Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve, Protected wilderness area in West Lake Hills, Texas.

Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve is a 227-acre protected area in West Lake Hills, west of Austin, Texas. It holds 2.5 miles of hiking trails through Hill Country habitat where Ashe juniper, yaupon holly, Buckley's oak and Texas live oak are the predominant trees. Travis County and St. Edward's University own and operate it jointly.

In 1974 West Lake Hills resident Janet Poage helped negotiate a development rights agreement among the City of Austin, Travis County and Westview Development, creating Austin's first nature preserve. Westview donated the land and moved 100 planned housing units to adjacent property. Co-founders included Margaret Hessin, Lucille Stegman, Flora McCormick, Florence Macklin, Martha Hudson and Willa Mae Hardesty.

The preserve serves as a living classroom where researchers and students observe the Edwards Plateau ecosystem firsthand. The landscape itself displays the typical habitats that define the Hill Country's natural character.

The entrance sits a mile north of Bee Caves Road on the east side of Loop 360. Trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset, roughly 7 am to 7 pm, and the visitor center is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. Bikes, pets, smoking and picnics are not allowed inside the preserve.

The preserve sits within the Balcones Canyonlands system and protects rare bird species found in few other Texas locations. These birds depend on specific habitat conditions that exist uniquely in this combination here.