It’s lucky for natives of and visitors to San Antonio that voters halted construction of the Applewhite Reservoir. Otherwise, the Medina River Natural Area on San Antonio’s South Side and the 78 archeological sites discovered in the area would now be under water.

Instead, the Medina River Natural Area, just a stone’s throw away from San Antonio’s Toyota assembly plant and the haunted Donkey Lady bridge, gives visitors a chance to take a walk on the wild side. (Cue Lou Reed. May he RIP.)

I took a group of Palo Alto College students for a picnic/hike in the 511-acre natural area to celebrate the end of a successful semester. Most of the students are city slickers who hadn’t explored nature in quite some time, so they were surprised that they could be “out in the country” a mere 7 miles from campus. As you travel south down Highway 16 and cross Watson Road, keep an eye out for the natural area’s entrance on the left. It’ll sneak up on you.

Pick up a Self-Guiding Nature Trail brochure and a map at the entrance before heading out along the 10 miles of trails. Ninety-nine numbered wooden posts and orange tags will direct you to information in the brochure, like Marker #96: Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia engelmannii) “produces beautiful flowers and a fruit, called a ‘tuna,’ that wildlife like to eat. Have you noticed some of the white spots on the cactus plants? These are cochineal insects enclosed in a protective white sac. Cochineal insects produce a red dye that was historically used by Central and South American Indians to dye clothing; today it is used in food coloring and cosmetics.”

We took the 1.47-mile Rio Medina Trail that makes a loop through the woods before leading you to the Medina River. Birders, anglers, entomologists, naturalists, walkers, joggers and cyclists will all have their itches scratched. Almost 3 miles of the Howard Peak Greenway Trails System is located within the Medina River Natural Area.

The Medina River Natural Area’s Second Saturday Programs (scroll down to the bottom of the page) offer a wide variety of activities for young and old. On Saturday, Dec. 14, Mark Bird, the City of San Antonio’s arborist, will present “Trees are the Answer,” a discussion of ways to increase the Alamo City’s tree canopy with the right tree in the right place. For more information on all educational programs, contact Susan Campbell at 210.207.3106 or email her at susan.campbell@sanantonio.gov.

You may also download the Texas Nature Challenge coordinated by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Forest Service to provide FREE fun for the entire family.

The Medina River Natural Area, located at 15890 Highway 16 South, is open daily (except for Christmas and New Year’s) from 7:30 a.m. until sunset.

Denise Barkis Richter, Ph.D., author of “San Antonio’s Passport to Fun,” has been blogging about San Antonio since June of 2010. Follow her at facebook.com/SanAntonioTourist so that you’ll never miss a post. Her love affair with the Alamo City began at Hemisfair in 1968. She moved to San Antonio in 1979 as an 18-year-old college student, and San Antonio has been her home ever since. Denise completed certification to become a professional tour guide in 2019. Please contact her at sanantoniotourist at gmail dot com if you’d like for her to curate a fabulous San Antonio experience for you!