Barton Creek Greenbelt

Less than three miles from the Texas State Capitol, the Barton Creek greenbelt begins at Barton Springs, a 1,000-foot-long spring-fed pool that attracts a quarter-million visitors every year. Since 1990, Barton Springs has been seriously threatened by commercial and residential development. Between 1992 and 1999, TPL purchased nearly 1,000 acres of land in the Barton Creek watershed, transforming a thin stretch of public land into a major metropolitan park. Easily reached from downtown Austin, this park protects the water quality of the Edwards Aquifer, conserves habitat for endangered species, maintains the area's dramatic views, and expands hiking trails and picnic areas.