Passport to Texas

Government Canyon State Natural Area

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This is Passport to Texas

For a lot of families, Spring Break means going camping. If you live in or near San Antonio you don’t have far to go: Government Canyon State Natural Area is minutes from the bustling urban center of the Alamo City.

We have about forty miles of hiking and biking trails right on the edge of the Hill Country. So, we have some beautiful area that people just love to come out and visit and hike and bike and do nature watching and it’s just kind of an oasis just right
on the outskirts of San Antonio.

Chris Holm is site superintendent. Government Canyon is a special place: it is home to threatened and endangered species like the golden-cheeked warbler, and sits above the recharge zone for the Edwards Aquifer. The site offers visitors a wilderness experience close to home.

It’s not too, too rustic, though. I mean, you have access to facilities and there is staff around. And that’s one of the neat things about state parks and state natural areas. You have staff available to assist if you need something — and you’re five or ten minutes from home.

You can reserve one of 23 walk-in tent campsites. Government Canyon also has two group walk-in tent campsites for up to 16 people.

Campgrounds are open Friday and Saturday nights only, but also open for additional nights around holidays; find more information at texasstateparks.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.