Running trails in San Antonio, TX
San Antonio has 39 trails in the directory — 19 paved and 3 on crushed gravel or dirt, 8 loops that return to the trailhead, 7 with a stated distance, 24 shaded, and 3 open 24 hours. 31 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 31,159 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
McAllister Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 4,939 reviews
Natural area with jogging & biking trails, picnic spots, a dog park, playscapes & athletic fields.
O. P. Schnabel Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 3,559 reviews
Sprawling 202-acre park with nature trails, pavilions, picnic tables, athletic fields & a playscape.
Comanche Lookout Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,931 reviews
Scenic park with a vantage point, playground, picnicking areas & trails for hiking.
Friedrich Wilderness Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,718 reviews
A wide range of hiking & walking trails loop through 232 acres of woodlands, grasslands & canyons.
Government Canyon State Natural Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,564 reviews
Tranquil park featuring multi-use trails from rugged to beginner-friendly, plus guided canyon hikes.
Eisenhower Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,914 reviews
Sprawling 320-acre natural area with picnic & BBQ spots, plus 5 miles of hiking & jogging trails.
Olmos Basin Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,819 reviews
This outdoor park offers various ball fields, trails, party rental house, playground & picnic area.
Phil Hardberger Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,237 reviews
Modern nature-education center & events venue with exhibits, classes & picnic areas.
Cathedral Rock Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,236 reviews
Leafy local park with cycling & walking trails, play equipment, a pavilion & picnic tables.
Medina River Natural Area
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,181 reviews
511-acre oasis with riverfront paved & dirt hiking & biking trails, a variety of terrain & wildlife.
Fox Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 583 reviews
Deer & other local wildlife can frequently be seen at this city park with walking/cycling trails.
Oakwell Trailhead Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 579 reviews
Trailhead for a 2.1-mile greenway path for hiking & biking, plus picnic tables by a local artist.
Walker Ranch Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 471 reviews
Natural area with trails for walking, hiking, and biking, plus a playground and picnic areas.
Crownridge Canyon Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 481 reviews
Tranquil open space featuring paved & dirt walking trails amid desert scenery.
Shearer Hills/Ridgeview Walking Trail - Olmos Basin Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 471 reviews
This simple spot in Olmos Basin Park features a paved walking trail with fitness stations.
Bamberger Nature Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 458 reviews
This tree-filled natural area offers trails for hiking & cycling, plus a playground.
Tobin Park Trailhead
4.6 ★★★★★ 455 reviews
Park with paved trails for walking, jogging, biking, and watching wildlife.
McAllister Park Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 362 reviews
Large park featuring soccer fields, baseball fields, a playground and paved trails.
Riverwalk: Theo Pkwy Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 339 reviews
Tranquil area for kayaking, jogging, and hiking, plus picnic and play areas.
Valero Park Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 319 reviews
Park offering bikers and runners long, paved and dirt paths.
Leon Vista Park and Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 313 reviews
Kid-friendly, wildlife-filled park featuring various trails for walking, hiking and biking.
Mainland Trail Head
4.7 ★★★★★ 281 reviews
Park with trails for biking and running, as well as public restrooms.
Oxbow Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 246 reviews
Trail-laced, kid-friendly park dotted with benches and ponds, with deer also occasionally spotted.
Lady Bird Johnson TrailHead
4.7 ★★★★★ 231 reviews
Scenic park featuring a soccer field and a playground, along with paved and natural trails for walking, jogging and biking.
Terra Oak Trailhead
4.6 ★★★★★ 164 reviews
Paved trail winding through wildflowers and shaded trees for walking and jogging.
Pleasanton Road Trailhead
4.6 ★★★★★ 151 reviews
Paved paths and trails for hiking, biking and running through a wooded nature preserve with lake views and birdwatching.
Prue Road Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 142 reviews
Local hiking area featuring wide paths, grassy fields, deer and more, plus a parking lot.
The Jim Reed Walking & Jogging Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 72 reviews
Kid-friendly area with a crushed-rock walking trail and exercise stations, as well as deer.
Southeast Trailhead of Howard W. Peak Greenway Trails System
4.8 ★★★★★ 4 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in San Antonio
- Match the surface to your legs. San Antonio gives you a choice: 19 paved, 12 mixed, 2 natural surface, and 1 crushed gravel. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More paved trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 8 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run. The longest stated distance in San Antonio is Government Canyon State Natural Area at 40 mi. 3 trails are long enough for a 5-mile-plus run without repeating yourself.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 3 trails in San Antonio are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 31 of the 39 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 4 are lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 31 have trailhead parking, 18 have restrooms, and 20 have a water fountain in San Antonio. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 24 shaded, 6 with mile markers, 16 that runners describe as quiet, 23 dog-friendly, and 13 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse San Antonio trails by type
- Paved trails
- Mixed trails
- Natural surface trails
- Crushed gravel trails
- Loop trails
- Long-run trails (5+ mi)
- Shaded trails
- Lit for early & night runs
- Flat & fast
- Hilly trails
- Scenic trails
- Trails with restrooms
- Trails with water fountains
- Trailhead parking
- Trails with mile markers
- Quiet, uncrowded trails
- Dog-friendly
- Stroller & wheelchair-accessible
Running trails near San Antonio
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.