Hill Country Conservancy has begun construction on the Mile Zero Trailhead, which will mark the starting point of the Violet Crown Trail (Mile Zero) at Zilker Park.

Work on the trailhead begins January 2025 and is anticipated to last through the end of 2025. 

The trail is still currently accessible from Zilker Park, but as trail access changes, this page will be updated.

Plans for the Mile Zero Trailhead
The Violet Crown Trail Mile-Zero Trailhead and Education Center at Zilker Park will create a communal place for park visitors to gather, learn, and enjoy the serenity of nature. Below you can see proposed renderings of the Trailhead. The first image shows the trail entrance and meadow as they currently are. The second image shows what the trailhead and trail route will look like after the trailhead is completed.

The entryway will feature a steel “zero” arching over the trail (B), standing tall enough for wayfinding while honoring the transition from a city park to a nature immersion trail. Hill Country Conservancy will restore the current grass and dirt field into a native grass and wildflower meadow. In the meadow, HCC will build a “Butterfly Pavilion” kiosk with resting benches, trail maps, and bike racks (C), along with directional and educational signage regarding the ecological benefit of native grasses and wildflowers and how they work to protect and filter our water supply.  A short distance down the trail, HCC will construct an overlook to Barton Creek (D) and information about how Barton Springs and Barton Creek interact with our regional aquifer system.

Background Information
In 2006, Hill Country Conservancy began planning a first-of-its-kind regional trail system, originally called the Walk For A Day Trail, in Central Texas. The goal of the project, now called the Violet Crown Trail, is to provide a unique recreational experience through urban wildlands, greenbelts, parkland, public rights-of-way, and water-quality lands. Along its route, the trail will connect scenic natural areas to neighborhoods, shopping centers, a library, and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Once complete, the 30-mile trail will be the longest trail of its kind in Central Texas. 13 contiguous miles of the Trail have been completed and are open for public use. Visit https://violetcrowntrail.com/plan-your-trip/ for more information and to plan your next adventure. Through a Parkland Improvement Agreement, HCC has led the design, permitting, and construction of this trailhead for the Violet Crown Trail in Zilker Park and Barton Creek Greenbelt. The project received its permit in January 2022. Funding is being provided through Hill Country Conservancy, Austin Parks Foundation, and City of Austin Parkland Dedication funds. For more information on the City of Austin's partnership on the Violet Crown Trail, visit the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department Violet Crown Trail website.

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