Government Canyon offers a delightful combination of contradictions. It’s an urban wilderness where the Far Reaches Trail cruises past sotol-studded vistas and urban-sprawl subdivisions.
It’s a state natural area whose facilities are way nicer than most state parks, and it provides true silence in the backcountry punctuated by the occasional C-5 Globemaster military aircraft coming in for a landing.
At only an hour and a half away, Government Canyon offers a great weekend getaway with all of your closest San Antonio friends. I booked a night at the walk-in tent campground, and the parking lot consisted of a who’s who of outdoor enthusiasts: minivans with bike racks, sprinter vans with birding bumper stickers, dirtbag Civics with backseat blinds, and enough Subarus to qualify as an outdoor festival. Whatever your fancy, Government Canyon has something to offer.
For young families: The Frontcountry Trails allow easy walking or beginner biking for little legs, while the Joe Johnston Route provides easy access to the backcountry as children age into adolescence. Throw in some legit dinosaur tracks on a five-mile hike, and you’ve got a great family weekend. The tent campgrounds are spacious and accommodating with their own cedar varmit boxes, but bring a wagon to haul your stuff.
For high adventurers: With over 40 miles of trails, Government Canyon provides challenging climbs, exhilarating descents and enough room to really stretch your legs. The Far Reaches and Sendero Balcones Trails climb high into the sotol-covered peaks via rugged limestone trails where 29-inch tires or maxcushioned trail shoes can be put to the test. Your rise-and-grind attitude pays off as you can bomb down the Wildcat Canyon Trail or flow with the forest single track by connecting to the Twin Oaks Trail. Throw in Caroline’s Loop and the Joe Johnston Route, and an epic 12-mile excursion awaits.
For hikers, birders, herpers, and naturalists: The best time of year is Sep-Feb when the Protected Habitat Area is open and restricted to hiking only. However, if you go now, you can still catch the Mountain Laurel in bloom, and all sorts of creatures beginning to stretch their wings. Butterflies, birds, lizards, and even salamanders greeted me on my journey, and with a few hiking- only trails like Bluff Spurs and the Overlook Trail, you can enjoy the views without the worry of a bike or a runner coming out of nowhere. With Frontcountry, that’s mostly savannah and a backcountry that’s mostly highlands, the chances for diverse wildlife encounters abound.
