks crew makes trails possible where there otherwise would be none. Thanks guys! The southern half is flatter and more open to the Sun. Overall, this is a great little trail in the suburbs.