North San Antonio
Olmos Basin Park
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North San Antonio
Olmos Basin Park is a sprawling urban greenway of more than 1,000 acres in central San Antonio, occupying the broad floodplain of Olmos Creek on both sides of US 281 between the neighborhoods of Alamo Heights and Olmos Park. The basin exists because of the catastrophic September 1921 San Antonio flood, which prompted the city to build Olmos Dam — a 1,941-foot-long gravity concrete structure completed in 1926 — to detain floodwaters before they could inundate downtown. Under normal conditions the detention area remains dry, and the land is managed as parkland with softball fields, soccer fields, a football field, and the 18-hole Olmos Basin Golf Course. Beyond the developed athletic fields, roughly five miles of informal dirt trails wind through the brushy creek bottom, augmented by concrete paths near the fields and the adjacent Judson Nature Trails in Alamo Heights. The park's combination of riparian woodland, open grassland, and creek corridor makes it one of the better bird-watching spots inside Loop 410, with migratory warblers and raptors regularly spotted. There is no admission fee.
Shade Details
Mature live oaks and pecans provide good shade along the creek and central areas. Open fields are exposed. Overall more manageable than exposed hilltop parks.
Conditions & Tips
Can flood after heavy rain — check conditions before visiting. Creek dries significantly in drought years but park remains open.
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Olmos Basin Greenway Trail
Shearer Hills/Ridgeview Walking Trail