The idea of a Hill Country region in the state of Texas is perplexing for those who have yet to visit the Lone Star State. For a state that has a reputation of being a flat, desolate farmland with tumbleweeds passing, its Texas Hill Country and Highland Lakes regions flip that notion on its head. The Hill Country of Texas lies directly up against the capital city of Austin and stretches west for hundreds of miles. Now, with an ever expanding population in Austin, the spotlight is shining brighter on the natural beauty of the surrounding area.
Between the rolling hills of Central Texas offering Hollywood Hills vibes, there is a series of six lakes and connecting waterways that are a crucial feeder system for much of Central Texas’ water supply. Stretching from the heart of the city of Austin out to an entirely different landscape in the smaller towns of Marble Falls and Granite Shoals, the Highland Lakes region offers some opportunities to cool down and enjoy the water during the hottest of days under the Texas sun.
Check out the Highland Lakes on your next trip to Austin
The chain of six Highland Lakes in Central Texas ends at Lake Austin with the skyline of Downtown Austin as the backdrop. Lake Austin is a reservoir to the Colorado River system located about 30 minutes from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport that can be viewed on the water by boat or by renting a stand-up paddle board to soak in the sun and the city. It’s flanked by multimillion dollar homes owned by celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and possibly Elon Musk. Lake Austin flows southeast into the river-like Lady Bird Lake, which is not technically part of the Highland Lake chain.
Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake) runs alongside the vibrant, walkable downtown area, crawls past Zilker Metropolitan Park – home to the Austin City Limits Music Festival –and separates north and south Austin. Once you travel upstream under the iconic Pennybacker Bridge heading west, you’ve left Lake Austin and journeyed into the second Highland Lake within the city limits. Lake Travis boasts much more expansive waterways and begins about 19 miles west of Downtown Austin. It’s the longest of the Highland Lakes, acting as the connector between the city and the Hill Country, and it can stretch to almost 5 miles wide.
This makes Lake Travis the ideal boating and water sports destination for Austinites and visitors, and a popular destination for lakeside bachelor and bachelorette party vacation home rentals. Lake Travis offers views from the water of stunning mansions that hang over the cliffs. Visitors can zipline over lake waters, and there are also public parks with sandy beach alcoves circling the lake. For the best panorama, be sure to check out Oasis Texas Brewing Company’s craft beers and its spacious patio lofted 450 feet above Lake Travis.
Explore the outer Highland Lakes connecting Austin to the Hill Country
