In Austin, life moves fast. Traffic can wear on us, schedules fill up and it becomes all too easy to overlook the beauty woven into our daily surroundings.
Last year, as I set my intentions for 2025, I made a personal commitment to complete 25 hikes — a simple goal that became a powerful practice. Along the way, I gained a new perspective and a deeper appreciation for the natural treasures that make Austin home.
While I’m no stranger to our city’s excellent trail system, I also wanted to experience Austin’s incredible greenbelts, preserves and parks more fully. I knew this would be an incredible opportunity to get a first-hand perspective on the maintenance and upkeep of our trails, to better understand the role of wayfinding and signage at these trails, and, importantly, to learn about the various options we have for Austinites and our visitors. Doing this would help inform my perspective as an Austin City Council member.
Throughout the year, I hiked Austin’s iconic greenbelts, from Barton Creek to Onion Creek to Shoal Creek. I made it out to some of our incredible preserves, including Blunn Creek Preserve. Among the trails I visited, my favorites include St. Edward’s, with its abundant tree canopy and scenic views, and Walnut Creek Metro Park for its extensive trail network and diverse terrain. Of course, no trail journey would be complete without our city’s crown jewel, the Butler trail along Lady Bird Lake.
Perhaps what I didn’t expect from this effort was just how galvanizing this experience would be to my family and friends. People of all ages joined me, from babies in strollers to grandmas. One morning, my sister stopped mid-trail and said, “I can’t remember the last time we just… talked like this.”
That hit me hard. I realized we’d all been so busy that we’d forgotten how to just be together without distractions.
That’s when I understood how these trails also offer a way to improve mental health. As a social activity, this is an excellent opportunity to catch up and to have meaningful conversations with friends and family. And for the solo hikes I went on, it was a useful way to clear the mind and recharge. Ultimately, we are all motivated by a love of the outdoors, a desire to keep fit and the opportunity for a good conversation along the way.
As a policymaker, experiencing trails in Austin and comparing them to systems in other cities, like San Angelo in West Texas, gave me a crucial perspective. Austin’s trail network stands out not just for its scale, but for its accessibility: there truly is a trail for everyone, regardless of ZIP code or ability.
This didn’t happen by accident. I’m grateful to the community leaders and policymakers who had the foresight to preserve these green spaces and make them accessible to all families. The responsibility I now have to steward and expand this legacy is not lost on me. In fact, completing 25 trails in 2025 has only deepened my commitment to continue these investments so future generations can experience what I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy over the last year.
City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes represents Southeast Austin’s District 2.