Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve

Mayfield Park is one of those places that surprised me in the best way. I went thinking it would just be a quick walk, but once you’re inside it feels quiet and calm, like you’ve stepped out of Austin for a bit. The paths are easy and mostly flat, so it doesn’t feel like a “hike” at all—more like a slow, relaxing stroll. It’s a really nice spot if you’re with kids or family and don’t want anything too tiring. The peacocks are honestly the highlight. Seeing them just roaming around freely is wild (in a good way). At one point we saw them flapping up and flying to different spots, and it’s genuinely beautiful to watch in person. Kids will love it, but I’d keep them close because the birds are confident and you don’t want anyone getting too close. A couple quick notes: bring water if it’s warm, wear comfy shoes, and don’t count on parking being easy if you show up at a busy time. If you’re visiting Austin with family and want something peaceful that still feels special, this is a great stop.

It was a really great experience! There are reviews stating that there were no peacocks but dont let that stop you. There definetly are. To see them best, go around 5 to 5:45 ish, to one - get a great sunset lake picture of the lake when you hike down the trail, and two - see the peacocks when they are fed at that time. I recommend buying uncooked rice granules and throwing them down - they love to eat those. Kids can have fun chasing the peacocks and they are very friendly as well. The park itself is very clean, and friendly, and would highly recommend when visiting Austin.

A beautiful natural park, pretty near from Mount Bonnell. Multiple Trails, water body, place to sit and soak nature and work of human together. One can spend good amount of time here. And yeah, it's a free to do place. Peacocks roaming and flying around may help to captivate your sight 😀

First thing to know, I didn’t see any restrooms anywhere, so plan ahead before you go. I’ve been to Mayfield Park and Preserve a few times now, at 3505 W 35th St, Austin, TX 78703, and every visit has its own mood. Sometimes it’s quiet, calm, and you just see the peacocks wandering through the gardens like royalty. Other times, they’re putting on their own full-blown concert, calling back and forth so loud you can hear it across the park. Either way, it’s beautiful. The trails wind through shaded trees, and there’s this feeling that time slows down for a bit while you’re there. If you’re coming from downtown Austin, take 35th Street west toward Mount Bonnell Road and watch for the little stone sign on your right. The entrance and parking lot are small, easy to miss, but once you’re inside, it feels like a secret escape tucked right inside the city.

Mayfield Park in Austin is one of the most peaceful spots in the city. I visited when the free-range peacocks were out, and they wander everywhere — through the gardens, around the historic cottage, and across the lawns. It’s a great place for photography, walking, and seeing the peacocks up close in a natural setting. The grounds are quiet, shaded, and beautifully maintained.

So pretty! It's free, you just walk in. No dogs allowed though. Many places to take photos/pose, very cool plants, many friendly peacocks, pretty ponds, etc.

If you’re looking for a unique hiking experience, this is the one for you. It’s a shorter hike and you can stop and see the peacocks! The peacock area is super cool and relaxing. Good memory maker!

This was definitely worth visiting. We had a great time. It's so beautiful and peaceful. I loved seeing the peacocks so close. They were just chilling in the shade. We saw about 6 peacocks and several cute lizards. There were also snapping turtles in the lily ponds that poked their little heads out of the water. We will come back when we visit Austin again.

See the peacocks here! It took a while to find them but the peacocks are usually gathered together. Move slowly as to not scare them.

This place has 3 free things which was fantastic--and very rare! 1st-- It had free parking which was great, because Lord knows nothing bothers me more than having to pay for parking. 2nd-- they had free entrance which was also great because with a large group of family members the ticket prices really add up quickly and we could have easily spent over a $100 over here and I am so glad that we did not have to 3rd--they have free roaming peacocks which were a fun sight to see! I saw 5 of them total I believe and it was fun trying to see them jump from one place to another. The peacocks did not get close to us and tended to stay on the roof for the duration of how long we visited which was about an hour including the coming in and leaving time. I think that it is definitely worth driving over here to see the peacocks and the garden. We came in December and so it was not as green as I suppose it would be in the summer but the trade off was to have better weather and not have to walk in over a 100ﾟ weather so I am happy about that . I saw reviews talking about people seeing ground keepers and I did not see any round keepers so we did not have any type of tour but I am definitely not complaining because I really enjoyed coming here it was a free and peaceful experience. It was very close to Mount Bonnell so we were able to visit both places and enjoy the nature of Austin.

Great place to visit if you're visiting Austin for the first time. You can explore the garden and the hiking area. If you're lucky, you may even see the peacocks roaming. Take your family here for a fun outing and pictures, free of charge.

This place is absolutely beautiful. There are PEACOCKS!!!!!!! & PEAFOWL - which are the female version! Just hanging around! Hanging around town! With their long, feathered tails that they use to charm each other. You'll see them atop the tree branches & the tops of the buildings at the park. Then if you walk around to the side/back, they're scattered amongst the grounds, feeding off the floor & hanging out in a squad. They're adorable! The mayfield park etiquette warns against approaching them - you don't want to bother them, but they'll come close enough that you'll be able to take a photograph, or at least zoom in a little & take a great, sharp capture. I was visiting a friend who lives in Austin & this park was on our must-see list. He absolutely had to show me the peafowl & I'm so very glad he did! I was enamored! I honestly like the female ones better :) This is a beautiful spot for a date, or to bring kids (as long as they don't run towards the animals). If you can get your kids to stand by and observe, the animals might just come up to you & you can get some lovely photographs with them, or just appreciate them as is. The ponds have a toooooon of koi fish. They are very fascinating creatures. They make the funniest, most cutest faces. I had a lot of fun looking at the koi fish too, which wasn't even the reason my friend brought me to this park. Such a lovely place, a must-visit especially if ur in Austin for only a short period of time!

We visited Mayfield Park on 12/16/2023. We walked some of the trails but the gardens were closed due to a private event. We saw a peacock though! It was very comfortable around us, as it walked very close to us.

This place is beautiful and well maintained. There is a cluster of ponds at the center. I took my nephew's there, and they loved finding turtles, dragonflies (or damsel flies, not sure), little critters, and watching the koy fish. I did not tell them about the peacocks, ahead of time, and loved watching their raw reaction to seeing them. They had a lovely little garden trail, whih the boys enjoyed as much as I did. Begind the park, there is a trail, where you can take a short hike, good enough to make even the most reluctant napper, want to take a nap afterwards.

Although I have worked in Austin for many years, I haven't lived there for over 25 and I never had the pleasure of visiting Mayfield Park. Sadly, the occasion was the memorial service for my beloved grandson. The cottage and grounds can be rented out either for seven hours or the day. The rest of the park remains open to the public. The city of Austin owns the 23 acre property. I am so glad we found it and that the day my daughter had chosen was actually available as it is a quite popular location for many types of events as well as graduation pictures. I went and toured it with a city employee by the name of Sonya, who is absolutely a wealth of information and suggestions. She toured me through the cottage which is quite large and they readily oh wow a gathering of about 50 people. Should you rent the cottage you get about 2 acres of the grounds that are fenced in and house beautiful peacocks and ponds of fish. Sonya expressed she felt it really was a perfect location for memorial as some of their properties are a lot bigger and some just way too small. We rented it for a seven hour block of time from 11 AM to 6 PM on a Saturday the 21st of Jan. It had a sweet little kitchen right in the center with all the necessities, although we didn't intend to use it. It was still nice to have a place to stage the light refreshments. We planned to provide after the service. A very large wraparound porch, which is completely enclosed, served as a location for seating for about 70 people if needed. We would move everything indoors in case of rain, but as it turned out, the sun actually came out at the very start of the service, which we decided to hold outside on the patio, I think the location was so conducive to peacefulness that our guests chose to stay and partake of refreshments and just relax and chat which was very comforting to those of us mourning. The dining room of the cottage has a very large wooden table with a thick glass covering protecting the wood which we covered with table cloths, and we were able to put all the food and dessert and silverware and such out for our guests. The cottage also has about six large trash barrels which we placed strategically around the cottage so that it was convenient for people to place their trash after they had a bite to eat , the tables and chairs needed to stay indoors, with the exception of a set of white wooden outdoor folding chairs which we took outside and made sure that family and the elderly had a place to sit during the service. Everything worked out, and the location was very much appreciated. You do have to rent it, -it costs about $1150 including the deposit (which is refundable) for a seven hour time slot but it I will tell you if you are able to swing that, it's well worth it. Be sure to ask for Sonya to help with your plan and a gentleman named Ruben (a city employee) was readily available- he hosed down the entire patio and rocked area just before our rental time, unlocked everything regarding the cottage entrances, Turned off the heat and made himself available in general. He was outstanding, and very much appreciated. (There is one negative and you need to make a mental note because it's important. Sadly in the smallish designated parking lot and the street parking that is available, there are many,many smash and grabs by thieves, and in fact one occurred while we were there. We were told not to leave anything, absolutely nothing inside our vehicles.)

If you want to spend an afternoon immersed in nature this is 100% your spot! The paths are mostly surrounded by trees so you're not in direct sun light. I particularly enjoyed the the flowing streams with stepping stones and the stairs built from natural tree branches and rocks. This is a fantastic spot to bring the kids but it does not accommodate a stroller. The koi fish and peacocks were highly entertaining. Great place to walk, read a book, or if you're like me; have your zoom therapy session by the waters edge!

I didn't stay long. Not really sure what the fuss is about this place. The paths are super narrow, and rough. There's nothing to really see once you see the peacocks that are up by the parking lot and the gated area with koi fish. I took my pictures and left.

Nice quiet park in Austin. Many peacocks along the trails. Parking is free. A short walk to the lake and a short drive to Mount Bonnell.

Mayfield Park Small park in Austin which has kitchen fish and peacocks. Very pleasant and peaceful and area with different plants and foilage. Nothing fancy but just a nice quiet park.

ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH THIS PARK! Between the beautiful peacocks in the trees and running around, to the beautiful coy fish in all the ponds, the gardens, and then the awesome trails! This park is an endless amount of fun and exploration for my kids! It's stunning and such a fun place to have a picnic, explore, or just simply come visit for the day and enjoy!!

10/25/21 Quality/Quantity - Very small park. A bunch of quick trails. If you chose to go that route, I recommend Lake Trail or Main Trail; but honestly not really worth the time and effort. Clean. Outhouses for toilets. Small parking lot, but more than enough parking as I do NOT see a lot of people going out of their way to come here. Atmosphere - The highlights of this park are the free roaming peacocks. There is also a "garden" which is very small. If I had young kids, this park would have been a good fit. Service - N/A Price - Free, how can you NOT like free. Owner Suggestion - Thanks for all you do.

Short (and mean short) hike that allows you to get great views of the lake. Also some areas where people picnic and relax. Great spot for a short walk. Love to see the peacocks! It always seems like they are posing for you.

Mayfield Park is one of my favorite places in the city. It's always fun to being friends and family here when they are visiting to see the beautiful peacocks. The garden area where the peacocks are is a beautiful stroll. You can enjoy the fish in the ponds or just simply resting on the benches throughout. There are also several trails to explore here. I love the little creek and the huge rocks along the trails. The trails here are what I'd consider easy to medium. They are rocky as most are in Austin. The length was perfect for my 3.5 year old. It's a great spot to bring the kids to expend their energy and enjoy a hike.

Quite time outside of these beauties walking around me today. I was also able to feed one which was super cool.

It's nice. Not a take the kids to play kind of park but they have some trails to hike. Easy level. Kids would enjoy. Lots of lovely peacocks and peahens.

Peacocks are the main attractions. The trail is pretty decent . Free parking 1 mile to Mount Bonell Good for photoshoots Free

Not a very big park but it's free to enter. There's a couple peafowl that chills around the park. The pound was dirty so we didn't see any koi fish, but spotted some turtles in the pound.

Maybe not the best time of the year to go since most of the flora were shriveled or dead but it's an interesting place to spend a quick 10 minutes for peacock sighting. Parking space should be enough for weekend visit as I can't imagine anyone staying that long. Paved grounds in the house part so it's friendly for all ages. There's a few photo opportunities and is a good stop if you've finished Mt Bonnell trail nearby.

I have always disliked peacocks. They trigger my trypophobia--yes, I know, that is not a real phobia. However, I have willingly visited this park three times so far because it's good to step out of my comfort zone. Forcing myself to stare at those terrifying eyespots is good or something as I am trying to employ systematic desensitization/exposure therapy. The trails in this park are short, and there's not much to look at. There are no real bathrooms and just one porta potty, which really isn't adequate in such a frequented park. The parking lot is small, but I've always gotten a spot.

This is my favorite spot in Austin. It's so peaceful and well maintained. The free roaming peacocks offer up lovely feathers for you to take home. The ponds are full of very cool Koi fish and other aquatic animals. In the back of the park there are a few fun trails to hike. This is a great spot for families and tourists. I've lived in Austin for 20 years and it's still my favorite park.

Beauty has no price! This park is open to all with free admission. Come check out these beautiful peacocks and the-so-ordinary peahens. It's a rare treat to see the peacocks dance and spread their mesmerizing feathers.

Loved this park! I feel like I went on the hottest day of the summer. If you are going here make sure you put on bug spray and sun block. The garden grounds are beautiful and the trails are nice and short and shaded for the most part. There are a couple spots that pass through a small creek which is nice to sit by and cool off. The peacocks do roam the grounds freely they don't really get too close to you. You don't have to worry about them coming to attack you unless you are really trying to mess with them. Let's just say I got close enough and they didn't bother me or the 2 year old I was with. Would come back again!

I enjoyed a delightful spring walk along the lush green trails. The peacocks were calling in their distinctive fashion while roaming about on the grass, and children were exploring safety under the watchful eyes of their moms. The grounds are well kept - the only stray "item" I found during my visit was a lost pacifier on one trail. #MomFriendly #ChildFriendly Thanks, everyone!

At this point in my Yelping, I have stopped reviewing parks, tourist spots, and chained stores just bc I get so behind when traveling. It's like yay, I found a cool place via Yelp but then it becomes a daunting count for another pending review. Anyway... Enough with my gibberish... This park is free and totally worth going. After hitting up Mount Bonnell literally across the street, check this place out with its nice gardens, well-groomed grounds, coy fish pond, and of course the major hit, peacocks! Make sure you look up as they can nest themselves on the roof or tree branches. They aren't too afraid of humans if you want to get a close up picture. This was a truly amazing place to stare at peacocks bc basically where else can you see them roam around -- and for FREE. The grounds also had picnic tables where families were enjoying themselves. The ponds were serene to look at as well with its lily pads. And bonus, there are trails if you're more into walking or jogging. The designated parking lot was pretty much full. But the street parking had plenty of people squeezing their cars every which way. This place was def a hit even around the late afternoon.

Mayfield Park is a gem! First off, it is totally free. You can park nearby and walk right in. There are plenty of mini trails leading to the lake nearby. I loved seeing all the mini plots of land that people maintained. A lot of people grow flowers and herbs here. The park also featured koi ponds, with fish of all ages and sizes- so fun! The best part of this park is watching the peacocks. There are over a dozen of them in the park. As long as you don't aggravate them, you can get pretty close. And wow, they make for beautiful pictures. A diamond in the rough and a must-visit when you're in the area!

Sure, they are known for their peacocks. I don't see the appeal beyond that. It another reviewer said, short hike to lake views but hiking or views wouldn't be the real reason to go.

This is a really cool park in Austin mainly because there's like 3 or 4 peacocks roaming around some little ponds. It's fun observing them and especially when they all make weird chirping noises. We saw one of the peacocks with its feathers out which was really cool to capture on video. There are some hiking trails at Mayfield Park that can take you about 30 minutes to explore. Make sure when you explore not to touch any leaves because you can come in contact with poison ivy. Some of the Little Rock's that you have to climb on that are located in running water is shaky so you want to make sure your wearing appropriate sneakers. I'm directionally challenged so I know I could easily get lost but my boyfriend navigated and we made it back in 30 minutes. I didn't see any major animals or poisonous snakes so I was lucky not to get bitten. It was overall a good hiking trail and worth seeing the peacocks!

Free park with limited parking, but street parking is available. Peacocks preserve is located here and it is nice tO see free range peacocks. They are so pretty and there are nice grounds to enjoy with ponds and koi. Very peaceful even with a crowd of people. There are nice way walking trails to see greenery and part of the lake. Budget 35 minutes for trail walking and seeing peacocks. Covert Park is up the street, go there first or next for adventures in this area.

This is a beautiful place to visit! Be very careful when arriving because the peacocks are free-roaming and sometimes they walk into the street and parking lot. Look up at the trees! The female peacocks (peahens) like to hang out in the trees. They don't allow pups near the peacock area but I think they are allowed on the trail nearby. Peacocks are not the most tolerant birds so I left my pup at home. You'll definitely get some beautiful pictures here. I highly recommend coming here with family and friends.

Very short hike with only a few different trails. It was fairly busy and had a full parking lot. My boyfriend and I visited while in Austin for the weekend and were hoping to see the peacocks but the area they are located was closed for a private event which was a bummer. The signs said no dogs but we saw several while visiting. There is also plenty of picnic tables here. Overall a nice place to walk even in the winter.

Currently CLOSED. Looked beautiful from the outside. Hopefully next time I'm in town, I'll be able to go inside. *** double check. May be open open.

It's so fun to come here and see the peacocks. It's beautifully arranged with flowers and fish ponds and it's peaceful and tranquil.

It was a peaceful park with peacocks and peahens. It also had 5 koi ponds with many koi fishes. There was a short hike attached with a nice view of the lake.

Beautiful park. Make sure to look up as several were in the trees. I recommend going earlier in the morning.

The free roaming peacocks are a real thing. I'd say that's the main highlight. Cute little park, with 30 or so spaces for parking. Wander around, walk the trails, maybe about an hour or so if you're at a leisure pace. It's pretty and peaceful.

WARNING I had my window busted, and car was broken into around 6 pm on a Wednesday. My purse was stolen, along with other personal items. There were many people at the park while we were there that did not seem to stop them! DO NOT GO TO THIS PARK. THE AUSTIN POLICE STATED THEY WILL NOT COME OUT.

The park is beautiful, yes however my car got broken into and my purse was stolen. Beware apparently this happens here often. I came mid-day around 3pm on a Monday and there was another car broken into as well. Austin police said they would not come they told me to call 311. After speaking with them and trying to file a report they said it would take 1-2 weeks for someone to return my call. So disappointing. Something really should be done about this, granted i shouldn't have left my purse in my vehicle. Beware of any personal belongings so this doesn't happen to you.

Such a cute park! Love the peacocks! Little smaller than we expected but perfect for a little date night!! Nice little stroll for a couple or with kids!

Cute, free park complete with trails, paths, ponds, and peacocks! There is a small parking lot and street parking available. I recommend stopping by if you're heading to Mount Bonnell or vice versa.

I absolutely love this park! Back during hell week and finals, I was having a bad day and my boyfriend surprised me by taking me here, and my mood was instantly 1000x better. It's a really cute park- THERE ARE PEACOCKS, which is amazing and incredible and warms my heart to no end. The nature is beautiful, and there's a couple of different trails you can take, so you can stay for a short or long time. There's parks and ponds too! Street parking is available, and there is a small lot! I think this place is very overshadowed to Mount Bonnell (which it is RIGHT by), but I think it should be as popular or ever more so, because this was definitely such a great place! Mayfield Park is so so worth it. The nature, the peacocks, and the trails are so worth it. Definitely recommend!

Very enjoyable place to go for a short walk, and or picnic. Plenty of peacocks around for your entertainment. The ponds and coy fish are awesome. They always are up keeping the park and house. Very reasonable to rent out for venues. Definitely recommend for a quiet day out for some scenery.

In the mood for something different? Check out Mayfield Park for a scenic detour to unplug for awhile. When you're on the grounds, feel free to wander, take in all the botanical beauty, and hang out with the peacocks and turtles. Yep yep. Not your average park. We didn't have time to explore the trails available but from what I could see, there are plenty to see and explore within this park.

On a Wednesday morning in March- peacocks were all over the cottage grounds. We saw at least 5-6 in full feathers and another 8 or so more modest birds. Before 10am, there was no trouble finding a parking spot, but by the time we left, it seemed there were cars along the road. Most parents helped their kids be very respectful and quiet around the peacocks, which helped the birds stay calm and relaxed on the grounds. Aside from the Peacocks- there are lovely wooded trails that can be as mild or challenging as you make them, depending on whether you want to head to the water. For better scenic water views head nearby to Mount Bonnell, for more curated landscape and art, head just down the street to Contemporary Austin Laguna Gloria.

Yay! Something free to do! The park has trails limited in a moderate confinement. So, if someone were to get "lost", do not panic because eventually the trails will route one back to the parking lot. Oh yeah, just in case no one else mentioned it in his or her Yelp review, there are also PEACOCKS, which was free as well - unfortunately, not for the taking, but just to admire and enjoy. This was a nice relaxing park to explore while visiting alone in Austin! I wouldn't mind coming back with a book or a newspaper crossword puzzle on another sunny Sunday.

Check to make sure there isn't an event beforehand so that you can see the gardens! Lots of neat foliage. The trail paths are very nice but the map of the trails was quite confusing. The peacocks seem to mostly hang out around the parking lot, so you can't really miss them.

Austin continues to impress me with the most gorgeous green spaces and offbeat attractions that gives the city its charm. Here in Mayfield Park, I feel like you are in for a fantastic photo op right next to some peacocks. The park is free to roam and there is a lot to explore here. There is an entire area dedicated to the colorful birds with a small little house and picnic seating available. It makes for some great pictures on a nice sunny day. Going deeper into the park, you'll find cascading sights at a miniature lake situated in the middle of a small hike down. There were people of all ages roaming around and going about their days. I love parks like these and am happy that Austin makes it such a priority to ensure these spaces remain as good as they are for locals and visitors. If you can't find parking inside the entrance, the street right outside will hopefully have some spots for you.

Mayfield Park is the a fierce contender for most unique park in Austin. It's full of vibrant peacocks that roam the space all while showing off. The place is perfect for candid snaps of some really beautiful birds. There's not much more to say, but you can go and view the whole park in less than an hour. They have some walking trails that lead down to the lake, so if you wanted to stay longer there are things to do. I like walking the east paths and scooping up trash. There are a few trash cans that can eat your finds. They also have a small parking lot and since everything is free, it's an easy choice to stop by. I'd recommend donating online after your visit! Support support support.

I don't know how I've missed out on giving Mayfield a 5 star review when I've been here countless times over the past 4 years! Honestly, Mayfield gets 5 stars just for being free AND having FREE PARKING (in Austin??? Is this real??? Yes it is!!!!) Mayfield is a lovely peacock sanctuary down the street from Mount Bonnell (ALSO FREE + FREE PARKING WOW) In addition to the peacocks, there are tons of beautiful garden plots tended to by dedicated gardening enthusiasts. As a whole, Mayfield has a tranquil vibe and I always leave feeling relaxed and at peace.