Today was not an ideal vacation day for me, but it's a ritual many parents have to tolerate: standing in line for hours to ride a roller coaster. After our ride on Fiesta Texas's Rattler, I asked E if he thought that 3 minute ride was worth waiting in line for 2 hours and 10 minutes. Without hesitation, he said it was. Despite the long lines, I think all the kids had fun.
After dinner, I left Kelly and the kids at the hotel watching the Disney Channel (the highlight of any vacation for this cable-free family) and drove over to Eisenhower Park. A couple miles north of 1604 on NW Military Highway, this San Antonio city park offers a concentrated but satisfying trail running experience.
 |
| The south half of the Hillview Trail. Not too technical, but a steady climb. |
I took the Hillview Trail, which loops around the park. Rocky, wide, and nicely groomed, the south half of the loop is a gradual climb to the observation tower at the top of the park. The north half is more technical in parts and has more tree cover. I should have started there; it was pretty dark when I descended, and my night vision was pushed to the limit, so I had to take it slow. The Hillview Trail loop is about 2 1/2 miles.
There are some other side trails and connecting trails, as well as a paved trail that goes up the middle of the park to the tower. The paved trail is less than a mile, and definitely wheelchair friendly. Just be careful on the way down!
 |
| Had I arrived a bit earlier, I would have had this view from the top. |
You might not want to come here for a long run. The park only has about 5 miles of trails, and if you're like me, the loops might get monotonous. But it's a great place for hill repeats and practice on some rocky, technical terrain. If I lived in San Antonio, this would definitely become a favorite spot to run.
Here's a trail map.
Here's park information.
No comments:
Post a Comment