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Berry Springs Park and Preserve has a wide variety of trails for those who love nature. On the nearly 7 miles of trails you can see waterfalls, springs, wetlands, ponds, wildflower areas, birds, donkeys, historic buildings and much much more. Bikers, hikers, joggers, birders, history buffs and dog walkers are welcome on all trails. There are even trails designed with the equestrian in mind. Fishing is especially popular in the large Mill Pond and birders often visit the park to view some of the more than 200 species seen here. And of course there are the hundreds of species of wildflowers found everywhere!
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Texas Bullnettle
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Berry Springs supports hundreds of species plants within it's borders. Although most are harmless there are a few
which must be treated carefully as they could be poisonous or dangerous to touch. Fortunately only a couple of them grow close to the edges of the path so hikers need not worry. However, for those who like to go off of the paths it is best to familiarize yourself with the plants should be avoided.
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Butterflies are everywhere! There are 64 species of butterflies that have been seen in Williamson County and many of these will be found at Berry Springs. Their wonderful colors never cease to amaze and the wing patterns vary tremendously with fake eyes and fake antennae. To avoid being lunch for some hungry bird or lizard they intentionally fly a very erratic path. In addition, if they sense motion they will either fly away or close their wings to make themselves more difficult to see. All butterflies go through 4 stages of metamorphosis starting out as eggs, hatching into larva, becoming a pupa (cocoon stage) and finally becoming the beautiful adult that we have come to love.
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Common Buckeye
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Texas Prickly Pear Flower
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Berry Springs is incredibly rich in wildflowers with more than 270 species of plants to be found in the park. Although springtime is best to see the greatest variety of flowers blooming at the same time one can see blooms in the park year round! You will find forest, wetland and prairie habitats supporting the abundant plant and animal life.
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| People who love birds will love Berry Springs with more than 200 species of Birds having been seen in the park!
This park has birds for everyone ranging from water birds and owls to birds of prey. Many bird watch clubs make
multiple trips per year to the Nature Preserve and they always see something interesting. |
Crested Caracara
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Halloween Pennant Dragonfly
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Dragonflies and Damselflies rank amongst the oldest of all the known insects on the planet having remained almost unchanged for nearly 300 million years. They can be found everywhere in the park including the prairie and especially near water. To photograph one of these just look around until you see a dragonfly. It won't take long. Sit quietly in the area and they will lose their fear of you and may even land on you! Don't worry as they do not sting or bite. |
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| Berry Springs is a nature preserve and so one can expect to see the occasional snake. The most common snakes found here are the harmless Rat Snake and Ribbon Snake. The Rat Snake is often seen on land but will occasionally swim across a pond or creek. Ribbon Snakes are usually seen in the water but can occasionally be seen disappearing into the underbrush. There are a few poisonous snakes in the park so be careful and do not touch the snakes. If you are not certain about a snakes identity then you should assume that it is venomous. Most of them are as afraid of you as most people are of them.
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Texas Rat Snake
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White-tailed Deer
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Berry Springs has a wonderful variety of animals walking, swimming, flying, crawling and slithering around the park! This is because of the presence of healthy prairie, forest, streams and ponds. Walking around the park and nature center you will see a wide variety of wildlife if you look carefully. Look but don't touch so this wonderful place will be around for the next person to visit!
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| Frogs and toads are an incredibly successful group of animals and have been around for more than a quarter billion years! They are very flexible eaters consuming large and small plants and animals and so can find food both on land and in the water. This makes them formidable survivors living in climates that vary from near deserts to swamps and rivers. At Berry Springs you will find them living along the creek, along the ponds, under rocks, in burrows and in the trees! Drop by around sunset if you would like to hear them calling to each other.
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Green Tree Frog
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Green Sunfish
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Berry Springs is a favorite stop for many fishermen in the area. It contains many species of native fishes as well as
being stocked with Largemouth Bass, Readear Sunfish and Bluegill. You can fish from the large pond near the dam or on any of the 3 sloughs connected to it. While there you will enjoy the many waterbirds, turtles and other wildlife in this beautiful park. Catch & Release is encouraged for the enjoyment of all anglers and future generations.
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| Mushrooms are amazing! They come in all colors and forms from "Turkey Tails" to "Ear Jellies" to the common toadstool forms. They have been used as sources of food, vitamins and minerals, dyes, medicines, psychedelics and poisons. Some pop up overnight while others grow very slowly. They can vary in size from something barely visible to the naked eye to giant forms a foot or more across. Some live on trees and logs while others grow on the ground and have an amazing array of structures if one looks closely. It is thought that some forms of fungi (mushrooms) have been around for more than a billion years.
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Ear Jelly
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Invasive Plants
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Invasive plants are a major problem in nature areas, roadsides, ranch and farm fields and many other areas. They are usually brought to an area because of their beauty or for some particular task such as erosion control. Eventually they escape and grow like crazy because they are no longer constrained by their local competitors. Unfortunately they often take over large areas and push out the native plants and crops. This in turn affects the native animal populations and the whole thing can spread out of control across states and even countries.
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Useful (offsite) Links
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