How to Spend 6 Hours in Austin: Mount Bonnell, Peacocks and Deep Eddy
Updated October 3, 2026
Six hours takes you into the green hills of west Austin. Climb stone steps to a lake view, walk among peacocks at a historic cottage garden, see art on a lakeside estate, then swim in the oldest pool in Texas.
West of downtown, the Colorado River becomes Lake Austin and the city climbs into wooded limestone hills. This plan strings together four very different outdoor stops, from a lookout above the water to a historic swimming pool fed by well water. They sit a short car ride apart along winding roads, so a few app rides are easier than walking. Laguna Gloria opens Wednesday to Sunday, and Deep Eddy closes on Tuesdays for cleaning, so go Wednesday through Sunday.
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The 6 hour plan, stop by stop
Stops and travel: 4 hr 20 min to 5 hr 40 min of 6 hours
This limestone summit in Covert Park rises above Lake Austin, and a steep stone stairway of about a hundred steps climbs to the top. From the top, you can see over the river, the hills and the houses of west Austin. Bring water, as there is nothing to buy at the summit. The park is free, and city park rules keep it open from early morning until late evening.
Tip: Come early in the morning or toward sunset, when the light over the river is softer, and keep well back from the cliff edge, since worn limestone gets slick after rain.
- Time here
- 25 to 45 min
NaviTime to head out from Mount Bonnell for Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve. It's a 17 minute walk if you leave now. Here's the link
Next door to Laguna Gloria, this small park centers on a cottage from the 1870s and its gardens, which a volunteer group has restored to their look in the early twentieth century. Entry is free and the park opens every day. A large flock of peafowl roams freely around the ponds and garden beds. The 23 acre nature preserve behind adds trails through the woods. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tip: Leave any dog behind, since pets are banned even on a leash to protect the free-ranging flock, and give the birds plenty of room on the narrow garden paths.
- Time here
- 30 to 45 min
- Website
- mayfieldpark.org
NaviTime to head out from Mayfield Park and Nature Preserve for Laguna Gloria, West 35th Street. It's a 3 minute walk if you leave now. Here's the link
This 14 acre lakeside estate is the sculpture park of The Contemporary Austin, with modern and contemporary works placed along shady paths, lawns and the shoreline. It opens Wednesday through Sunday and stays open into the evening on Thursday. Leashed pets may join you on the grounds. As of October 2026, adult admission is $10, and Thursdays are free for everyone. Advance tickets are encouraged, though walk-up visitors are welcome.
Tip: Your ticket also gets you into the museum's downtown Jones Center on Congress Avenue within seven days, so keep the receipt if you will be back in town.
- Time here
- 50 min to 1 hr 10 min
- Website
- thecontemporaryaustin.org
NaviTime to head out from Laguna Gloria, West 35th Street for Deep Eddy Pool. It's a 1 hr 30 min transit ride if you leave now. Here's the link
The city calls this the oldest swimming pool in Texas. It closes every Tuesday for cleaning and runs on a seasonal schedule, so check the city's page for this year's dates. A.J. Eilers built the concrete pool in 1915 beside a popular river swimming hole named for an eddy around a large boulder. The city charges admission. Today, the pool is filled with cold, untreated aquifer water pumped from wells on site, and it has a deep lap side and a shallow side with a zero depth entry.
Tip: Because the pool is refilled with fresh well water, it may open a little late in the morning while it fills, so plan your swim for the afternoon.
- Time here
- 45 min to 1 hr 10 min
- Website
- austintexas.gov
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