Meander through the treetops on the 18-foot-high sky bridge trail at Phil Hardberger Park.

Phil Hardberger Park is a park where you can hike, bike, walk, learn, take a free fitness class, and take part in outdoor educational programs. There are two entrance points here on opposite sides of the park, Blanco Road Entry and NW Military Highway entry. Both entries feature a large free parking lot, a dog park, a butterfly garden, a playground, and a bathroom. The two separate sides of this park are connected by the Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge, a wide and short bridge that allows people and animals to safely travel over the highway below. Connected to this Land Bridge is a stunning 1000 foot steel skywalk that is 18 feet above the ground and lets you walk through the treetops. This path gives you a unique look at the park below and is a great walk for people of all skill levels, including kids.

A great trail for children in this park is the Geology Trail, a 0.8-mile trail connected to the Blanco Road Entry. Not only is it directly connected to the parking lot and playground, but it also has visible layers of geological sediment along the trail. The Borrow Pit is along this trail and is a scooped-out half circle that shows multiple rock and soil layers. Other trails on the Blanco Road entry side are the 1 mile Water Loop trail and the entrance to the skywalk. If you want to go to the skywalk and land bridge I would definitely park at this entrance because it is much closer. The NW Military Highway entry side has some longer trails including the 1.78 mile Savannah Loop Trail and the 0.8 mile Oak Loop Trail. Both of these trails are completely unpaved and the Oak Loop Trail is under a dense oak canopy, making it a great trail for a peaceful walk.

Most of the trails are very well marked and easy to follow, and from 9 AM to noon on Saturdays they have greeters outside of the Urban Ecology Center and Salado Outdoor Classroom who can help you with whatever you need. Make sure to bring lots of water, sunscreen, and proper shoes and clothing on whatever hike you choose. If you want to enhance the learning experience for your child you can download and print one of the park’s many guides and resources, like a wildflower guide, a DIY nature lesson guide, and Hardberger park nature guides. Every second Sunday of the Month and at the Saturday morning greeters table there are Grab-N-Go kits that include activities for kids to do throughout the park. Supplies are limited and given out on a first-come, first-serve basis.