Friedrich Wilderness Park

Aside from not being able to bring pets, I love this park. Its where I bring out of town friends for a good workout and some hill drills. As a native San Antonian I am very proud of the efforts to keep the park clean and free throughout its existence. I plan on coming here for many years to come. Even on weekends.

Great park with level 1 – 4 trails & plenty of beautiful scenery that surrounds the area. Shaded areas, cliffs & wild flowers to be enjoyed. Early morning is the best time to go. Take your time and enjoy!

This is a fantastic park in San Antonio. Pack your water and snacks. The trail has multiple chances to challenge yourself. Very scenic!

Our goal was to go hiking and boy was this the right choice! Beautiful wild flowers. The paths were clearly marked with big signs and arrows. They listed the difficulty of the paths even for wheelchair hikers. We did the main loop which has some inclines, a good hour hike. The trail marks some of the different types of trees so you can learn what is native to the area. Would go again.

Great trail in San Antonio! 4 different levels of difficulty provide plenty of options for both kids and adults. We did the Main loop trail which is moderate to difficult and is around 1.7 miles. Somewhere in the middle of that trail there is a pretty decent view of San Antonio as well since the park is at an elevation. All the trails are pretty short, I believe the longest one was under 3 miles and is called Restoration Way.
There is no entrance fee unlike a lot of the Texas state parks. No pets allowed. BRING WATER!

Great that is so close to San Antonio. We hiked 3 miles and could have easily added another 3. Some trails are paved which is great for wheelchair access and some are very rugged. We loved the Vista loop which had moderate views. The trails are very well maintained and signed. The decrease in stars is due to traffic and construction noise and views, which all have houses. I suppose this is inevitable so close to the city.

It had been since last summer that I’d been here. I picked a great day to be off work, the temperature was perfect and the skies were clear. The parking lot was fairly full but the trails were not that crowded. Like the last time I chose Restoration Way Trail. Only this time I think I went just the opposite way. Guess a you can tell I was never a Boy Scout. :). I’d say this trail takes you to the most remote part of the park, but it’s amazing how close new housing is to the highest point of this trail. A future backyard is literally 20 yards off the trail. It’s just not the same when you hear the construction crew jackhammer tearing through the rock and saws cutting lumber. But I guess someday that will be over with and the only thing you’ll come upon in the future will be the smell of a backyard BBQ.
I should she thankful; and am, for having a place like this so close by. The trails are well maintained as far as ability to follow and cleanliness. It is a jewel to be found in the construction all around.

How could this not be 5 stars?
–There’s no entrance fee. Last time I went to Government Canyon it totally slipped my mind that most (all?) Texas State Parks charge entrance fees so we drove all the way there with no way to pay to get in. Friedrich on the other hand leaves no worries.
–There are a good variety of the level of difficulty on the trails. While they are short, there is still a good range of steep unpaved high incline trails and paved flat trails.
–All of the trails we got to check out were well shaded. While it was down in the 60s and overcast yesterday morning, I can see that being nice in the hotter months. Even the parking lot was designed to not turn into a burning cooktop.
–For a city park, it does a decent job at feeling wild. You definitely can still hear the highway and it’s going to be hard to get a lookout view where there aren’t a cluster of houses in the surrounding hills, but down in the trees if you plug your ears you can almost be fooled.
–I think as a young petite woman I would feel safe here alone. There are several neighborhoods next door and as result, several friendly neighbors out enjoying the trails. There was an exchange of good mornings with literally every group we passed.
–As of November 15, the Vista Loop was closed.

Don’t ever go here! I want this place to myself. If you do, though, you’ll have a great time. It’s the largest and best hiking park in San Antonio. They have everything from paved strolls through the lowland at base elevation, moderate trails with climb to full on (almost scramble) stuff. For your own sake, please take water. There isn’t any accessible nor an exit when you’re in the back. Watch out for the T-​Rex enclosures too!

Friedrich Park is extremely wonderful hiking park! Everything is well set up and structured yet still very much allows you to experience the wilderness. The trail signage is very good and there was a fresh stack of maps available at the TH. Wonderful tree and plant signs first part of main loop. Even the level 4 trails can be managed by someone in reasonable shape but never been there before. Nice safe parking lot, benches and places to sit. I will definitely be going back!

Have you ever seen Jeepers Creepers? Use the buddy system here, it’s kind of remote. Don’t expect to have cell reception (download your playlist) and take plenty of water and/​or mace. I’m not generally concerned for my safety when I come here, but like I said, have you seen Jeepers Creepers?
There’s a variety of terrain here, majority of your options are cross country with some scrambling, so wear appropriate shoes. There are some historical sites to hunt down (wind mill, remains of older buildings) if you’re into that sort of thing.
Main Loop Trail is my jam: 1.7 miles, do it twice if you can. Trail markers are generally pretty good, but it’s always wise to look up the trails ahead of time online and let someone know where you’re going.

Really nice big park, the hills make for a tough hike but it’s worth it to see the hill country. I need to make it s regular thing so I can burn some more calories!

My first time and I did the Main Loop Trail. 1.7 miles and with several pauses and excuses I was able to complete the trail within 1.25 hours. No bike or K9 traffic which is cool and clean. The worst hike spots are when you see dog shet! Hate it. This one is clean and the trails are defined with common sense.
My tip: wear solid hiking shoes and bring water. Also most importantly DO NOT LITTER OR TAKE THINGS OUT, leave but your foot prints and good memories.

Gorgeous area! Bathrooms, picnic tables and well marked trails. I can’t believe this is in the middle of a city. The trails are not all paved like typical urban hiking trails so you really get the feel of the country. If you are a bird watcher, they also provide pamphlets to mark the birds you see. We don’t know birds, but we can appreciate them just the same. :-) Our family had a great time and we will be back.

Favorite park in San Antonio for trail running; I try to run here about 3 – 4 times per week. A good mix of trails, from paved, to gravel, to steep and rocky. Be wary on weekends, because over the past few years, it has started to get really crowded. No bikes or pets allowed, which is a blessing when trying to get a run in. Trails feel like a miniature version of what you will find at Lost Maples, but generally a bit more aggressive.

I am an avid runner and absolutely love trail running! As I entered the Spartan races for the 2014 year and had my goal set on the Trifecta, I needed a trail that could provide me with some epic training terrain! Friedrich IS that trail! If you are looking for some pretty serious hills, rocky terrain, and length for training… this is it! great places along the whole trail to pick up a heavy boulder and do some military presses, pull-​ups form trees, dips and pushups on benches or large boulders… all in all, EPIC Trail for a Spartan race train up!

This is one of the best, and least known parks in San Antonio for hiking and/​or trail running. The vistas are great on the outer trail and some parts are fairly challenging, but not too bad at all. It has a mix of paved and I paved trails.
If you do the main loop to vista trail, it’s a little under 3 miles. It’s a good hike but an even more challenging run. The downside is it’s so compact but a couple of loops will satisfy my trail running needs.
I’d recommend Freidrich over Eisenhower because it tends to be less crowded and the trails are much more fun.

This place was nice back when I got the impression it was a local secret or gem. Now it seems everybody and their mother goes here.
I used to be able to go whenever and have plenty of space to park and to jog on the trails.
Now a lot of times there is no parking, especially on weekends. And half the time there seems to be either a school field trip clogging the place with a bunch of middle schoolers or new moms pushing baby strollers around on the trails.
Used to be better place to run at. Now almost always wastes my time to go out there.

This park was just about everything I wanted in a hiking ground! The variety of difficulties on the trails makes it perfect for anyone who wants to get out in nature for awhile. My friend and I did almost every circuit and while parts of the Vista Loop and Fern Del were definitely challenging, it was not an over-​exertion for either of us (and let’s just say neither of us are in peak condition). The area is beautiful and the trails are well-​marked. My only complaint is that I wish there were more scenic overlooks, but if you keep your head up and enjoy the forest around you that’s plenty to keep you satisfied. You can get the whole park done in a couple of hours or less, which is great, and I’ll definitely be back again.

Friedrich park is well-​kept and has challenging trails with many elevation changes. I’ve visited most of San Antonio’s parks for trail running, and I consistently return to this one more than the others. It’s a tad on the small side, but I think its quaintness is perfect for interval training and quick, intense runs.
If a longer run is what you’re looking for, check out Eisenhower Park (which happens to be close by Friedrich). There are many miles of trails there, and I prefer that over McAllister or OP Schnabel because there’s less of a chance of being run over by a cyclist.