Lake Austin Parks
Commons Ford Metropolitan Park, at 614 Commons Ford Road
North, offers fishing, volleyball and barbecues. The 215 acre park contains plenty of wide
open spaces and is available for group reservations or spur-of-the-moment fun in the sun.
The ranchhouse is available for events rental such as weddings, reunions and other party
activities.
Emma Long Metropolitan Park (City Park), at 1600 City Park Road, has
something for everyone. With 1,147 acres of park featuring a shoreline along Lake Austin,
Emma Long offers lake swimming areas, fishing, boat ramps and docks-designed for both
motor and sailboats, a wading area and a bathhouse. For the sport enthusiasts, Emma Long
offers and open playfield, volleyball, archery and a motorcycle track which is also
availble to mountain bikers. Families can enjoy the scenic picnic areas complete with
barbecue pits and reservation areas. Emma Long is the only Austin park to offer overnight
camping. There is an entry charge for Emma Long Park.
Mary Quinlan Park, located on the upper reaches of Lake Austin. This
small, moderately visited park offers 5.8 acres of rolling hills with 200 feet of
shoreline access, including the only public boat ramp for several miles. Because of the
narrow width of Lake Austin in this area, Mary Quinlan Park preserves much of the feel of
the original steep-sloped Colorado River bottoms.
Selma Hughes Park, is a small neighborhood park on the north shore of Lake Austin. With 400 feet of grassy shoreline, Selma Hughes Park offers several shady picnic areas with nice views of the upper reaches of Lake Austin. Because of the narrow width of Lake Austin in this area, Selma Hughes Park preserves much of the feel of the original steep-sloped Colorado River bottoms. Due to its limited capacity, this park is used primarily by area residents.