You won’t find many Austin locals at Covert Park at Mount Bonnell, as it’s one of the city’s biggest tourist destinations, after 6th Street, but the climb is worth the incredible views of Downtown Austin and Lake Austin.
Know Before You Go
Parking is your biggest obstacle at Mt. Bonnell, if all the spaces are filled take your first right on Mount Bonnell Dr. and it will circle around down at the bottom of the hill, and you can try again!
There are no restrooms.
Not a fan of steps, walk to the right of the stairs down the parking lot to the trail, and then head up the gradual grade to the top.
It’s Texas, so take some water!
After your visit, continue down Mount Bonnell Road for a great drive!
A pavilion is at the summit of Mt. Bonnell.
Incredible views of Lake Austin on the Colorado River.
From the summit, the trail leads back down with few steps to the parking lot.
Picnics
Here is something for your bucket list! Have an awesome picnic on the summit of Mount Bonnell, just as General George Custer did when he was stationed in Austin with the Sixth Calvary! According to the Texas State Historical Association, Custer and his wife Libby would picnic here while the Regimental Band would play concerts!
Fall in Love
Also according to TSHA, there is a local legend that a couple will fall in love on their first visit to Mt. Bonnell, so it’s a great date destination!
James A. Michener
While writing his novel Texas, Michener lived on Mt. Bonnell in a tremendous 5900 square foot Tuscan home, for which I haven’t been able to find the address, but can be rented for the small sum of $2500.00 a night. Click HERE to see the listing, you’ll need to register first.
Michener past away in 1997 in Austin, and his cremated remains reside in Austin Memorial Park Cemetery. If you go, please say hello for me.
Hostel Weekend
Our walk up Mount Bonnell was our 2nd stop of our Hostel Weekend, during which my daughter and I explored the Austin Aquarium, followed by a pork chop lunch at Shady Grove under the huge trees. To work it off, we climbed to the top of Mount Bonnell, with incredible views of the Colorado River below! We left our mark at the Castle Hills Graffiti Park, and waited in the never-ending line at the Magnolia Cafe, where I spiced up my life with a new love affair with Yellowbird Habanero Hot Sauce, made in Austin and incredible! Our after dark window-shopping in the funky stores of South Congress Ave., or SoCo, was the follow-up to dinner at the legendary Threadgills, and dessert at Hey Cupcake! a food truck advertised with a bright pink cupcake on top! It was a hard decision, as we also love Amy’s (naughty) Ice Cream, but that Sweetberry cupcake has never lied to me yet. We also stayed at our first hostel, HI Austin, on the shore of Ladybird Lake, where we met people from around the world! The 10-mile Austin Hike and Bike Trail winds right past the backdoor of Hi Austin, and we brought our bikes for a Sunday ride! We rode the still-new Austin Boardwalk, petted pups in the dog parks, envied swimmers in Barton Springs year-round 70 degrees waters, and posed with Stevie Ray, but our biggest adventure was what we found lying on the trail under Congress Ave.! To read the next post, please click HERE.
Covert Park at Mount Bonnell
3800 Mount Bonnell Rd. , Austin
Click HERE to visit their website.
Click HERE to visit their facebook page.
Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!
Michelle
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