Northeast San Antonio
Tobin Preserve at Rilling
BirdingHiking
Northeast San Antonio
The Tobin Preserve at Rilling is a natural area along the Salado Creek corridor in southeast San Antonio, managed in partnership with the City of San Antonio as part of the broader Salado Creek Greenway system. The preserve showcases the riparian habitat characteristic of Salado Creek, with dense stands of live oak, cedar elm, mountain laurel, and juniper lining the creek banks and providing shade along roughly 3 miles of hiking trails. Native wildflowers bloom through spring and early summer, and the creek corridor supports white-tailed deer, migratory songbirds, and other urban wildlife. The Salado Creek Greenway that connects through this area is part of a 15-mile multi-use trail network running through north and east San Antonio, making it possible to link the preserve to parks such as McAllister Park and Lady Bird Johnson Park via paved and unpaved greenway segments. The site sits within the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone transition area and provides meaningful green space for southeast San Antonio neighborhoods. Entrance is free; check the City of San Antonio Parks Department for current access points and trail conditions.
Shade Details
Creek corridor offers good shade under mature oaks and pecans. Open grassland sections are exposed. Mostly shaded hiking if you stick to the creek trail.
Conditions & Tips
Peak birding during spring migration (April–May) and fall migration (September–October). Flood closures possible after heavy rain.
medium