The City of San Antonio and our Military neighbors at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) have hit another homerun with an exciting new partnership connecting two segments of the Salado Creek Greenway Trail located north and south of Fort Sam Houston. The Salado Creek Greenway, which was recently designated a National Recreation Trail (NRT) by the U.S. Department of the Interior, is the only greenway trail in Texas to receive the NRT designation this year.
“The connection of the trail made possible by this partnership will be a great benefit to the people of San Antonio,” said Brandon Ross, Parks Manager for the City’s Parks and Recreation Department. “Our coordinated efforts will allow for a major connection to be made between two very long pieces of trail, connecting parks and neighborhoods north of the base to those south of the base.”
The Salado Creek Greenway is a 15-mile scenic multi-use trail along Salado Creek that has helped connect residents with the natural environment and improve the quality of recreation for surrounding neighborhoods. With the connection of the two segments of the trail, these benefits will be enhanced. As an NRT, the Salado Creek Greenway allows individuals to share wellness and community with one another, while also contributing to the overall health, conservation and recreation goals of the United States.
The Parks and Recreation Department and JBSA have worked together to troubleshoot project concerns related to security, fencing and relocating the equestrian facilities that lie in the trail’s path. In addition to the trail connection, this partnership will bring new equestrian facilities to JBSA-Fort Sam Houston as a result of the City’s assistance in demolition of the current facilities.
“It’s a win-win situation for the City and for us – and the horses as well,” said Serafina de los Santos, 502nd Force Support Group executive officer. “The horses get 30 to 40 new paddocks and service members get the use of a brand-new trail for hiking and biking.”
Salado Creek is part of the Howard W. Peak Greenway Trail System, an expanding system of paved multi-use trails that winds through natural landscapes along many of San Antonio’s waterways. This currently includes more than 65 miles of trail and more than 40 trailheads and neighborhood connections. Approximately 1,480 acres of property along San Antonio creek ways have been acquired for the program since its inception.
“We’ve preserved quite a lot of natural habitat. The creeks were largely forsaken and often targets for illegal dumping,” Ross added. “We’ve got people saying they’ve lost weight using the trails system. It’s restorative from a recreational standpoint. It’s also a great opportunity to get outdoors.”
To learn more about the progress of the trail system, visit www.saparksandrec.com
