Mount Bonnell

Mount Bonnell is one of Austin’s main attractions for both tourists and residents. Since I’ve lived in Austin for four years and haven’t seen Mount Bonnell, I decided to check it out on Saturday afternoon.

Mount Bonnell sits on about 5 acres and the distance to the top is 0.31 miles. There is no entrance fee and visitors can choose to either climb the stairs or “hike” along the winding trail to the top. (I ended up going both ways so I could see the difference).

The trail on Mount Bonnell runs from the north end of the parking lot to the pavilion.

There are five picnic tables throughout Mount Bonnell.

The trail: After parking, I decided to take the trail up to the top of Mount Bonnell. Even though it’s 780 feet above sea level, the climb to the top is not a serious hike. It’s more like a nature trail. I timed myself to see how long it takes (including picture time) to climb to the top. As you can see from my Nike + work out summary, it took about 5 minutes to get to the pavilion at Mount Bonnell.

The stairs: A set of 100 stone steps run to the top of Mount Bonnell. In the summertime, this might be the best route to the top since it’s completely shaded by the surrounding trees. It’s not as scenic when compared to the trail, but it’s definitely the fastest route to the pavilion.

The stairs at Mount Bonnell.

The stone steps lead visitors to the pavilion at the top of Mount Bonnell.

I wouldn’t say Mount Bonnell is a workout (look at my workout summary above to see the number of calories I burned), but it’s definitely taking a step toward being more active in Austin. The good thing about Mount Bonnell is that you can bring young children, elderly parents and even your dogs, and the entire family will make it to the top with ease.

The pavilion at the top of Mount Bonnell.

An engraved rock at the top of Mount Bonnell.

A view of Lake Austin and the hill country, looking southwest from the pavilion.

Once you reach the pavilion, you are greeted with great views of Lake Austin and the 360 Bridge. The views of the lake, hill country, city skyline and the manicured lawns below the peak show the diversity of the Austin landscape.

Beautiful view of Lake Austin and the 360 Bridge, looking north from the top of Mount Bonnell.

A view of the Lake Austin homes, looking north from the pavilion.

A view of Lake Austin and the West Lake Hills.

A view of the Austin skyline, looking southeast from Mount Bonnell.

Mount Bonnell has been a tourist attraction since the 1850s for a reason. Whether you’re trying to become more active or impress an out-of-towner, this is the perfect place to go.

Mount Bonnell is located at 3800 Mt. Bonnell Dr. Click here to see a map.