Sunset Valley Nature Area
Managed by City of Sunset Valley
75 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Photo: SunsetValley · CC BY-SA 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Sunset Valley
21% of Sunset Valley’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Sunset Valley Nature Area (1.8 mi), South Hills Conservation Area (1.7 mi). 21% of Sunset Valley’s land is conserved, about 182 acres.
Conserved land
21%
182 acres · of 1.4 sq mi of land
Trails
5.6 mi
4.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
179 ac
220 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
2.8 mi
0.1 mi lanes · 2.7 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
1
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Sunset Valley Nature Area, with 1.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
South Hills Conservation Area
Managed by City of Sunset Valley
43 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trail sign
Brodie and Oakdale Properties
Managed by City of Sunset Valley
13 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Cougar Creek Greenbelt
Managed by City of Sunset Valley
24 acres0.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 10 parks & preserves
Sunset Valley Nature Area75 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · City of Sunset Valley
South Hills Conservation Area43 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · City of Sunset Valley
DirectionsBrodie and Oakdale Properties13 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Sunset Valley
Cougar Creek Greenbelt24 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Sunset Valley
DirectionsGaines Greenbelt21 acres · Austin Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsIndian Grass Prarie Preserve19 acres · City of Sunset Valley
DirectionsUplands10 acres · City of Sunset Valley
Directions37 Lone Oak Trail Open Space7 acres · City of Sunset Valley
Westgate and Sunset Properties2 acres · City of Sunset Valley
DirectionsValley Creek Park1 acres · City of Sunset Valley
Who protects it
182 conserved acres
21% of Sunset Valley’s land. Who manages Sunset Valley’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city202 ac
Joint117 ac
Not recorded4 ac
Conservation Easement · 182 acLocal Conservation Area · 96 acLocal Park · 25 acLocal Recreation Area · 20 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 41 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 2 of 14 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunset Valley Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 96 | Open |
| Cougar Creek Greenbelt Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 20 | Open |
| Sunset Valley Park Local Park | Town or city | 12 | Open |
| Sunset Valley Conservation Area and Open Space 2 Local Park | Town or city | 7 | Open |
| Balcones Canyonland Preserve:Gaines Greenbelt Local Park | Not recorded | 4 | Open |
| Valley Creek Park Local Park | Town or city | 2 | Open |
Things to do
2 places to go in Sunset Valley
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Sunset Valley
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Community gardens in Sunset Valley
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
2.8 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
2.7 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
7Tracks
2Football
1Baseball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
April is the best month for walking in Sunset Valley
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.4 | 11.1 | 11.9 | 12.9 | 13.7 | 14.1 | 13.9 | 13.2 | 12.3 | 11.4 | 10.6 | 10.2 |
| High (°F) | 62 | 66 | 73 | 80 | 86 | 93 | 96 | 97 | 91 | 82 | 71 | 63 |
| Rain (in) | 2.5 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 4.6 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 2.9 | 2.6 |
February is the driest month (2.1 in) and August the warmest (highs of 97 °F). 4.6 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 97 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Sunset Valley →
Questions about parks and trails in Sunset Valley
Where can I hike in Sunset Valley?
The longest trail networks: Sunset Valley Nature Area, 1.8 miles; South Hills Conservation Area, 1.7 miles; Brodie and Oakdale Properties, 0.3 miles; Cougar Creek Greenbelt, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Sunset Valley’s trails?
Sunset Valley Nature Area and South Hills Conservation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Sunset Valley?
2.8 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.1 of painted or protected lanes and 2.7 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Sunset Valley?
18,449 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Sunset Valley or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 190 of them inside the city line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Sunset Valley neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →