Crownridge Canyon is part of San Antonio’s watershed open areas. Just outside of 1604 and off of Babcock, Crownridge Canyon Park is small but scenic and quiet park that is easily accessible. The park offers a lower loop which is 1.2 miles. The lower loop is paved, but not completely smooth. There is also an unpaved upper loop for an additional .7 miles. Starting at the restrooms by the parking lot, my GPS measured the circumference of the trails as 1.9 miles.
This park gets a bit more traffic than it did a few years ago. New apartments on Luskey Blvd and a new tract of homes on Camp Bullis & Babcock have added to the local population and traffic. But – this park is still a jewel and is much less travelled than other nearby parks such as Freidrich and Eisenhower.
This natural area was set aside as part of the Edwards Aquifer Protection area. It offers a nice place to experience the natural state of this area, in the middle of a lot of new development. Here is a trail map from the City of San Antonio: Crownridge Canyon Trails
Crownridge Canyon
This park is almost always bypassed by people as they go to Freidrich Wilderness Park. But Crownridge Canyon is definitely worth a stop to run or hike. This park does not get a lot of use. It is usually quiet and parking is almost always available. There are restrooms, but you should bring your own drinking water.
The lower loop is paved, and will have you climbing a bit. I visited the park in September, 2022 and saw that the lower trail had some new concrete sections to repair some of the older trail. The loop is half up then half down, whether you go clockwise or counterclockwise.
Near the top of the lower loop you can head off the paved trail to run the upper loop where roots, rocks and hills will great you. The upper loop is not too long (.7 miles), so it is a good place for beginners to try out their legs, or for hikers to have a bit of a challenge. The trail is very scenic, and you will see lots of cedar, yucca, and in some places the trail is totally covered by canopy.
I have seen deer here frequently. A warning sign at the entrance warns of snakes and wild hogs, but I have seen neither here.
One of my fun runs is to combine this run (both loops, 1 1/2 miles) with a run around the Luskey/Babcock loop. With the nice sidewalks on that loop plus the trail, you get almost exactly a 5k.
Quick Facts:
- Address: 7222 Luskey Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78256
- Length: about 1.5 miles
- Difficulty: lower loop: Easy, Upper Loop: Moderate
- Restrooms- available
- Water – maybe, if the fountain is working
- Parking- almost always available
- A lot quieter and less crowded than Freidrich Wilderness Park
