The rock is still in the creek. On the Heritage Trail West pedestrian bridge, viewing platforms look down at the stone that gave Round Rock its name. Beside them, a Brushy Creek overlook and a safer crossing link Old Town to downtown over about a mile of trail that runs from just west of Chisholm Trail Road to Mays Street.
This fall, much of what's changing on the trail is happening somewhere you might not look. Round Rock's newest walking and biking pieces mostly aren't park projects. They're coming in as parts of road projects. As those pieces connect, the Brushy Creek trail works less like a loop you drive to and more like a route across the city. The largest break still in it sits at downtown's front door.
Where the Creek Path Stops Today
Today, the trail runs east from Heritage Trail West and ends at Mays Street. It picks up again past Georgetown Street. That second stretch is Brushy Creek Trail East, the section that briefly closed for maintenance in February just east of the Lance Lane tunnel, between Georgetown Street and A.W. Grimes Boulevard.
The missing link between Mays and Georgetown now has a contract. On Sept. 10, 2026, City Council approved construction of Heritage Trail East. It will run along the north side of Brushy Creek and pass beneath existing bridges, so walkers won't have to cross at street level. The city calls it one of the last remaining sections of the Brushy Creek Regional Trail and expects construction to take about 18 months. Funding comes from the 2023 voter-approved GO Bond program.
At the same meeting, Council adopted an updated Trails Master Plan. Its stated focus is closing gaps along Brushy Creek, with future trails also identified in northwest Round Rock and around Dry Creek and Chandler Creek. The city states the intent plainly:
"The goal is to make trails more than places for recreation. A better-connected system can also provide residents with additional ways to travel around the city, connect to destinations and gather with the community."
So far, most of that connecting has been done by road crews.
The New Brushy Creek Crossing on the West Side
The Wyoming Springs Drive extension has been in the city's Transportation Master Plan since 1999. It extends Wyoming Springs from Creekbend Boulevard to FM 3406 and adds a crossing over Brushy Creek. The city notes there are few crossings in that area, which pushes traffic onto FM 3406, Sam Bass Road and RM 620.
The part trail users will care about was added after community feedback. The design includes shared-use paths that connect directly to the existing Brushy Creek Regional Trail. The road runs near the Hairy Man Road corridor, and engineers aligned it to avoid as many trees as possible. On the project page, the city says it used retaining walls and tree wells to protect root zones and followed the existing ground profile.
The road is close to done, but not confirmed open. The city's August 2026 update listed the remaining work as bridge railings, fencing, planting, the final asphalt layer and striping, and it anticipated a "late September to early October" opening. Community Impact's Sept. 23 roundup still listed it as ongoing, with a timeline that ends in October 2026. If you walk the west end in the next few weeks, you may see the new paths before they're signed open.
This matters for the trail map. The city counts about 3.06 miles of Brushy Creek Trail inside Round Rock and 6.75 miles in the Williamson County segments. A road crossing with its own paths gives that county mileage on the west side another way in and out, besides the trailheads you drive to.
The Same Pattern in the Northeast
The Old Settlers Boulevard extension opened at a ribbon-cutting on Sept. 21, 2026. It's a nearly mile-long, four-lane connection between North Red Bud Lane and County Road 110, with twin bridges over McNutt Creek. One side has a 10-foot shared-use path and the other a six-foot sidewalk. Both tie into existing pedestrian routes in Siena and along Old Settlers Boulevard and North Red Bud Lane, and a new signal and crosswalk went in at CR 110.
Williamson County's report on the opening quotes County Judge Steve Snell describing the road as easing congestion and offering a safe way to walk and bike. The city's release says long-range plans call for Old Settlers Boulevard to eventually continue east to State Highway 130.
Like Wyoming Springs, this is a new road carrying a path sized for bikes and strollers, built into the road itself. Upcoming projects follow the same pattern. The planned North Mays Street widening includes a 10-foot shared-use path on its west side.
Walking the Creek West to East This Month
Before Heritage Trail East is built, here's how the existing creek stops line up from west to east. Amenity details for several of these parks come from older city pages, so check what's available on site.
- Memorial Park. A 0.60-mile shaded trail along Brushy Creek with a view of the Round Rock in the creek. The city lists picnic tables, grills and drinking fountains.
- Chisholm Trail Crossing Park. A small, 1.51-acre stop off Chisholm Trail Road with a sculpture exhibit, parking near the entrance and four picnic tables around the park.
- Heritage Trail West and Old Town. The pedestrian bridge and overlook, plus the relocated 1850s Stagecoach Inn. Round Rock Preservation unveiled engraved history bricks there at the Inn's grand opening. This is where the trail reaches Mays Street and the current gap starts.
- Rabb Park. East of the gap, a creekside park on the Brushy Creek Trail System, next to Play for All Abilities Park. In May, Play for All added a sustainability-themed play pod at 151 N. A.W. Grimes Blvd. with a recycling-truck slide and an accessible merry-go-round.
- Freeman Park. The city lists it as a Brushy Creek Trail System trailhead, with a parking lot, pavilion, playscape and open fields.
For now, walking stops 3 through 5 in one outing means leaving the creek between Mays and Georgetown. Heritage Trail East is the project meant to close that stretch.
Bringing the Dog
Round Rock's leash law applies along the whole route. Dogs must be on a leash, in a fenced yard or tied out. The city's off-leash exception is Dog Depot at 800 Deerfoot Drive, behind Lake Creek Pool. It's a fenced 1.85-acre park with separate areas for large dogs and dogs under 40 pounds, plus a rotation area. Restrooms are at the Lake Creek Park pavilion just outside the fence.
Drinking fountains are listed at Memorial Park and Rabb Park, but the city pages don't mention dog bowls or pet water stations. On a warm October afternoon, bring water for your dog.
Finishing Downtown on a Weekday
The gap at Mays Street is a short walk from Main Street, where the city has scheduled a free fall program around the middle of the week. Hometown Lunchtime Parklet Shows run Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Oct. 6 through Nov. 19, rotating among downtown parklets. Sites include spots by The Brass Tap, LampPost Coffee, the Downtown Paseo and the Griffith Building. Music on Main moves to Wednesday evenings, 7 to 9 p.m., starting Oct. 7, with concerts listed into December.
Two of the businesses those parklet sites are named for are both on East Main Street. LampPost Coffee is at 201 E. Main St., Suite 101. The Brass Tap, a beer bar that also serves wine, cocktails and food, is at 204 E. Main St. Heritage Trail West already links Old Town to downtown at Mays Street, and Heritage Trail East is meant to carry the creek path east from there.
Further out, the city's Lawn at Brushy Creek park plan includes a bridge connection to downtown and to the proposed Heritage Trail East. The project page we found still lists it as under design with no construction schedule.
Here at Dueñas Realty Group, For The Pups is part of who we are, so we pay attention to which streets have a shared-use path and which trailheads have shade, because that's a real part of daily life here. If you're weighing a move within Round Rock and want to know which streets connect easily to the Brushy Creek trail, let's talk. Start your move with a free consultation and home valuation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
