Katherine Fleischer Park
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Katherine Fleischer Park is a top-rated outdoor destination, uniquely valued for its extensive natural shade from large trees, making it a comfortable retreat even during Austin's hot summers. It offers a rich variety of activities catering to a wide age range, including unique playscapes, an exploratory homestead, swimming, sports courts, disc golf, and natural trails. The park fosters a strong community feel, is notably dog-friendly, and boasts a beautiful natural environment with gardens and open fields, ensuring a consistently enjoyable and versatile family experience.
Key Highlights
- ✓Abundant natural shade from large trees covers the whole park, providing comfort even in Austin's summer heat.
- ✓Offers a wide array of activities including playscapes, walk/bike trails, disc golf, swimming, soccer fields, basketball courts, and a unique homestead to explore.
- ✓Features a 'huge' and 'unique playhouse' that encourages exploration.
- ✓It's a dog-friendly park with a dedicated dog park and hiking trail.
- ✓Known for its strong community atmosphere, often filled with people enjoying activities together.
- ✓Rich with nature, including multiple fields, a little hiking trail, and a butterfly garden.
- ✓Located in a safe residential community.
Standout Features
- ⭐Extensive natural tree canopy providing shade throughout the entire park.
- ⭐Diverse play areas including playgrounds and a large, unique playhouse.
- ⭐Dedicated sports facilities: soccer fields, basketball courts, swimming.
- ⭐Disc golf course for older kids and adults.
- ⭐Extensive trails suitable for walking and biking.
- ⭐A historic 'little homestead' available for exploration.
- ⭐Explicitly dog-friendly with a dog park and dog-friendly trails.
- ⭐Features a butterfly garden and is 'full of nature'.
- ⭐Multiple open fields perfect for running and active play.
- ⭐Situated in a safe, residential community.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Visit in Summer:** The abundant natural shade makes it an excellent choice for staying comfortable during hot Austin summers.
- →**Bring Bikes/Scooters:** Many kids are observed enjoying the trails on bikes.
- →**Bring Your Dogs:** The park is very dog-friendly, with trails and a dedicated dog park.
- →**Explore Nature:** Take time to appreciate the natural elements like the butterfly garden; one reviewer even found grapes!
- →**Plan for Mobility:** Be aware of areas with stairs if you or a family member has limited mobility, and seek alternative smooth routes.
- →**Enjoy the Community Vibe:** Expect to see many local families and community members, contributing to a lively atmosphere.
Things to Consider
- ⚠While mostly accessible by smooth trails, specific areas have stairs, which may require individuals with limited mobility to seek alternative routes.
Price & Value
Not specified in reviews, but as a public park, it is generally free to access, offering exceptional value for the wide variety of activities and amenities available.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •**Partially Accessible:** 'Mostly accessible by smooth trails' suitable for strollers and some wheelchairs.
- •**Stairs Present:** 'There are areas that have stairs which require someone with limited mobility to seek another route.'
- •**Kid-Friendly:** Explicitly mentioned as 'kid friendly'.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Not explicitly mentioned in reviews. As a public park, it's generally expected that outside food and drinks are permitted. No on-site food vendors were noted.
🚗Parking Info
- •Not explicitly mentioned in reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •The park 'is always filled with community members,' indicating a popular and lively atmosphere, though reviews do not suggest negative overcrowding or chaos.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Described as a 'safe environment in residential community.'
- •No specific staff supervision or security measures were explicitly mentioned in the reviews.
⏰When to Avoid
- • **Individuals with significant mobility limitations who cannot navigate stairs:** Specific areas have stairs, which could pose a challenge despite generally smooth trails.
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Keep Wells Branch Beautiful Fall Volunteer Day
Saturday, Oct. 25, 9 a.m. - noon (also 10/25/2025)
Free (implied)
Spend a morning in the park enjoying invasive species removal and trash pickup. Meeting location: St. Andrew's Church Parking Lot: 14311 Wells Port Drive.
Live Music in the Park
Oct. 17, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Free (implied)
Community event featuring live music in a park setting.
Homestead Open House
Oct. 18, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Free (implied)
Community event.
Trunk-Or-Treat
Oct. 24, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Free (implied)
Community Halloween event.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Water waste is prohibited and can be enforced at all times.
- • MUD completed an inventory of water service lines and found no lines containing lead or other materials requiring replacement.
- • Mills Pond Dam improvements planned for later in 2025 to safely handle 75% of probable maximum flood. Trail along the top of the dam will be closed during construction.
- • For serious issues with short-term rentals (noise, parking), call 911 or Travis County Non-Emergency number at 512-974-0845, Opt. 3.
🚗Parking Information
- • St. Andrew's Church Parking Lot: 14311 Wells Port Drive (meeting location for volunteer events, potentially for park access)
Photos
What People Say
What's Great
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 5 reviews)
Recent Reviews
John Hack
3 weeks agoLovely park. Shade galore, plenty to do. Wide age ranges are entertained from the walk trails to the playscape to the disc golf course.
Michelle Jones
9 months agoThere are several activities to do at the park. There is swimming, soccer, basketball courts, and even a little homestead to explore. The park is always filled with community members having a good time, playing together, or reflecting on their day in the quiet partz. The park is dog friendly, kid friendly, mostly accessible by smooth trails but there are areas that have stairs which require someone with limited mobility to seek another route. A guaranteed enjoyable time when at Katherine Fleischer Park.
Alexander Stevens
10 months agoVery nice park to walk and ride. Safe environment in residential community. Snow skiing 🎿 does not happen very often, just that one time in 2020 I think it was. I take my dogs out there all the time.
Taylor Paul
a year agoThis is a great park with playgrounds, a huge playhouse and big park to run in. The best part is all the big trees that shade the whole park! Even in the Austin summer heat, it didn't feel bad! Not all parks offer this, so it's a huge plus! My 6 year old loved exploring the unique playhouse and running a lap around the field. We saw many kids with bikes going along the trail around the park. Definitely a great choice for any park day!
Olivea
9 months agoThis is my favorite park out of every park I’ve been to in Austin. It’s nice, actually full of nature. Has multiple fields, a little hiking trail with a dog park, butterfly garden and more. It’s so beautiful. Also I found grapes!