Dear Brushy Creek residents.

In February 2025 we began a campaign to highlight a different trail within the District each month. Through this initiative, we aim to educate our residents about all the wonderful facets of our extensive and diverse trail system. In July, we are shining a light on the Creekside Trail:

Location/Parking: Parking is available at Creekside Park and the lot under the intersection of Brushy Creek Road and Great Oaks Drive.

Description: This 0.4-mile, cement and crushed granite trail starts at Shirley McDonald Park and runs southwest into the park before connecting with the Brushy Creek Regional Trail west along Brushy Creek Road. 

Lighting: Yes. Lighting exists within Shirley McDonald Park, but not along the regional trail.

Special features: The Creekside Trail connects with two playgrounds at Shirley McDonald and Creekside parks. Creekside Park provides access to restrooms, and like the Southern Cross Pond Trail, Shirley McDonald Park has a duck pond that permits fishing. (Don’t feed the ducks bread, though!) The trail also connects to the Brushy Creek Regional Trail, which continues west alongside Brushy Creek Road for 7 miles and ends within the city of Cedar Park.

Difficulty level: There are some slight elevation changes, and if you decide to take it all the way to Cedar Park, it is the longest trail that starts in the District. Therefore, we give it a difficulty ranking of intermediate.

Flora: Throughout the trail there are oak, cedar, and cedar elm trees, as well as bluebonnets when in season. There is also a manicured landscape that contains several other species of Texas-acclimated plants.

Fauna: Wildlife spotted throughout the trail includes coyotes, cottontail rabbits, jack rabbits, rattlesnakes, rough earth snakes, fence lizards, opossums, and squirrels.

Bicycle friendly: Yes.

Note: Future improvements to this area include a staircase and bike path that will replace the decomposed granite slope attached to the regional trail at Shirley McDonald Park.