Mount Bonnell

My daughter and I had a wonderful time exploring the area. The trail leads to a high peak that offers breathtaking views of downtown Austin, the Colorado River, and beautiful homes along the lakefront. It's a peaceful, nature-filled escape that's perfect for relaxing and taking in the scenery. I highly recommend visiting, it's a must-see for locals and tourists alike.

Parking is chaotic, and I feel bad for the people who live in the neighborhood. However, it's a pretty easy hike/walk and lovely views. We went at sunset. I'm sure that's the busiest time. Surprised we didn't get mosquito bites! enjoyed it.

Mount Bonnell has always held a special place in my heart—from exploring it as a single woman over a decade ago, to returning as a wife and mother, and now visiting again as a widow. The view from the top is still just as breathtaking, and my little ones truly enjoyed the experience. Unfortunately, this visit came with a few disappointments. There was quite a bit of trash tucked into the rock crevices (we picked up what we could on the way up), shattered glass scattered across much of the parking lot—likely from broken windows—and the once-sturdy railing now feels noticeably more fragile. Despite these concerns, Mount Bonnell remains one of the most iconic and beautiful scenic overlooks in Austin. I just hope future visitors will take more care, so this cherished spot doesn’t decline over time.

Never a bad sunset at Mount Bonell. This is my absolute favourite place in Austin for an escape from reality. The vibes here are always unmatched. PS if you don’t want to climb the stairs to the mountain top, use the sloped path that’s a little further than the stairs (keep going straight to spot it)

Enjoy amazing views high above Lake Austin along the Colorado River. Enjoy amazing panoramic views of Austin City area as well as numerous Vistas around the surrounding community. Can enter and exit at lower or upper trail. Lower area is accessible by about 200 steps. Ample parking along road.

Visited on NOT SOO SUNNY TEXAS DAY, " Thankfully" so we didn't get a chance for sunset view as it was cloudy. Worth the walk the stairs up. Beautiful weather and scenic view of the lake. Best of all its FREE 😊

Nice place on the banks of Colorado river with a beautiful sunset view. Good place for hiking.

Great place for a scenic hike with loved ones. Only took myself and two semi athletic daughters two minutes to ascend the steps to the summit. But there's some trails along the ridge to explore the various views of Austin, West Lake and the hill country. Life looks like a train model I had as a kid up here.

Anyone under the misunderstanding that Texas is flat,just needs to climb the Stairs of Mount Bonnell. While only 800 ft to the top,the stairs at almost a 45 degree angle can be moderately challenging if your over 40! If you're in the Austin area and want a break from the traffic, congestion and overbuilding,take a short trip to Mt Bonnell for a breather. Guaranteed to lower your blood pressure. Certainly a 5 Star View... Go!

I love Mount Bonnell aka Covert Park! Breathtaking panoramic views of the river (Colorado) and Austin. Absolutely amazing photo ops. The walk makes for a really easy hike as there are stairs as well. My favorite thing to do is a sunset picnic. Literally awe-inspiring to watch the sky changing at that elevation.

Such a special spot in Austin! The views never cease to be breathtaking. Highly recommend coming at sunset. There are some spots to sit for a cute picnic. Be warned that at peak times there might be a lot of people and you may need to wait to take a photo. The initial climb up is definitely a bit tiring, approximately 50 stairs.

Love to bring visiting guests here. The view is gorgeous. It's a short climb to the top. Less than 5 min. It's close to the Mayfield Park and Preserve where you can see peacocks, their babies, and peafowl. There are porta potties there. Parking is easy if it isn't busy.

So as you begin your trek up Mount Bonnell... you end it. Yup, the name is egregiously misleading. We will say the view is stunning and provides a great lookout point up and down the Colorado River. We understand it got its name because it's the highest point in Austin but if you come here expecting a hike then you're better off somewhere else. The parking can be tricky as it's immediately off the road and the steps up are a good workout for 40 seconds. For what it is though, it's a pretty lookout, just not really anything remarkable.

Short uber from downtown to a nice overlook view! Very short and non-strenuous hike to get to the top. My friend did it with an injury. Beautiful views.

Thank you to the friendly local when we first arrived for recommending us to stop by the views here. We came by at sunset and the walk is very brief. It's about a 5-10 minute stroll and you have varying angles of the skyline, multimillion dollar homes nearby and the Colorado River. It made me feel very serene and grateful to be around great friends to enjoy the views. This is certainly a must stop if you're in Austin. If I lived here, I would probably be here very frequently with a charcuterie board and some snaccs.

Mount Bonnell is a must-visit tourist attraction in Austin! There was plenty of free parking on a Sunday afternoon and people came and went quickly just for photo ops, so you can enjoy the views without too much crowd in between. You can take a short hike to the summit or the steps (we took the just over 100 steps) and it's well worth it for the breathtaking panoramic views of the city and the Colorado River. It's the perfect spot for a scenic photo, a romantic sunset, or simply soaking in the natural beauty. We decided not to wait for sunset as it didn't work as with our itinerary, but since it's the highest point in Austin, you'll see other reviews with nice sunset photos! We also skipped the hiking as it was very hot that day, but nonetheless, worth a visit!

Nice walk to see the lake. Small parking space but it wasn't crowded on the weekend we went. I love the short walk to get a beautiful view and get the serenity of being in nature. No crazy crowd was a plus.

Love this place. My husband asked me to marry him there in 1996. We always find ourselves revisiting. We recently took some friends who enjoyed the views. It's kept pretty clean still which is nice.

Neat little hike with great views of the river or whatever situated below. Not breathtaking views, mind you, just mildly exciting. The passerby here are just part of the scenery. Pay them no mind. It is as if they are invisible and don't exist. Last visited: Dec' 23. In the Austin (A-TX) area. The day after X-mas. Hike is not even tiresome, and very short. You just hike up some rocks. Pass some useless folk along the way, and snap some pointless photos. At the top (I'm the only one that cared to make it), you're treated to some dilapidated rubbish and lot of folks hanging around admiring said rubbish, and ignoring others completely. Not worth snapping photos of this sad sight, hence why I turned back posthaste. All in all, this hike is borderline worthless, but the views are passable. I'll give it a strong D- and call it a day. Huzzah.

A great place to watch the sunset and do a little walking. It's not a big area, but the view of the lake is nice. Take lots of pictures or even have a picnic on the hills.

Wow what a view!! I do not blame the people who live right off the water. It is a perfect mix of hill tops, mountains, houses and water. The walk to the top is not very difficult and definitely a place where families will spend their afternoon together. If you have younger kids, please keep your eyes on them! There is no kind of barrier/fence which is quite dangerous. There is plenty of parking. Keep in mind it is a nice place to enjoy the view but do not expect to take a hike that will last you hours. There are protruding rocks everywhere so watch out not to fall or you may need a Band-Aid.

Fun little stop! Beautiful views. Easy hike, good for all ages. We went over Christmas break, temps were perfect.

I love this little hike and viewpoint! Free parking too! Climbing the stairs is worth the view of downtown Austin and all the spectacular mansions nearby. Tons of good photo ops.

This is a very late review but listen up, please carefully consider it before you parking your car under the Mountain, cause my car got broken into, and all my documents in my purse got stolen, and I did saw broken glasses all around the parking lot which should have been a red flag to me but whelp... I would say it's not worth it even for a visit as there isn't much thing to see

Quite a few stairs to go up but there is a ramp to the far right at the end of the parking that you can walk up instead. For such a flat city this is a nice view. It's a quick little hike that gets you away from the city. I enjoy seeing the mansions across the way and we even had a little snack at one of the tables off to the side. There is plenty of parking available.

Was a nice hike but not as long as we expected. It was fun to to see the houses and the fire from the top though!!

It was an absolutely beautiful view! The weather was perfect. I definitely suggest checking this place out.

A must-visit when you're in Austin. The view of the Colorado river, Austin skyline, and homes along the Water Edge St are breathtaking and blissful. Go up the flight of stairs to get to the spot. While parking may look like a challenge, you won't have trouble finding any as people are pulling in and out. It's also the highest point in Texas at around 781 feet which is saying something. Be careful as you look down and climb down on the rocks and ledges; one slip and you're in for a nasty tumble. But the scenes are breathtaking and worth it. Another reason why Austin is a killer city and one of my favorites!

This is definitely one of those Austin destinations that should be on every body's list. There's usually plenty of parking and you can have your choice of going up the mountain gradually, or take the exhausting stairway. However, once at the top, you are treated to some of the best views of Austin and the surrounding hill country. On one side of the mountain you have a glorious view of the Austin skyline and on the other end the Pennybacker Bridge. There are a couple of picnic tables at the top, but to be honest, it's not the best place to have a picnic because of all the sightseers.

Great lookout point for not a lot of work/hike beforehand. Most difficult part is climbing the short few flights of stairs, which aren't even that bad. The edges are only roped off so keep a close hold of small, curious children also trying to enjoy the scenery. Great spot to bring out of town guests and families to show them a glimpse of hill country and gawk at the gorgeous multimillion dollar homes on the drive back down. Plenty of free parking.

Beautiful views of Austin and Lake Austin. A must do when in town. There's several steps to get to the top from the parking lot (less than 5 min). But from the top, you can take side rocky roads for clearer views of the lake.

Beautiful views. Easy climb. Follow the crowd up the staircase. No reason not to tick this off your Texas bucket list!

Very confused as to why is listed as an attraction. Sure it's a great view but it's like 30 steps in the middle of a residential area and not easy to get to for visitors. Very underwhelming. Did not include a hike or anything so wouldn't recommend.

5 out of 5 for the views you may just see someone famous while on your drive there. Nestled in an affluent neighborhood in Lake Austin you will encounter windy roads while getting to the trailhead. Once at the trailhead you will go up about a hundred steps that overlooks the Colorado River with homes right on the lake. This is a great place to watch the sunset and to do something active. One of the many places I take tourists to. It is an essential Austin stop on a city tour.

A quick 10min (0.5mi) "hike" on paved rock path, slight incline, with a great view of lakefront properties of those more wealthy than myself. Apparently the highest point in Texas, which says a lot.

Although I feel like I should give a lower rating, I won't because I feel like this place delivered on having a great view and a great little hike. The reason I am giving you a 4 star rating is because we had people in our group literally from one year old to over 80 years old and this place delivered on all age groups. I was panting going up to stairs because we heard that was the easier way to go up but we had come down the other way which ended up making a little loop back to the parking lot which was really nice. The other way had a little hike going down and allthough at times it was a bit difficult because some areas were a little bit steep and the rocks were a little bit slippery, we took our time. We did not feel rushed because we did not come at sunrise or sunset and came rather in the afternoon so we were able to take our time going down. Granted, this was literally the last day of December and so the weather was really nice but I imagine it would be very hot in the summer so be careful of that. I took mosquito spray and sunscreen with me just in case to use it but we did not end up having to use the mosquito spray. I wanted to give a lower rating but decided against it only because we saw lots of glass all over the parking lot and on one side saw whole windows on the floor because of how many break ins there were in people's cars and I did not feel safe because of that. There were break ins and there were signs along the parking lot that say to protect your belongings and lock your cars but I feel like if they know this area gets broken into so much there should be some type of security and some type of safety measure taken to protect Citizens. We should be able to be safe and enjoy a nice view. Other than that it was a great time.

Beautiful easy 30 minute hike. Much shorter or longer depending on how much you stop to ooo and awe at the beauty of Austin

This was such a lovely little walk. While visiting my friend in Austin, she had been wanting to visit Mt Bonnell since she moved there. I took her up on this offer. We grabbed some coffee and headed over to the parking lot. It looked like there was a great amount of parking, but there was some shattered glass so just be careful if you have pups with you. It was a pretty quick walk. First, you head up a pretty long staircase and then you have the option to go left or right. We went to the right and the view was outstanding. I think if you have the option to check it out you definitely should!

This is definitely one of the coolest places to go visit in all of Austin! If you're looking for a place with fantastic views and stretches of peace and quiet, this is the place to go to. Overlooking the Colorado River, you have amazing all around views. From the ever growing Austin skyline to the mansions across the river, you can take it all in. The trails along the edge of the bluffs are easily accessible and do a great job of giving you a feel for the area. Overall, this is a must visit place when you're in town! :)

I'm giving this a 5 star because of the views, the parking and the price. Hiking much less, due to the trail being short and rugged. The view is very beautiful and worth the stop. It's free including the parking at the bottom of the hill. You can take your dog too as well as kids. Becareful of the ledge since it does have a serious drop. It is a little crowded but again ifbyou wants to take some pics and just get outside, you will be happy with the visit.

I read or heard somewhere that Mount Bonnell is the highest point in Austin and is great for sunsets so we had to make sure we stopped here during our visit. There is plenty of free parking on the street although the streets are a bit narrow especially with oncoming traffic both ways. When you get to the sign that says Covert Park you'll see a flight of stairs. It looks like a lot but in total it's only 106 steps. When you reach the top you'll see a structure where people will most likely be congregated. Grab a spot and wait until the sunset happens. You can marvel at the huge houses right next to the Colorado River while you wait. The only issue is that the cell towers kind of get in the way of the nice sunset but I'm just being picky. There are more views on another path when you get to the top but the views themselves are already beautiful and worth the short walk/hike.

A must see when in Austin. There are steps closer to one side that takes your directly to the top. There is also a trail side that takes you up the slope so that you can view the entire river. It was truly amazing to see and enjoy the view [FREE]. Parking is somewhat challenging since its directly off the street just be weary of cars & people walking by. We actually went back at night & it's even better, no lights except for the moon light.

Had a late night hike here earlier in the month and it was quite enjoyable. The drive up to the park was really something with all the fancy houses decked out in Christmas lights! Wowzerz! Anyway, lots of parking to be had and a nice set of stairs up to the top where the overlook is. It looks down to the river so it's quite spectacular. Also good (though somewhat long distance) view of downtown Austin. Not a big park by any means, but there's some fun offshoot trails tangled together toward the east side that are fun to explore. You're not gonna wear yourself out either what with it only being like 735 feet in elevation? Haha!

Iconic spot in Austin. I've been here during the day, for sunset, and at night. It's nice to come here for some pretty views of Lake Austin and boujee houses. I have heard lots of stories of cars getting broken into here. You can see tons of broken glass in the parking area. You just walk up a few stairs for a minute and reach the top. I'm not sure why other reviews call this hiking. The sunset was underwhelming but it still feels very serene and romantic up on Mount Bonnell with all the families and couples surrounding you.

One place us Texans know to visit when going to Austin is ol MT. Bunnell! FREE.99 and comes with a spectacular view of Austin. First portion of this short hike you are just going up stairs. Enough stairs to get your heart rate up for sure but nothing crazy. The remaining of the voyage is very smooth from there. Amazing pictures and makes you feel like you are having a nice escape from the city even though you are not far from It. Always recommended for a great site seeing spot in Austin.

A cool lookout spot! You just climb the stairs and you get this amazing view of the Colorado river. I think it'd be a great spot to watch the sunset. There was plenty of parking even though it was busy.

I didn't think I was going to make it up the stairs but so glad I did! The view is beautiful!!! Make sure you have comfortable shoes. We went to the left as soon as we made it to the top and the view was good, if you want some awesome pics and a space to just sit and relax go to your right. I would definitely go again

If you are coming from a state with mountains then it will likely not be too interesting. The view was pretty but a little bit of a let down. The top was extremely overcrowded and not well kept with a lot of trash and graffiti. You can get a nice view of the city and the river below. Overall though it is definitely an Austin site that is overrated. Hopefully the city will make some investments to make the park prettier in the future.

Important clarification, this is a great viewpoint, but not a hike. This viewpoint you can drive up to you, and then park. Once you park, you can ascend upstairs that leads you to a viewpoint. The viewpoint overlooks the lake and the beautiful mansions across and along the lake. It's a great picnic spot and sunset view to wind down a long day.

Waste of time but nothing... I visited Mt bonnel 32st 2023.... it's a big disappointment as I see nothing but dark skies all around..... try some other place. Also car parking is bit risky with all the breakins being reported.

Very short hike up the trail. Good views and very accessible for all ages and fitness levels. Take guests from out of town here often. Then I swing on down by Mayfield Park. Also some small areas where you can do a small picnic when weather is good.

Highest point in Austin! Beautiful and short hike for any skill level. Great for having a picnic and exercising as well. You can also bring your furry friends but they have to be on a leash the whole time due to the parks regulations. If you go in the morning it's not that packed but after noon more people go. The park is absolutely free!!

I would never have found this without my phone's GPS. I went because others bragged about the view of the Colorado river & the Austin skyline. It's on a curvy road behind a neighborhood and parking is right off the road. There are 105 steps leading up to the peak where the very small park is located. The only amenities are a couple of picnic tables and poop bags for you to pick up your dog's poop....so, pets welcome! If you follow the trail to the right. You get to the view of the river. If you follow a little lower trail to the left (this is where picnic tables are located) you can see a beautiful, though very distant, view of the Austin skyline. If you're there for the skyline photos, you'll want to tote your good SLR, because I made these with the iPhone 12 Pro Max, and the zoom is lacking in clarity. Phone cameras don't get much better than this. The hiking trail is free and so is parking. The recap is, unless you want to hike or photograph the scenery, there's nothing more to do there.

These are one of the things you have to do visiting Austin. It was a very quick hike to get up to the top and the views were breathtaking. The hike is quite short and can be done within an hour. It depends on how long you spend staring at the river and the gorgeous houses. The drive up to the hike isn't too bad but it might take some time. We went on a weekday and it wasn't too busy. There were plenty of parking spots and getting in was easy. I'm very nice hike with a very beautiful view.

PROS: very beautiful view from the top of the mountain and the stairs leading up to it make for a good exercise but not too tiring for those out of shape. Beautiful atmosphere of the grounds once on top, very well kept. Tons of free street parking too CONS: the view of the river is obstructed by trees and it's tough to see downtown Austin, despite the mountain advertising that you can. OVERALL: amazing hiking destination for someone who wants good views. It's not a several miles long hike like some people like, but it's a good workout and a good sight to see

This used to be my "Serenity now" and reflection spot during my UT days. Great to experience it again after some years. You'll get a mini workout climbing the stairs (106 steps) but the view is well worth it and going back down is, of course, much easier. As I wrote in another review, we brought our Franklin's Brisket and had a picnic. We were here around 1 on a Friday afternoon so not too many people but I remember (no surprise) it got crowded on the weekends. Billed as the highest point in Austin & definitely worth the short and winding neighborhood drive for magnificent views of Lake Austin/Colorado River, Austin skyline and homes below.

Again, another great day to reflect on the closing of the day and be hopefully for another tomorrow