Austin is a thriving city and an interesting mix — capital of a huge state, large university right downtown, bustling art and music scene, and a major high tech hub. The downtown is undergoing rapid change: low-slung buildings and parking garages mix with sprouting high-rises an expanding bike lanes. Our guide to running in Austin showcases some spots downtown, some good options north of the city where many corporate offices are located, and a taste of Texas ‘hill country’. If you’d like to have an in-person guided running experience in Austin, we highly recommend our friends at Go! Running Tours.
The signature run in Austin is the Lady Bird Lake Trail, right downtown along the Colorado River. The Barton Creek Greenbelt is great intro trail running, starting right downtown. We love the run up Congress St. to the Capitol and around the impressive University of Texas campus. To the north, we’ve got suggestions of good running spots near corporate office/hotel locations, such as in Round Rock. We’ve also added a section on best residential neighborhoods for running.
Austin’s climate is great for running, although it is very hot from May-September — best to go early or late during those times. There is decent public transport in the inner core, but outside of that, a car is needed. Good Austin Orientation Map.
Austin’s weather can be delightful or brutal. October-April is mild to warm, although winter nights can be chilly. May through September are very hot, with little relief even at night. Plan your run times and hydration accordingly. Precipitation is fairly evenly spread throughout the year, though May, June, and September are much wetter than average.
