Spring Lake Preserve Trail Under Construction

Spring Lake Preserve sits on a hill over the headwaters to the San Marcos River and the end of Sink Creek. The 250 acres were once explored by developers and slated to be the location of the San Marcos Convention Center – now towering over McCarty Lane. Rather than parking lots and conferences people will find ancient oaks hung with Spanish moss, a grove of mountain laurel and vistas overlooking the hill country. Residents can go there to breathe fresh air, hike or bike and be reminded that people have been walking these hills for 12,000 years.

Compass installation at Spring Lake Preserve

A trail in Spring Lake Preserve is presently under construction. Texas State University and the City of San Marcos coordinated the hire of a contractor to build the trails. The new trail starts on Texas State property by the golf maintenance shack on Laurel Ridge Road. Three yellow-striped gates have been placed, one at the trail entrance and two sectioning off a compost area, used to dispose of the vegetation harvested by underwater gardeners at Aquarena Springs. A packed limestone gravel path, wide enough for a car, has been laid. The old Aquarena boat barn is no longer there, only the slab remains. Once up in the trees, there is a kiosk roof structure built by a Boy Scout group. There are also cedar benches occasionally along the path. The tree branches have been clipped to clear the path.

The park is not yet open to the public. The trail will be completed for opening around the beginning of February.

– Mary Van Zant, SMGA Board Member