Of all the city of Austin reservations, this place seems to be the least crowded. Theres a small trail if you want to go for a walk but its not a large enough to make a whole trip out there for that. The water is brisk and easy to get into. Plenty of trees for shade. Dog friendly!

Beautiful and quite place to spend time with family and friends. Can take kayak or paddle board for fun.

Great place to take pictures, walk trails, check out the birds and fish down by the water.

On the weekdays this spot is AMAZING! Never over crowded with cool waters and lots of nature to explore!

Really nice little park! I dont hike much but the part on the river was beautiful. Nice little inlet you can walk into or just hop over the seawall. Very little shaded area in the grass though so bring your sunscreen.

Nice place to walk your dog or bird watch. Loop is about 1.5 miles. Path is wide so social distancing is easy.

Drive through it! Youll need an appointment to enjoy it ♡ Very well managed, beautiful and clean.

Beautiful park with a small trail leading to an open green field and a dock next to a small shack right on the river. There’s always a pair of very social swans asking for your food. I’ve heard the park gets extremely busy over the summer, but if you visit during the Fall, it’s just as enjoyable. Just keep an eye out for snakes when it’s less busy—most of them were non venomous types, but theres a noticeable population. There’s a much longer trail going the opposite direction from the river that has killer views and elevation.

Great park, many trails to follow! Right along the river, many trees. Its best probably to come in an suv or truck...the parking areas are a little rugged if someone blocks smooth pathways. Pecan trees galore! Bring your kids, bikes, dogs, everyone for q nice time in the park. In summer would be terrific for picnics, there was a volleyball net set up off one trail!! Nice for dates, summer walks, gazing at stars, just fun!!

Tucked away spot for locals. Ssshhhh! Dont tell everyone about it! We love it because the water is nice and cold, and never really gets crowded.

Big piece of raw land to hike. Hangout. On lake austin. Grill. Vollyball. Dogs ok.

This is a very good birding location in Austin.

Chillax on a weekday. Birds, trees, and hikes by the water.

Somewhat hidden, this park is a gem. There spots to cast a line. Plenty of room for the pooches. Ive been there when its quiet and when its a party scene.

Beautiful place for hiking. I Absolutely recommend everyone to visit this wonderful place.

2020 Jan. 4 Park is very nice yet unfortunately crowded with people who have their dogs completely off leash. This is an on leash only park according to evidently unenforced county park rules. Now many people who deserve to enjoy the park, too, cant if anyone there lets their dog off leash. There are many many reasons that even people who love dogs cannot have a loose dog or loosely leashed dog come up to them. Aside from a lot of dog poop on the trails, the trails themselves are very nice, and there are many signs around the prairie part of the park that describe different birds and conservation efforts that are popular reasons people come to the park. Oh, and I did see a touring style road motorcycle being driven off on one of the single track trails that is not supposed to have anything but hikers on it.

This is an amazing spot for photos!

What a nice Park it is!

One of my favorite places in Austin

Bful place for a quick picnic

Beautiful respite west of the Austin city center. Saw kestrel, yellow rump- warblers. Feel new again!

Absolutely beautiful. Nice cold water. Friendly people. Watch out for snakes in the bushes, this lady said she spent 6000$ on getting her dogs anti venom shots from snake bites from the side of the trail, stay on the trail. The lower area is a leash free area and totally safe.

A remarkable park. The bulk of the park is a large grass prairie, popular with bird watchers. Also: about 200 yards of river (lake) front, with a boat house and dock. Dive off the roof of the boat house, fish in Lake Austin, have a picknick.

Nice trails, adjacent to Lake Austin

Great place for pictures.

Fun and free, mostly a 18-25 year old crowd with that vibe. Lots of big dogs running loose. Live and let live and you will love it. Not a family type place.

Out of the way of tourists and beautiful scenery! Great place to swim, relax and play with the dog!

Loved this place!! Great views, plenty of space, kayak launch, we sat here with a picnic with our dog and watched the sun set. Will be back many places. My new favorite park!

Nice place to visit

Great place to go birding or walk around.

Good place to chill and cool of with the dog be prepared for young crowd

Beautiful Park, She showed up!

Dogs are off leash and running everywhere so be ready!!! So fun for dog lovers, great atmosphere, everyone is so friendly, plenty of space to lounge in the shade, bring blankets and coolers. Water is cold but so refreshing on a hot day!

Not too crowded...took my SUP out for the first time...fun fact that I wasnt aware of: apparently you are required, by law, to have a life preserver with you (it can be connected to your water recreational device) not necessarily wearing it. Also we saw a water moccasin that terrorized us and others and bit a dog in the water. To be expected since its woodsy there. I will def be going again, with a lifevest, and Ill just be vigilant looking for snakes.

Make the reservation that still didnt listen change the date on your reservation

Is there a walking bridge to get here from Steiner ranch? Im new to the area, only 3 miles away but on maps, it says I have to go on 2222 to get there??

Great place to go bird watching and to get some steps!

Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park is a very relaxing natural space with a number of semi-groomed walking/hiking paths. It is a great location for dog walks as well as wildflower scenery that covers many restored grassland areas.

Its a nice easy walk around the trail

Dog friendly. Ample places to set up tent, blanket, hammock, etc. Shade by the water. Takes about 3-5 minutes to walk to water from parking.

Same thing I tell folks interested in moving to Austin. Terrible place. Stay the hell away. Youll only regret it!They never listen to me. Sigh...

I’d like to give this place a 5 star review but google has listed that this place has a boat ramp when it in fact doesn’t. A boat ramp and a boat dock are two completely different things and this description needs to be updated to reflect that.

Good park with access to the river for swimming. Gets pretty crowded on nice days. Not a lot of parking and watch out for all the bull nettle in the field.

Love this place. Least crowded park in the entire area.

AT RISK TO BE DEVELOPED ON!! Apparently the city may try to sell off a big portion of this park very soon to housing developers. A little history about the park, I may have some of this wrong. This property used to be a ranch in the 1950s and 60s, called Resaca Ranch, owned and operated by a family member of the famous Baldwin family. In the late 1970s or early 1980s a group of real estate developers purchased the property from the ranch owners, tried to build on it but their financing fell through. They then sold part of it to the City of Austin in about 1982. The city then started using the land as a city park. The original ranch house, barn and property keepers houses still stand but unused today. This is an extremely ecologically sensitive area and home to some endangered animal species and many others such as squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, deer, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, opossums, armadillos, field mice, rats, there used to be wolves and mountain cougars also. There is a plentiful amount of wild edible fruit, nuts, berries, grains, grasses, root vegetables. This a full thriving ecosystem. A natural spring with a series of waterfalls and ponds cuts through the hillside and feeds into Lake Austin. It gives life to the park but also fish, crawfish, frogs, water snakes, turtles, even salamanders live in the water too. THERE IS A FEW HUNDRED YEAR OLD LIVE OAK TREE BEHIND THE RANCH HOUSE, ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE AREA! There are at least 100 pecan trees across the property, most of which are fully matured and produce pecans every year. Also lots of mesquite, mountain cedar and juniper trees, elm, different varieties of oak trees and lots more. There has been lots of time, money, energy, man power invested into this property to improve its conditions and allow the natural environment to thrive again after years of being used as a cattle ranch. The community did a restoration of the flat land prairie to help regrow a lot of the native grasses and flowers of the great plains that attract different types of animals, especially song birds, insects, also butterflies and moths. Think about houses or condos being in place of this. Theres no telling what would happen if it were to be developed. Lots of people have grown up going here and do still come here on a daily basis. When I was little we used to have day camps there and lots of inside or outside activities, the boy scouts did stuff there or even go there on school field trips, nature walks to learn about the environment. Theres a pool at the ranch house so we used to go swimming in it or the lake. Its a good place to go fishing and hiking on the trails in the hills too. I go to this park even still, in fact I took a walk there yesterday. Its even an awesome place to view the stars at night and see meteor showers. Please spread the word and do whatever possible to keep this pristine piece of history from being taken away from us. Once the developers get their hands on it, its gone forever and will be concreted over with houses everywhere Please help save this park if you actually care.

Nice place, free parking

Great grassy area/deck for hanging out. Good for swimming/lounging/picnicking. I even brought my kayak to put in the water there.

Beautiful park with amazing water. Bring a floaty and your dog!

Place sucks, stay far away from here.

This park is very pretty, but is it supposed to be a dog park only? Its solid pack with dogs, specially large ones, horse playing or fighting . But thats not the problem, problem is not one dog was is on a leash (despite 2 big signs dogs on leash) big dumps of dog feces everywhere, fresh and dry, all kinds. People getting high over there doesnt bother me as much as walking on pooh my child getting bitten

Beautiful park. Lots of birds, trails, and a great picnic spot. Lots of people bring their dogs here.

Love this place. I have worked in the catering business and always loved a wedding or special event planned here. Just the natural beauty surrounding you in this setting is amazing. Also enjoy a hike with friends and family. Take a swim. Have a picnic. Fun times!

Cool chill relaxed open area for swimming BBQ chilling and just having a good old time with family and friends

Beautiful lakeside park with various sprawling trails!

Our favorite dog friendly water hole that no one seems to know about! Im sure this is the year it starts to attract crowds, but Commons Ford has been my favorite spot in Austin from the jump.

Its the best water is cold clean an great

Not for fishing but recreational instead. Beautiful sight

Super cool spot! Located south of Mansfield Dam on the Colorado River, this Austin city park is has cold water even on the hottest days. A great place to sit on a float and enjoy the wakes from the passing boats. The shore has a wooden wall partition that causes the wake waves to splash back and create even larger swells!

Very pretty. Usually good fishing but not today. Lots of teens and people out with their dogs.

Dont go Sundays. Big group of 18-20 somethings gather and literally BLAST their music. It was good, remixed dance music... just not really the flavor for a chill sunny sunday afternoon. When asked to be considerate and turn it down by others, they laughed it off and played up their power in numbers angle. Save yourself the irritation, go another day. Unless kids drinking white claw to dubstep is your thing.

Nice park with good hiking and open green spaces. Includes volleyball net and boat house to swim from. Very busy on the weekends.

Nice park. Signs all over about dogs must be on leash. At least 10 dogs running loose. Not a one on a leash. Had a 3 year old with us. And shes afraid of dogs. Not a good park for little kids. No safe swimming area. Maybe a weekday by myself but not a very family friendly park.

Great place to swim and hang out in floats. Big grassy area good for playing or relaxing. Also not too many people which is nice.

Gorgeous place to connect with nature!

Beautiful trails, and a big, open grassy area right on the river. Perfect for laying in the sun, throwing the frisbee, and swimming. Very dog friendly, lots of pups swimming and running around. There are a few good fishing spots as well.

We always love it here. Between swimming, hiking, outdoor games, fishing, barbecuing, and just hanging out - this is a great place to spend the day.There is plenty of shade and the water is cool. We always look forward to our day trips here - and did I mention there is no fee to pay?The only draw back I have about this place:There are usually lots of dogs here which I generally do not mind. However, even though there are signs that dogs must be leashed - most do not follow that. I do not either, but my pet peeve with this is that so many dog owners just let their dogs trample over everything without a care in the world. Kids are allowed here also - but would you let them just run over your picnic area? It only takes one bad apple to ruin it for everyone else.

Great place to just chill with some drinks waist drop in the water, as long as its not too crowded. When its busy it can be hard to find a spot for your group to enjoy the water.

Hands down one of the best parks I’ve been to in terms of hanging out with friends. You are right near the water, you can bring a grill, you can bring a float for the river (be careful of the passing boats) there is a wall to hangout on if you only want to get your feet wet as well as a boat house to jump in the water from or simply just to enjoy the scenery

Great place without the cover charge nor parking fee

Love this serene, scenic and quiet place. A hidden gem in the community. Beautiful views of the Colorado River and hills. Great place for a nice 2 mile walk with family. Very beautiful aged Pecan trees. Pet friendly park.

It was terrible! The water was nasty and I saw a couple of water snakes

Great place to go on a nature hike. There are several different paths depending on the challenge level you are looking for. Some trails are more fit for a stroller and others are carrier only and very rock with some steep climbs. The park is along the Colorado River so it can be a fun place in the summer to get your feet wet or sit under a pavillion for a picnic lunch. Lots of pecan trees and beautiful pastures. Some parts of the trail you will need to watch for poison plants but then again you are on a trail and is something you should always keep an out for.

Lovely space on the water!

Great trails for quick, easy hikes. Love practicing my Tai Chi Chuan forms along the creekside.

Shhh dont yell anyone about it

Love it here, one of my favorite places. If u have a dog. Make sure u bring them. Lots of area for them to run and play.

Beautiful trees and sunset

Beautiful park. Be prepared to hike a ~0.25 miles from where you leave your car, to the main area. The covered dock has picnic tables and trash cans

Its a fun place to take your

Austins secret park. Follow the creek up the slope to find awesome springs. You will know it when you find it. Or just hang out river side. Swimming, hiking and biking.

Its a great place to hike a short trail or if youre feeling social you can meet friends in the big grassy area on the river to play soccer, volleyball, or grill out at the boat dock. It can get crowded on sunny weekends so try to go early or on weekdays.

Great place to walk, bird watch, and just enjoy nature. Nice area along Lake Austin to let the dogs run and play and get some exercise.

The park itself is fine. Its a little less than an acre of useable waterfront. On weekends it is essentially an off leash dog park, dont let the rules fool you.

We went fishing here the other evening and it was a blast. It was a bit dark but we passed a volleyball net on our way to fish. I cant wait to go back during the day and Im hoping that the day time experience will be just as pleasant.

Great place to take dog swimming. Parking is rough but free

I had a blast at Commons Ford, dog park, lots of dogs and nice people, a lake with a boat dock and perfect weather in the summer to be at Commons Ford.

Restored native prairie; riparian area near river, Golden Cheek Warbler habitat on East side and Eastern Blue Birds year round.

My wife and I were married here at the old ranch house. It was cheaper than any of the other outdoor venues we looked at and the landscape was beautiful than most of them in early April. The house itself it somewhat old and not as nice or clean as some places we could have had our wedding & reception, but the scenery was worth it for sure! Really a very nice and large park, and it seems that to be largely unknown to Austinites.

Some trails flooded due to recent heavy rains. Lots of wildflowers.

Great place to hangout and relax and stay cold in the water

Great park to take a dip in the icy cold water of Lake Travis.

This is great for dogs and swimmers, not picknik tables and not much shade.

Great place to play

Terrible roads and parking conditions. Do not take your nice car! Roads have been neglected for decades.

Beautiful lakeside park & entrance is free. I would avoid it on summer weekends as there are perhaps a few too many people.

One of Austins gems

Gorgeous place to relax!

Loved it. . Great place for animals

Chill, it has docks with a nice walk in to a field. 10/10 would park again

Nice. Good for dog and you can get a lot of pecans in right season.