Travis County's Landscape: East Flat, West Hill Country

Travis County covers about 989 square miles. The Colorado River runs through the middle. East of the Balcones Escarpment, the land is flatter and more fertile, historically good for farming. West of it, the terrain rises into the Hill Country, more arid and rocky, with elevations from 400 to over 1,300 feet.

This east-west split shapes more than scenery. Eastern Travis County follows City of Austin drought standards. Western areas follow LCRA guidelines. Soil, water access, and building challenges also vary significantly from one side to the other. The escarpment itself roughly follows the Interstate 35 corridor through Austin.