SAN ANTONIO — Hidden deep in a small east side enclave on a dead-end street, J Street Park is easy to miss.
So during a time when social distancing is the norm, this isolated play place just might be the perfect place to explore.
The parking lot at 3500 J Street is nearly always empty and there is no need to worry about being crowded off the trails.
The park offers plenty of shaded picnic tables, grills, a covered pavilion, and clean restrooms.
But perhaps the park's most stunning feature is its connection to the Howard W. Peak Greenway Trails System.
Across a pedestrian bridge that spans the lush Salado Creek, this reach of the trail offers easy access to two much larger parks.
Martin Luther King Park is nearby to the north and Covington and Comanche County Parks are a short distance to the south.
The sound of shallow water rushing over rocks is a peaceful break from being stuck inside.
Strong hawks call to one another and dance in the air overhead, while turtles, some as big as dinner plates, sun themselves on the banks of the creek.
Just east of the pedestrian bridge, Spanish Moss waves in peaceful breezes from ancient trees that shade the pathway, while squirrels have lively conversations with one another.
Park hours are listed as 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. The trail is open daylight to dusk.
For more information on the parks, visit the city's website here.
WEB EXCLUSIVE: Enjoy the sounds of nature at J Street Park
