Mission Reach: short northbound return from Padre Park
Texas · Greenway
From the Padre Park public lot, walk to the signed Mission Reach hike-and-bike path. Turn north/upstream on the Padre Drive side of the river and stay on that same bank. Retrace after half a mile, or before VFW Boulevard, a river-crossing bridge or any work barrier, whichever comes first. Do not cross the river, head south toward San Juan Dam, take a mission connector, or continue to the closed Concepción Park area.
Plan your ride
- Location
- San Antonio · Texas
- Ride length
- Up to 1 mile return
- Ride format
- Out and back
- Surface
- Paved riverfront hike-and-bike path; access ramps and bridge surfaces may differ
- Road crossings
- From the Padre Park public lot, walk to the signed Mission Reach hike-and-bike path. Turn north/upstream on the Padre Drive side of the river and stay on that same bank. Retrace after half a mile, or before VFW Boulevard, a river-crossing bridge or any work barrier, whichever comes first. Do not cross the river, head south toward San Juan Dam, take a mission connector, or continue to the closed Concepción Park area.
- Elevation
- Short riverbank outing with bends and access ramps; walk the approach if its grade is uncomfortable.
- Starting location
- Padre Park, 6515 Padre Drive, San Antonio, TX 78214; public lot at the end of the park access road off Padre Drive
Chosen cap of half a mile outward and the same distance back, maximum one mile. The named early turnaround, a bridge/crossing or any work barrier shortens it. This is not a measured complete segment; the parking approach is additional.
Padre Park public access reference published by Texas Parks and Wildlife for its paddling access; park-location reference only, not a surveyed bicycle entrance or parking stall.
Mission Reach: short northbound return from Padre Park — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-22. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
From the Padre Park public lot, walk to the signed Mission Reach hike-and-bike path. Turn north/upstream on the Padre Drive side of the river and stay on that same bank. Retrace after half a mile, or before VFW Boulevard, a river-crossing bridge or any work barrier, whichever comes first. Do not cross the river, head south toward San Juan Dam, take a mission connector, or continue to the closed Concepción Park area.
Start and parking approach
Start: Padre Park, 6515 Padre Drive, San Antonio, TX 78214; public lot at the end of the park access road off Padre Drive.
Bexar County lists Padre Park at 6515 Padre Drive as a public passive park. Texas Parks and Wildlife identifies parking at the dead end of the park road off Padre Drive; the River Authority map marks parking/path access at Padre Park. Walk from an open designated visitor space to the bicycle path, not down the canoe launch. This is not Mission County Park’s separate 6030 Padre Drive address.
Distance and route
Selected outing: Up to 1 mile return. Format: Out and back.
Chosen cap of half a mile outward and the same distance back, maximum one mile. The named early turnaround, a bridge/crossing or any work barrier shortens it. This is not a measured complete segment; the parking approach is additional.
From the Padre Park public lot, walk to the signed Mission Reach hike-and-bike path. Turn north/upstream on the Padre Drive side of the river and stay on that same bank. Retrace after half a mile, or before VFW Boulevard, a river-crossing bridge or any work barrier, whichever comes first. Do not cross the river, head south toward San Juan Dam, take a mission connector, or continue to the closed Concepción Park area.
Surface and effort
Paved riverfront hike-and-bike path; access ramps and bridge surfaces may differ. Short riverbank outing with bends and access ramps; walk the approach if its grade is uncomfortable. No maximum-slope survey or accessibility certification is supplied.
Shared use and interfaces
Yield to pedestrians, slow at blind bends and junctions, and walk uncomfortable ramps. Authorized maintenance vehicles may appear. Stay on the signed shared-use trail and never improvise a road detour around a barrier.
Hours, costs and current access
Mission Reach is open dawn to dusk. Park parking can have shorter seasonal hours and holiday closures; read the gate signs and return before the lot closes. The River Authority lists Mission Reach admission as free. Pavilion reservations, events and other services have separate charges and do not establish an ordinary cycling admission fee.
Access note, October 22, 2026: Short same-bank return north from Padre Park only. Temporary closures remain near San Juan, Espada and Concepción Park. Those areas and all river-crossing detours are excluded. Follow work barriers and stop if the selected path is affected; the entire Mission Reach is not cleared.
Closures near Concepción Park, Mission San Juan and Mission Espada remain active; stem-density work was previously advertised into early 2027. The Graf Road–Espada proposal remains deferred, and longer through-rides need fresh work-area checks. This initial guide is supported by published access and route evidence; conditions have not been field-checked. No full-corridor reopening is claimed.
Map reference
The marker is a labeled planning reference, not a surveyed bicycle entrance or parking stall. Use the written start for the final approach. No navigable route track is provided.