Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve

— Tucked in southwest Austin, just a few minutes from downtown, you can find 227 acres of Hill Country protected land as part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP). Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve is a quiet place that offers beautiful Hill Country and city views. The 2.5 miles (4 km) of trail are open to visitors from sunrise to sunset daily. The Wild Basin Creative Research Center located at the entrance of the preserve is open only Monday through Friday, 9AM-4PM. No bikes or pets are allowed in the preserve. The preserve is home of endangered species including the Golden-cheeked warbler as well as other native plant and wildlife species. If for some reason you are pushed for time and do not feel like doing the entire short loop, I’d recommend bearing right at the fork when you start your hike. You’ll get to this waterfall in about a mile. The photo above was created barely a year ago, when I spent an afternoon at the preserve. I took three bracketed images and merged them to capture more of the highlights and shadows in the area.