Pros: peaceful, lots of deer, birds and even an armadillo, easy to get to.Cons: occasional jet noise and if the wind is blowing east you get a not so nice fragrance from the wastewater plant.Overall a great place to hike!My wife and I only saw 1 other person on Thanksgiving morning.

Nature is busting at the seams here. Partly due to the biosolids program which makes the ponds hyper nutrient rich. There is a blind there to view the ponds. Many folks drive around the ponds and look. But the Colorado River and riparian trails are a highlight and that is what I like to do.

In season probably okay for certain types of water fowl including shore bird migrants, but kind of dead today.

Real nice place! Lots of water birds, especially in December and January! Its pretty quiet too, which is nice compared to a lot of other Austin parks that can get really busy. I say quiet, but actually the sound of airplanes overhead and highway traffic isnt quite quiet. Anyway, its lovely.

Great place to go see birds and walk in the trail but if you get to close to the ponds the smell is just awful.

Great birding in the settlement ponds and in the woods by the river. However, this is a late stage water treatment plant. You get used to the smell, eventually. Somewhat.

Great place to see ducks! A lot of passerines and shore birds too! Many armadillos!

Not great parking. beautiful and secluded and perfect for nature enthusiasts that like the rural feel. will take my students here!

Great spot for birding close to Austin. Offers diverse habitats including oak woodlands, ponds, and grassy fields. Trails are flat, as youd expect. No facilities.

Always well worth tge trip. Lots of waterfowl today. Some of the roads were blocked but I was still able to walk around the ponds.

Check the website for guided walks on the weekends, also a map of the area. Wide variety of birds and other wildlife. Trails, the river, not a lot of people... Wear mosquito repellent or be eaten alive in the summer. I guess some people have said that its good for kids. Maybe older kids who are interested in nature. Trails are not groomed for small children and the pond water is legit waste water. Sometimes theres a smell... Thats why its a bird sanctuary and not a condo development.

The place is awesome for observing birds right inside the city

I have been coming regularly for years. Especially good in the winter when its full of migratory species that spend the rest of the year much farther north.

Shaded bird blind in the public access areas of the Center for Environmental Research. Also a couple of trails nearby taking you through the woods and by the Colorado River. For nature lovers.

Ducks, coots, shorebirds. Trails. Ponds. Riverfront. A great place to take a walk without seeing hundreds of other people, bikes, dogs. A place for quiet reflection away from the city, but not very far from it.

My favorite local birding hotspot. Very peaceful and filled with wildlife.

By far the best place to get a wide assortment of birds, not just in Austin, but perhaps in all of central Texas.Please note that some roads and trails will be blocked or pedestrian-only for the duration of construction projects occurring at the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Facility.

Mixed environment of river and woodland birds, meadows and ponds. Free. Trails.

Great little structure for viewing birds rain or shine... also, the smell wasnt toooo bad considering the location.

Very interesting facility. Three miles of remote hiking trail and excellent birding opportunities.

Great place for birdingCan drive around.the ponds taking pictures, walk around the ponds and trails down by the river. Smell can.be bad at times. At some times of year alot of water birds like Egrets, Great blue Herons. Also have seen Buffleheads, Avocets, Commerants, Grebes and alot more.

Would be 5 stars except for the occasional smell.

GeeT place for birdwatching or birx photography

Beautiful trail lots of birds

A birders paradise... no wonder it is ranked no.1 among the birding spots in Austin, TX!!

Awesome place to see a ton of birds of variety

A stinky place with a wonderful variety of birds and insects. A must visit for nature photographers.

Depending on how the wind is blowing, this place smells like a huge rotting dump...because its at the waste water treatment plant and there are huge piles of poop across the road. We attempted to take pictures of birds there, but the foul smell was so overwhelming we just couldnt stay.

5/5 - would smell toilet sewage to watch birds again

Nice quiet area with a lot of birds

A wide variety of habitats and birds.

Love the mix of birds here.