Bright Leaf began as the inspiration of Georgia Lucas. She purchased the land in 34 separate real estate transactions in order to put together the property she named Bright Leaf. At the end of her life, she wanted to preserve the land so others could appreciate it and benefit from its beauty. A place for visitors to take guided hikes to learn about the land and as a place of reflection and meditation. The land was first under Texas Parks and Wildlife management and is now owned by the Austin Community Foundation. This private foundation is committed, like TPWD was, to maintaining the area and upholding the Lucas will. To gather 216 acres of contiguous undeveloped land within the city limits of Austin today would be impossible. This is a treasure we can thank Georgia Lucas for and do our part to hand down to future generations.

Bright Leaf is a powerful teaching tool for the many visitors, young and old, who walk its trails. The geology of Texas and the Hill Country is evident in the numerous fossils and rocks and the quarry area allows us to see how the layers of sediment were deposited at the bottom of the waters that once covered Texas. This is no dry classroom lecture; this is something people can really see and understand.

Important information:
Free and open to the public.
Second Saturday & second Sunday of each month at 9:00am.
Hikes are approximately 4 miles long and last 2 1/2 hours.
Meet at the parking lot off 2222 and Creek Mountain Road. Dress for the weather & bring a water bottle.
See Calendar page for dates and more information.
For shorter hikes or hikes on other days, please call the park at 459-7269.

Special notes:
·All hikes are guided hikes
·No dogs allowed
·No bikes
·No fishing
·No camping
·These rules protect the fragile nature of Bright Leaf, thank you for respecting them.