Mount Bonnell

Mount Bonnell rises above the Lake Austin reach of the Colorado River and has been a popular Austin destination since the eighteen fifties for its sweeping public view of water, city, and hills. Though often called the city’s highest point, its importance lies more in its accessible panorama and in its geology as part of the Balcones Fault Escarpment, where the Mount Bonnell fault is especially prominent. The mountain is usually associated with George W. Bonnell, though its naming remains uncertain. It also figures in early frontier stories, local legend, and later recreational outings, giving its limestone summit a lasting place in Austin’s identity.

Austin, Texas · United States