Saved in this browser, on this device. Shared across the nine languages.
Loading your Austin…
From the Austin World / Places
Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge
The Congress Avenue bridge combines a Lady Bird Lake crossing with bat watching; the payoff depends on wildlife, so the lakeside setting matters alongside any emergence.
Mexican free-tailed bats give an ordinary piece of transport infrastructure an unusual second role. Watching from the bridge or south shore puts their movement in the wider lake landscape. The concrete arches also belong to a longer history of crossings linking downtown Austin with the south bank.
What to look for
Mexican free-tailed bats emerge over Lady Bird Lake.
The concrete arch bridge opened in 1910.
The bridge was renamed in 2006 for former Texas governor Ann Richards.
Useful to know
Face east from the sidewalk, or use the south-shore observation area.
Consult current flight predictions before making bat watching the anchor of your evening.
Your next visit
Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.
Outdoor visit · 30–45 min
World planning estimate; admission, opening, visit duration and access need checking.
