Austin’s ambitious Violet Crown Trail will one day be 30 miles long, but it has to start somewhere. The addition of a Mile Zero Trailhead and Education Pavilion at Zilker Park will be celebrated at a grand opening on November 15 where guests can enjoy breakfast tacos by Slab BBQ, live music by Bat City Brass Band, guided nature hikes and bike rides, and more.
The trailhead is located at 2212 William Barton Dr., where William Barton curves up to meet Columbus Drive. There is a Mile Zero marker — a big, circular arch framing the trail — which will be approached from the west through a gathering area with large rocks to sit on and some added plants and trees.
Just a few hundred feet down the trail, visitors will find the Meadow Pavilion and an observation and overlook deck. The pavilion provides shade with a concave, butterfly-inspired roof, plus some seating and bike racks according to renderings. The observation deck looks onto Barton Creek…