Turkey Creek Trail

— Although I’ve lived in Austin for a few decades, I confess I had never explored Emma Long Metropolitan Park. Today, while looking for a new trail to explore, I chose the Turkey Creek Trail. I knew it was going to be busy because it was a weekend. There were lots of people on the trail, and some even brought their dogs, too. The trail is roughly a 2.8-mile (4.5 km) roundtrip. It is considered moderate because there is an elevation gain of 170 feet (52 m) through rocky terrain. The beauty of the trail for me lies on the fact it goes along Turkey Creek. Although there was not much creek water during my hike, I can only imagine the beauty of this place when the creek is running. The way the trail is designed means that with water you will likely have some crossings where your feet will get wet. I did venture beyond the regular loop and took some side trails. In the end, I ended up hiking 4.5 miles (7.25 km).