Over the summer we took an early morning hike along the Pickett Trail in Georgetown. We beat both the heat and the crowds by going so early, but we failed to beat the mosquitoes. Is that even possible during the summer in Texas? Well, be warned, you will definitely want to spray yourself down with mosquito repellent thoroughly before hiking here in the summer!
Finding the Pickett Trail Head
Even with all the little blood-sucking pests tagging along with us on our hike, we still found it to be fun and pleasant. From what I understand, there are at least a couple of different ways to enter this trail. We opted for the trailhead at Chautauqua Park and ended up at Blue Hole which surprised us! You could also begin this hike another way. For instance, you could start at Blue Hole and end at the park.
The Trail
You will come to a bridge soon after you begin your hike if you start the way we did. The trail involves a lot of climbing at certain spots. There are many stairs and drop-off points that could be very dangerous if you do no keep a close eye on your kids. You hike along the San Gabriel River for much of this trail as well, so watch your little ones! Luckily for us, no one fell off a cliff or into the water while we were on our hike. It was fun to just stop and look into the water along the way. It would be a great spot to sit and fish for a while.
Blue Hole
Our path ended up leading us right into Blue Hole Park! We had no idea it was going to do this, but it was such a pleasant surprise! Blue Hole had been closed to the public due to Covid restrictions, but the trail never indicated that it was closed and we honestly had no idea. Our only clue was when we realized where we were and then saw that there were zero other people there. It was so exciting (and a little bit eerie) to have the entire place to ourselves!
We found our way back to the trail that looped us back through a neighborhood and to the street where we parked our car. We passed by Old Georgetown Cemetery on our way back. For more easy hikes, go here!
Austin Active Kids Opinion
It’s an easy trail but with some steep inclines and cliff drops. Our toddler was two and a half and did fine, but please watch your kids!
Pickett Trail Outing Time
It took about an hour to complete the trail. If you plan on hanging out at Blue Hole before you hike or at the end of your hike, you could definitely plan on staying there to swim for a couple more hours at least.
Reminders
Don’t forget to spray for mosquitoes, bring plenty of water, and watch your kids near the edges of cliffs. If you plan on staying at Blue Hole, pack swim suits, floats or tubes, sunscreen, and snacks. Dogs are allowed on leash.
Pickett Trail Location
Trailhead at Chautauqua Park: 602 Rucker St, Georgetown
Trailhead at Blue Hole Park: 100 Blue Hole Park, Georgetown
Hours
Chautauqua Park’s hours are 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Blue Hole’s hours are 5 a.m. – 10 p.m.
