Trail History
In the 1960s the banks of Austin’s Colorado River were nothing like the lush oasis they are now. In fact, the area was nearly barren. Floods, common in the Hill Country at that time, regularly swept trees and brush away. The tree-lined shores of today are a result of the stability introduced by damming the river.
Austin’s first dam, where the current Tom Miller Dam resides, was constructed from 1890 to 1893 and named The Great Granite Dam. That structure was destroyed by a massive flood and later rebuilt as Austin Dam from 1909 to 1912. This second dam was also destroyed by flood. Each of these floods wiped out the great majority of trees that lined the river. The current Tom Miller Dam was built from 1938 to 1940 atop the remains of the previous structures.
In 1960, the Colorado River was tamed by Longhorn Dam to the east. Town Lake was born.
Another decade would pass before the Town Lake Beautification Committee was formed in 1971. The committee included many notable Austin citizens including honorary chair Lady Bird Johnson, Les Gage, Ann Butler, Carolyn Curtis, Emma Long, and Jim Pfluger among others. In cooperation with Mayor Roy Butler, they set out to create a scenic corridor of hiking trails and landscaping that would allow residents and visitors the opportunity for a rural escape in an urban setting. Gazebos at Auditorium Shores (S. 1st St. at Riverside) and Lou Neff Point (where Barton Springs flows into Lady Bird Lake) were dedicated around this time. In 2007, following the death of Lady Bird Johnson, the lake was renamed Lady Bird Lake.
Decades after its birth, the Trail stands as a testament to the vision and hard work of these individuals and the support of the citizens of Austin. It is The Trail Foundation’s resolve to see that their work is carried forward for generations.
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