- Please support our journalism through affiliate links. Affiliate Disclosure
Lady Bird Lake, an urban lake situated in downtown Austin, was formed by the 1960 damming of the Colorado River with the Longhorn Dam.
The dam was erected for flood control and for recreation, and the lake named for Lady Bird Johnson, former first lady of the United States and long-time Austin resident.
The lake is surrounded with hotels and apartment blocks, but there are also plenty of parks, including Auditorium Shores on its south side where open-air concerts are performed, and Zilker Park, Austin’s largest park from which canoers, kayakers, and rowers can launch. No motorized watercraft are permitted on Lady Bird Lake, and swimming is not allowed because water is polluted. Fish caught in the lake are inedible due to high levels of chlordane in the water. A 10.1-mile hiking and biking trail runs the full circumference of the lake and is very popular with residents and visitors.
Auditorium Shores, 900 West Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78704, Phone:512-974-6700
Plan Your Trip
Get Ready to Go!
- Search flights and stays nearby.
- Book your car rental.
Need some more help?
Read our Reservations & Travel Planning Tips guide.