Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve is 227 acres of forest and trails open to the public from dawn until dusk daily. Experience the beauty of the Central Texas Hill Country without leaving Austin. Pets, bicycles and picnics prohibited. 

Wild Basin as a Living Laboratory 

Initially protected in the late 1970s in response to increasing development and habitat decline in west Austin, Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve continues as a resource for environmental education and endangered species conservation in Texas.  Wild Basin is part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP)  since its creation in 1996, protecting eight endangered species, as well as 27 species of concern.  

In 2009, Wild Basin became part of St. Edward's University.  It serves as a living laboratory for the School of Natural Sciences where students and faculty study a range of ecological, behavioral and biodiversity issues, including: Water quality and scarcity in an arid climate, native plants and invasive species, animal diversity and habitats.  Along with the School of Natural Sciences, other schools and programs use Wild Basin as a case study for politics and local government, business, law, ethics, art, and other disciplines.