The next few months in Austin are a great time to step outside and enjoy the outdoors — before the heat of summer sets in. Plus, taking a walk during a break in your workday can improve both your physical and mental health.

Editorial intern Saba Rahimian set out with the Pacer app and mapped three scenic routes on campus. So, find a walking buddy, put on your sneakers and give one of these a try. You might even discover parts of campus you’ve never explored.

Tower Figure 8 (yellow)
0.96 mile

Highlights along this path include Littlefield Fountain, the South Mall, the Main Mall and the Tower. But one hidden gem is the cactus garden in front of the Harry Ransom Center. Concrete benches offer a great place to stop and study the unusual flora.

Museum Loop (red)
1.07 miles

Just past Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and across Robert Dedman Drive is a stairway that borders the lawn in front of LBJ Library. If you follow the path to the top of the hill, you will find yourself in a grove of live oaks. From here you can see the LBJ Library’s fountain from above, the museum across the way, the portico of Sid Richardson Hall and the Briscoe Center, and Bass Concert Hall. The spot is quiet and a great place to unpack a lunch or read a book.

Texas Two-Mile (green)
1.83 miles

This nearly 2-mile loop is a great way to get steps in. If you have an extra five minutes, make sure to stop by Goldsmith Hall, just north of the Ransom Center, home of the School of Architecture. In the courtyard is a reflecting pool, and the archways will transport you to old-town Salamanca, Spain.