Lady Bird Trail in Austin, TX

[dragitoff]

Has anyone ever ran any or all of the Lady Bird Trail in Austin, TX? I'm heading there this weekend for work and I'm really looking forward to running the entire 10 mile trail this weekend. I have a meeting that morning and I was trying to find out if it's safe to run before daylight out there and is there any lights? I'd have to get an early start to be able to get my run in before my meetings. I think just at daybreak or just before would be fine so I wouldn't be running in pitch black darkness either way.

I've never been to Austin so I'm not familiar at all with the area. I know the lake is directly behind my hotel (I'm staying at the Austin Four Seasons). Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[ironz]

Hello....
The trail is not all lit, so it may help to bring a headlamp if you are running before daybreak. I personally (as a female runner who is not very fast at that) wouldn't run east of I-35 in the dark, though I wouldn't consider that section *dangerous*...just a bit more so than to the west of I-35. So if you start early from the Four Seasons, go west down to the Mopac footbridge, then head back east and finish up the east part of the loop in the light.

There is construction going on, also east of I-35, on the south side, where eventually there will be a boardwalk to bypass the parts of the loop where we currently have to run on Riverside drive. As far as I know, there is decent signage. If I think about it this week, I can zip over there and check it out and let you know.

There are water fountains for most of the trail, approx every 1/2-1 mile....except through the construction section, you'll go about 3 miles without a water fountain.

Hope that helps! If I can clarify anything, let me know.

 

[cewait]

Betsy is the Austin expert. I love the loop(s) around the lake. It is one of my top 5 travel/run locations.

If you have time one evening, make time to head out to the lake and watch the bats. It's an awesome sight to see.

 

[dragitoff]

Hello....
The trail is not all lit, so it may help to bring a headlamp if you are running before daybreak. I personally (as a female runner who is not very fast at that) wouldn't run east of I-35 in the dark, though I wouldn't consider that section *dangerous*...just a bit more so than to the west of I-35. So if you start early from the Four Seasons, go west down to the Mopac footbridge, then head back east and finish up the east part of the loop in the light.

There is construction going on, also east of I-35, on the south side, where eventually there will be a boardwalk to bypass the parts of the loop where we currently have to run on Riverside drive. As far as I know, there is decent signage. If I think about it this week, I can zip over there and check it out and let you know.

There are water fountains for most of the trail, approx every 1/2-1 mile....except through the construction section, you'll go about 3 miles without a water fountain.

Hope that helps! If I can clarify anything, let me know.

That helps so much! DW is traveling with me and we are both quite excited to run it this weekend. I spoke with someone at a local running store yesterday who gave me some info on the trail so I am even more pumped each time I get additional info on it. He said few places in the world have something like this for runners/bikers. This feels like a runcation rather than a work trip!

 

[dragitoff]

I recommend this place for any runner if you have the chance! I've never seen so many runners at a non-race! I went out for a nice 8 mile run Saturday morning and there must have been a few thousand people running the trail. There is a lot of construction going on at the trail right now as they are trying to improve it, but it's a great place to run. Such a cool place!