For those of you looking for a new dog-friendly park to add to your list, Southside Lions Park is worth adding to the top. The 600-acre tract is located on the SE side, near Highlands High School, with Pecan Valley Drive running through it. The land was purchased in 1944 and 1964 from the estate of George W. Brackenridge, and was originally slated to become a landfill. Today, the park is home to a recreation center, softball fields, tennis facility, pool, dam and 10-acre lake, along with a newer Senior Center and dog park. There’s also a trailhead to the Salado Creek Greenway, which is the eastern segment of the larger Howard W. Peak Greenway Trail System.
We’ve visited Southside Lions Park a number of times over the years, and have fallen in love with it all over again in recent weeks. Our favorite part of the park to visit is the lake, which has a large path that loops all the way around. It’s a perfect spot to visit before the midday heat of summer–and a great place to catch the sunrise. We haven’t seen a dog fountain over in the main parking area by the playground, but there is one at the trailhead on the other side of the lake.
We’d heard that there was a dog park somewhere within the park, but it took some tracking down on neighborhood forums to actually find out where it was. We’ve found that Parks and Rec is not always the best at marking where smaller dog parks are on their website, or even on park maps.
The Southside Lions dog park is located right next to the Senior Center, which is also the best place for parking. We visited on a Sunday morning, and it was completely empty. In fact, it looked like it hadn’t been used in a long time, as there were a number of overgrown weeds. Also, one of the sure latch locks on the gates didn’t quite latch, which could be an issue if you have a dog who’s eager to run off. Other than that, there was plenty of shade, benches, and a doggy fountain, and is a good spot for letting your dog off leash.
The dog park itself isn’t much of a destination point, but the overall park itself is a gem of the Southside. We may have to host a doggy meetup out there soon!
Where are your favorite dog-friendly parks in town? Share yours in the comments!
We visited as well and found the dog park empty but nice! When we were walking around the lake, there were a large amount of people fishing there. They trails were quite pleasant off of Salado Creek. The same weekend, we visited the Alamo Heights Bark Park and had a blast there. Highly recommend that park.
Yes! Alamo Heights Bark Park is another favorite dog park! Glad you made it out to Southside Lions–we need to check out the Salado Creek trails!