Park #6
January 28th, 2024
Distance: 3.07 miles of run/walk intervals
Weather: Sunny and Windy.
Goliad State Park is small, but stuffed with Texas history. The husband and I visited it on Sunday of our weekend trip (#5 Choke Canyon was Saturday). The park features a museum, a recreated Spanish mission, a presidio, and a historic house. I recommend setting aside time to learn about the historic sites, even if you are only there to hike or run.
But first, the trails. I started on the Riverside Trail, which follows the San Antonio River. Spots on the trail were muddy because of recent rains. The wet dirt made a sticky mud that adds layer upon layer of caked soil to your shoes. The trail is only a mile long, so the caked mud was limited. According to the map, I could intersect the hike and bike trail from the Riverside Trail, but it was misleading. The Riverside Trail and river run beneath Highway 183, but the hike-and-bike trail is at highway level, crossing the bridge. I had to run a small portion on some roads. I followed the hike and bike trail to the General Zaragoza statue and birthplace. Although they provide ample information on him, I don’t remember much in detail. A rebuilt fort on the site housed a museum, but I was in the middle of a run and didn’t want to stop. I missed the Angel of Goliad statue (maybe I didn’t get enough sleep?), but my husband was able to take pictures. I returned to the car by retracing my route.
Ironically, Choke Canyon’s lake had abnormally low levels, while the San Antonio River was over its banks. According to park staff, the river is typically 5 feet deep, but it had risen to over 20 feet deep due to recent rains.
The mission had the longest name I have ever heard: Mission Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga. Phew! That is a mouthful. This recreated mission featured a small museum in one corner, a woodshop in the back, and artifacts obtained from the 1980s excavation, along with other examples from the era. A tiny one-fourth-mile trail meanders off the back corner of the yard.
This would not be my first choice as a trail runner, but if you need a quick weekend getaway and history is your thing, this state park fits the bill nicely.