The Trail Conservancy marks 20 years of protecting, enhancing trail at Lady Bird Lake

Anderson said the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail is an Austin staple that was handed down to the nonprofit by the original Town Lake Beautification Committee, led by Lady Bird Johnson and Ann Butler.

"[Johnson and Butler] understood the responsibility of caring for this park, ensuring we could experience it in all its glory many years later," Anderson said. "Now, it is up to all of us to protect it for the benefit of all the generations to come."

In June 2022, TTC signed a park operations and maintenance agreement, or POMA, with the city of Austin that transferred primary stewardship of the 10-mile hike-and-bike trail, along with the nearly 200 acres of parkland the trail sits on.

"The agreement provides a road map for what needs to be done to protect, preserve and enhance the trail as a shared and cherished community asset while serving as a model for other conservancies in Austin and elsewhere," Anderson said.

Some of the highlights of the POMA include:

• The parkland will always remain public property owned by the city.
• TTC will have more opportunities to host programming and family-friendly events along the trail, including live musical performances such as the weekly Music on the Trail series, volunteer opportunities, fitness activations and more.
• The trail will never be closed off for events.
• TTC has created an extensive operations and maintenance plan that includes plantings, tree care, trail edge maintenance and more to beautify and restore ecological growth.
• TTC will continue to expand its organizational capacity and private funding to manage and pay for its new role and phased plans.

Looking forward

"The future looks bright and is filled with growth," Anderson said. "We have plans to announce some very exciting initiatives and to scale into our new role of operations and maintenance in the park and trail space."

Some of the initiatives include:

• Arts & Culture program launch: In partnership with the Austin Parks and Recreation Department and the Austin Art in Public Places, TTC is releasing an arts and culture plan for the Butler Trail.
  • "This is more than a visionary plan for art exhibits on the trail," Anderson said. "It is a way to elevate experiences for trail users without overwhelming, distracting or complicating the environment."
• East Side Play Area: TTC plans to create an additional play area along the northeast section of the Butler Trail, which was recently realigned between Fiesta Gardens and the Camacho Activity Center.
  • "The vision is to provide creative spaces for play that engage entire families and reflect the immersive feeling of nature the trail evokes," Anderson said.
• Rainey Street Trailhead: TTC plans to break ground on the long-awaited Rainey Street Trailhead later in 2023.
• Amenity upgrades: An extensive enhancement of the Butler exercise equipment is scheduled to open in July, and will include the first solar-powered chilled drinking fountain on the trail.
• Comprehensive signage plan: TTC will finish the plans to create consistent signage and a uniform wayfinding system along the trail.
  • "These efforts have already been launched and will be rooted in comprehensive, extensive and inclusive community engagement," Anderson said.

Get involved

As a local nonprofit organization, TTC depends largely on its members, volunteers and sponsors to continue its mission of maintaining and beautifying the environment along the trail. Anderson said there are several ways to help TTC accomplish its goals, including:

• Members: Memberships range from $1-$25,000-plus annually, and can be made as a one-time gift or by becoming a sustaining member.
  • "Members are essential to TTC because their contributions fill funding gaps. We have several yearlong membership tiers available," Anderson said. "Or by simply donating any amount, you'll automatically become part of our community of members."
• Volunteers: Individuals, businesses, corporations and community groups are invited to volunteer throughout the year.
  • "Volunteers amplify our efforts to improve the trail by helping to weed, collect seeds, remove invasive plant species, pick up litter and support other ecological activities," Anderson said. "We also have corporate volunteer opportunities available for large groups. Volunteer opportunities are posted on our website."
• Sponsors: TTC offers several sponsorship opportunities which can include companies, individuals, businesses and foundations.
  • "Corporations can give back to the trail in a special way," Anderson said. "Sponsor or co-sponsor a project or event such as our annual gala, Twilight on the Trail, which will be on Nov. 5."
• Tip the Trail: The trail is free for anyone to use; however, a $1 donation is appreciated and can go a long way, Anderson said.
  • "With over 5 million visits every year, imagine what we could accomplish if everyone tipped $1 each time they visited the trail," Anderson said.

The trail winds through trees and bridges along the shores of the Colorado River and stretches from the Tom Miller Dam on the west side to the Longhorn Dam on the east side. To find out more about the trail or trail etiquette, visit the TTC website or call 1-855-448-7245. Click here to view a detailed map of the trail.