Barton Creek Community Guide

Barton Creek is a highly sought after residential area in southwest Austin, approximately 15 minutes from downtown. It covers much of the area between Bee Cave Road, Loop 360 and Southwest Parkway.

Barton Creek communities sit on the 120-square mile Barton Creek Watershed, which was named for William Barton, one of the original settlers to build a home in the area in 1837. The creek itself is a tributary of the Colorado River, beginning in Hays County and running 40 miles through Hill Country, before merging with Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin. Its winding path has created beautiful scenery and is surrounded by the Barton Creek Greenbelt, a 7.25 mile span of public parkland full of hills, cliffs, trails, and a stunning wilderness area.

Not far from the creek itself, you’ll find a variety of lovely Barton Creek communities known for their upscale homes and access to the exclusive Barton Creek Country Club. These unique neighborhoods feature all types of real estate, from stunning custom homes to condominiums and retirement living. Some of the current neighborhoods include Calera Court, Calera Drive, and Mirador Drive, Escala Drive, The Foothills, The Estates, The Woods, The Fairways, The Ridge, The Terraces, Watersmark, North Rim, Wimberly Lane, Governor’s Hill, Querencia at Barton Creek and The Marquis at Barton Creek.

Homes in the Barton Creek area range in price from the low $400’s to over $4 Million.

Barton Creek Demographics
Barton Creek is home to approximately 1,600 people. Among residents age 25 or older, an impressive 77 percent have a Bachelors degree or higher, and more than 33 percent have a graduate or professional degree. The median household income is significantly higher in Barton Creek than in the rest of the state, estimated at $162,900 as recently as 2005.

Things to do in Barton Creek
Residents of Barton Creek can choose from a variety of attractions, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment both near their homes and throughout the Austin area.

Most of the Barton Creek communities are known for the amenities that come with membership at the Barton Creek Country Club. Sharing amenities with the Barton Creek Resort and Spa, the club offers a wide range of attractions, and features a Members exclusive Clubhouse with private Member’s Dining Room, Member’s Bar and Lounge, and private locker rooms.

The Barton Creek Country Club Members Dining and Lounge offers wonderful dining as well as pool and golf course views. Members are invited to enjoy the restaurants and bar areas in the hotel, including the Austin Grill, the Hill Country Dining Room and Jim Bob’s Lounge. From a casual to gourmet dining experience, restaurants at Barton Creek Resort and Spa offer something for every dining style, each with a distinctly Austin flair.

The Barton Creek Country Club attracts avid golfers with four championship courses, designed by masters Tom Fazio, Arnold Palmer and Ben Crenshaw. The courses have been honored by Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, and Conde Nast Traveler magazines and have received high rankings in the Dallas Morning News annual Best in Texas Golf survey.

For fitness-minded residents, the Tennis Center offers twelve lighted courts with programs for women, men and juniors of all levels. The Fitness Center and Spa includes an indoor jogging track, nature trail, indoor swimming pool, free weights, aerobic conditioning, resistance equipment, spa and salon.

At the Barton Creek Greenbelt, managed by the Austin’s Park and Recreation department, residents can enjoy hiking on one of the best trails in Texas. Large limestone cliffs make for great rock climbing, and the trails appeal to mountain bikers as well.

In nearby Zilker Park, residents and visitors can enjoy a swim in the beautiful Barton Springs Pool, a popular swimming hole and city landmark. Spanning three acres, the natural rock-bottom pool is fed by underground springs and maintains a year-round temperature of close to 68 degrees.

Zilker Park also offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including hike and bike trails, train rides, volleyball courts, soccer fields, and a rugby field. It is home to the Zilker Botanical Gardens and the Austin Nature and Science Center. The Zilker Hillside Theater hosts concerts with all types of music and performances such as Shakespeare in the Park. For true Austin music enthusiasts, Zilker is also home to the annual Austin City Limits music festival.

Barton Creek residents with a penchant for shopping will find themselves in a true shopper’s paradise. There are over 180 well-known and specialty retailers at Barton Creek Square mall, near Capital of Texas Highway and Loop 1. The mall offers anchor stores like Dillard's, Macy’s, JCPenney, Nordstrom and Sears, as well as specialty retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, bebe, Children's Place, Pottery Barn, and Williams-Sonoma.

And just minutes away, downtown Austin provides exquisite dining, live music, and a variety of attractions to suit any taste.

Barton Creek Schools
Most homes in Barton Creek are aligned with schools in the Austin Independent School District. However, many children attend private school as there are five in or around Barton Creek, including St. Andrews Episcopal school, St. Gabriel's Catholic school, St. Michael's Catholic Academy, St. Stephen’s Episcopal School and Regents School.

Barton Creek Major employers
Major employers in Austin include the Austin Independent School District, City of Austin, IBM, Seton Healthcare Network, State of Texas, University of Texas at Austin, Advanced Micro Devices, and Applied Materials.

Barton Creek Places of worship
Residents of Barton Creek have access to several places of worship near the community, including Westlake Bible Church, Lake Hills Church, Westlake Presbyterian Church, Saint Christopher’s Episcopal Church, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Global Missions Fellowship Church, Oak Hill Assembly of God Church, and Oak Hill Church of Christ. Additionally, the greater Austin area includes several synagogues, mosques, Hindu temples, and more than 350 churches of every denomination.