Lady Bird Lake is a section of Lake Austin and has a unique historical tie in to the Seaholm Condo development. The lake itself is a dammed section of the Lower Colorado River between Tom Miller Dam near Tarrytown in old West Austin and Longhorn Dam in East Austin that was created in 1960 as a cooling water source for the original Seaholm Power Plant.
In 1975, Austin’s beautification committee went to work to make this functional body of water into one of Austin’s major recreation spots. Austin’s residents and visitors alike enjoy the culture of active outdoor adventures of the Lady Bird Lake area.
Lady Bird Lake, which was called “Town Lake” until 2007, is a beautiful place to spend the day in Downtown Austin and a major recreation area and source of pride for Austinites.
Lady Bird Lake is the section of Lake Austin located between Tom Miller Dam near Westfield and Tarrytown right near Redbud Isle. It meanders east through downtown and eventually terminates at the Longhorn Dam in East Austin. It sits just south of Downtown Austin and north of South Congress district.
This section of Lake Austin serves as flood control for the area and provides much-loved recreation opportunities serving Downtown Austin neighborhoods such as Ridgewood Village, Zilker, Clarksville, Tarrytown, Westfield, Bouldin, Ceasar Chavez, South Congress, Holly, and Travis Heights.
Lady Bird Lake crosses over several of Austin’s major thoroughfares, including South Congress, South First, Mopca (Highway 1), Lamar Blvd., and I-35.
Lady Bird Lake is a favorite spot for recreational non-motorized water fun, such as paddleboards, canoes, dragon boats, rowing shells, and kayaks. Surrounding Lady Bird Lake is the Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail, which features nearly 10 miles of crushed rock, urban trails for walkers, hikers, bike riders and runners. You can also find rock climbing adventures, and bike tours, pabble boat tours and the infamous flying of the South Congress Bridge bat colony. The warm climate of Austin leaves the residence with about 300 days a year of sunny weather to enjoy outdoor recreation.
No matter what your outdoor activity love is, there are several ways to experience the Lady Bird Lake. If you like biking, take advantage of the Lady Bird Lake Bike Tour that starts at 10:00 am. The cost is around $60, and you’ll spend the day cycling through the city’s numerous parks from a wide, traffic-free path. The tour includes all necessary biking equipment and a guide to learn about the area’s history and hotspots.
For the water lovers, there are numerous places to rent kayaks, canoes, rowing shells, and dragon boats along the Lady Bird Hike and Bike Trail. The costs for those rentals run from $10 to $20 an hour or $25 to $45 for a day’s rent. Here are three places to start from:
Each has special events at different times that can include sunset, sunrise, or full moon so you can enjoy your paddle love at a variety of times of the day.
If you’re into relaxing while you take in the scenery, try a river cruise that offers food and drinks. Check out bat-watching from the water as the Mexican free-tailed bats hang out under the South Congress Bridge. It’s a sight to see at sunset!
For any information you’d like about Lady Bird Lake, you can find it from the list of helpful links below: