The Johnson Creek Trailhead near Austin High School, affectionately called “The Rock,” is the first stop for many Trail users. This popular meeting place sets the tone for each Trail experience, so we believed it should shine.

In 2010, The Trail Conservancy completed renovating this heavily used area to give it the beauty and functionality that the Trail and its enthusiasts deserve.

Major landscape improvements included adding native plants to rainwater gardens, drinking fountains, informal stretching areas, carefully crafted retaining walls, and erosion control. We also added restrooms – designed by Studio 8 Architects,

TTC planted carefully chosen native Central Texas trees to shade and beautify the Trail as part of our Healthy Trees for the Trail program. 

Because approximately 31% of Trail users enter the Trail from this area, we received considerable feedback through community engagement. The Austin firm of Bosse & Associates designed this enhancement.

The Johnson Creek Trailhead received the 2012 Keep Austin Beautiful Best of the Best Award.

Johnson Creek Trailhead Project Sponsors:

$50,000 and more: Anonymous, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, The Moody Foundation

$25,000 – $49,999: Austin Energy, Bosse & Associates, Austin Parks Foundation, Studio 8 Architects, Roger K Beasley, Austin Front Runners

$10,000 – $24,999: Susan Vaughan Foundation, The DuBose Family Foundation (Katie & Chris Roberts), Kathleen & Peter Huff, Craven Family Foundation, The Malloy Family, Griffin Davis & Heather Keating, The Pape Foundation, The Charles & Betti Saunders Foundation Fund

$5,000 – $9,999: Lynn Currie, Brian & Julianne Ott, Bill Kerr, Dell Foundation, Texas Realty Capital, Dave Andreas, Margot & Grant Thomas, Susan Plettman Rankin

$2,500- $4,999: Christopher Kennedy, Gayle Leonard, Laurie & Dave Weaver, Garnett Keith, Mike Elhaj, Niland Foundation, Jodi & Fred Zipp, Meredith & Jesse Weiss

$1,000 – $2,499: Nancy & Jack Collins, Anonymous Donor, Sarah Russ, Robert Wynn, Megan & Tony Rankin, Still Water Foundation, Stephanie Shoemaker, Jeff & Kelley Burrus, Greg Egger, Cheryl & Jim George, Ten Eyck Landscape Architects, Jacob & Terese Hershey Foundation, Mikiel Featherston, Bonnie Mills, Steve Shook, The GoodLife Team, Alexander & Irene Shoghi, William Curra, Kim Heilbrun & Bill Powers, Lyn & Jordan Weingarten, Frank & Shelley Livaudais, Nancy & Bob Inman, Mary Farabee, Matthew Thompson, Mary Phillips

$100- $999: Mr. & Mrs. George Ramsey, Jose Cortex & Celia Neavel, Jerry Bell, Dr. & Mrs. N. D. Moscoe, Colin Wallis, Patrick Brian, Carol & Pat Robertson, John & Laura Loudamy, Wesley Hoover, Malou Flato & John Taliaferro, Daniel O’Brien, Kira Zahn, David & Joan Hilgers, Coleen Regan, Kimberly Thompson, Lisa Huddleson, Pamela & Michael Reese, Linda Benge, Adrienne & Rick Pappas, Asher & Mark Flynn, Martha & Walter Culperpper, Joanne Ryan, Shelley Scott & Tom Forbes, Jon & Michelle Levy, Carolyn & Tom Curtis, Mike Perrine, Lance Lundberg, David Lee, Frances & Pete Schenkkan, Gijs Van Thie, Annie & Mark McKinnon, John Robertson, Valerie & Sam Dunnam, Douglas Ulman, Tracy & Mark Picone, Sara Kennedy, Dan & Kristi Williams, Ira Craig Hester, Emily Cardwell, Ronald Hebert, Pierce Runnels Foundation, Laura & Jim McBride, Alfred Wilder