Hiking in Austin can take hikers from alongside the river walk, right next to waterfalls, deep into the green forests, and up to the amazing views of Mount Bonnel. Austin is a very active city with a lot of hiking trails which means there are many other hiking enthusiasts in the city. With so much to hike, there are a large number of hiking groups available to discover new trails, meet new people, and go out and hike.
Here is a list of the top 8 hiking groups in Austin, Texas where you can find your next outdoor adventure!
- Austin Sierra Club Outings – 16,904 members
- Hiking, Walking, and Socializing – 13,353 members
- Austin: Hiking For Tacos – 7,130 members
- Austin Backpackers – 5,139 members
- North Austin and Round Rock Hiking Meetup Group – 4,539 members
- Queer Adventurers of Austin – 3,856 members
- Austin Trail Running – 3,810 members
- Guided Hikes on the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve – 3,797 members
Austin Sierra Club Outings
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Austin, TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Austin-Sierra-Club-Outings/
Description: Austin Sierra Club Outings hosts outdoor outings for hiking, camping, backpacking, kayaking, and much more. They have day events and also weekend events to nearby state parks, and occasionally national park trips. This group is incredibly active with over 3,119 events in the past with 3-4 events each month.
Hiking, Walking, and Socializing
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Austin, TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Hiking-Walking-and-Socializing/events/past/
Description: Hiking, Walking, and Socializing is all about hiking, walking around Austin, and getting together after the event to grab a drink. The goal is to walk for at least 1.5 hours during each event. This group focuses more on casual walking and socializing with others. This group has had over 272 events in the past with 2-3 events each month.
Austin: Hiking For Tacos
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Austin, TX (Pecan Grove Picnic Area)
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Hiking-For-Tacos/
Description: Austin: Hiking For Tacos is focused on short casual walks for about an hour and then finishing the event off at Taco Deli and walking back the same distance. This group meets on a weekly basis and is very consistent with over 134 events in the past.
Austin Backpackers
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Austin, TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/backpackers-170/
Description: Austin Backpackers focuses on multi-day backpacking trips to nearby Texas state parks. They also do conditioning hikes at the greenbelt to help you prepare for their weekend trips. They have had 250 events in the past with at least one event each month.
North Austin and Round Rock Hiking Meetup Group
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Roundrock, TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/hiking-590/
Description: North Austin and Round Rock Hiking Meetup Group focuses on meeting other hiking enthusiasts for hiking trips near and far. They had over 144 events in the past.
Queer Adventurers of Austin
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Austin, TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Queer-Adventurers-of-Austin/events/past/
Description: Queer Adventurers of Austin is a group for LGBTQIA individuals and Allies who want to socialize and go outdoors. They have had over 239 events with typically one event each week.
Austin Trail Running
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Austin, TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/running-377/
Description: Austin Trail Running focuses on meeting others that are interested in trail running and finding new challenging trails to run. This group has had over 1,369 events in the past with trail running events once a week.
Guided Hikes on the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Austin, TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/bcpfriends/
Description: Guided Hikes on the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve focuses on guided hikes done by the City of Austin’s Wildland Conservation Division and Travis County Natural Resources. They made this group to help increase awareness of access to the Balcones Canyonland Preserve. This group typically has 2-3 events per month.
Why should you join an Austin hiking group?
Joining a hiking group in Austin has many benefits. By joining a group you can discover new trails, meet other like-minded hikers, and help yourself with indecision for picking trails!
Discover New Austin Hiking Trails
There are many trails to hike, but if you join a hiking group you will likely discover new hikes you might have missed out on or never heard of! With so many events and hikes going on, there is plenty of opportunity for discovery of new trails.
Meet Other Austin Hikers
The hiking groups in Austin are very active with hikers from many different backgrounds. Maybe you are someone who prefers more intense and fast pace hiking, there are likely other hikers out there who enjoy hiking the same way. Or maybe you prefer a more casual pace and hike to get outdoors, there are other hikers in these groups just like you. By attending these hiking events you can meet friends that enjoy hiking in the same pace as you do!
Avoid Analysis Paralysis for Trails
Since Austin is filled with so many hikes and adventures it can get overwhelming to decide, but if you join a hiking group you can help narrow down your options and actually get outside to hike. These groups research and organize hikes so all you have to do is just show up!
3 things to consider when joining an Austin hiking group
Location in Austin
Austin is a large city and sometimes traffic can be bad, so the first consideration you want to think about is where does this hiking group generally meet up? You can find out by looking at their past events and seeing where the start their hikes at. You don’t want to join a group that meets on the opposite end of the 35 highway or on the far-side of the 290.
Required Skill and Experience
The next important thing to consider before joining a hiking group in Austin is to see what the required skill level and experience is for each group. If the group is organized than the hikes they list should clearly state what skill level they expect and how challenging of a hike it is. This can help you out greatly because then you can either slowly level up or dive directly into more challenging hikes.
Local or Out of Town Hikes
While these hiking groups are located in Austin, someone them do have a focus on out of town hikes and trips. Be sure to look out for if they are mostly hiking locally or if they are doing out of town trips. This is a great way to expand your horizons and hike out of town hikes if that is what you are looking for.
Summary
Austin offers spectacular hikes that take you to beautiful river-front areas, delightful forest hikes, and on to marvelous views of the city from the top of local summits. Hikers in Austin can share these trails and views together in these local hiking groups. From trail discovery to meeting new friends, there are so many wonderful benefits of joining a hiking group.
While this list only contains 8 hiking groups in Austin, Texas, there are plenty of other hiking groups to check out that focus on different demographics and backgrounds. Enjoy your hikes and happy trails!