Getting there: From RR 620, heading north towards Round Rock, turn left on
Parmer Lane and head northwest. Turn right on Brushy Creek Road and look for the park entrance
on the right.
The Hike: Brushy Creek Lake Park is one of Cedar Park's newest, so new that I
happened upon it by accident as I was finishing up a hike along the
Brushy Creek Regional Trail.
Nestled behind the dam that created Brushy Creek Lake (really a pond), the park is ringed
by the trail along all sides and with a few cross trails. The majority of the trails contain
surfaces of crushed granite.
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The trail winds along Brushy Creek Lake's shoreline.
The more interesting terrain can be found in the small loops on the western side of the park. Here
the trail surface is mulch and the vegetation closes in. It's not a rough experience by any means,
but these small loops provide the only real possibility of achieving any solitude in the park.
The northern loop also contains an interesting feature that caught me by surprise. Was it a rare
geological formation? Crop circles to signal aliens? No, it's a maze constructed in a clearing
along the trail. The outline of the maze is made of lines of rock, no more than a few inches high.
The entire maze is contained in a circle with an entry and exit point. I didn't have the time to
try the maze out though it struck me as a neat addition to the park. Click on the topo map above
for a larger view that shows the maze's location.
In total there are about 1.75 miles of trail. It's a fine place for a shorter stroll and one could
always continue on to the Brushy Creek Regional Trail
for more mileage. You'll want to look elsewhere for a serious hike.