Lake Pflugerville Trail

The Lake Pflugerville Trail is a recent addition to the area, created with the development of the man made Lake Pflugerville that serves as a water source for the city. As such, it is still a work in development and its true character won't be apparent for some time, perhaps years.

There are several trailheads around the perimeter of the lake. We chose the "main" parking area indicated by the Trailhead marker on the track displayed on the map. There are more facilities here which may be of interest if you are not just coming for a stroll around the lake. There are bathrooms, a pavilion for picnicking, beach access to the lake and a boat rental outfit.

The trail simply follows the contour of the lake and thus is fairly flat throughout. The surface is mostly crushed granite with some paved areas in spots. Thus the entire trail can probably be considered to be ADA accessible.

Be prepared with sun screen on sunny days since there is no relief in the form of shade anywhere along the trail's path. There will be one day, just not now. A large number of trees have been planted along the route but most only reach heights of about 6-8 feet and only a few cast shadows that are just beginning to reach the edge of the path.

The trees will also serve as wind breaks in due time. Not only was it windy during our hike but the listing trees testified to the frequent gusts in the area.

There are a number of piers around the lake and fishermen seemed about as numerous as walkers. Though I saw no sign prohibiting them, we don't recall seeing a single bike on the trail.

The organization responsible for the trail has partnered with several local groups to sponsor trail segments, something akin to the adopt a highway programs. Every quarter mile or so another small sign announces those who have stepped up to perform routine maintenance and cleanup of the trail to everyone's benefit.

The trail is a simple loop. If you keep walking in one direction you'll end up exactly where you started and have completed almost exactly 3 miles of hiking in the process. Lake Pflugerville is not the place to go for a strenuous hike, solitude or shade but it does provide a convenient spot for area residents to get some mileage under their belts. The shade will come in time.