Update: How Salado Creek Greenway could be extended to Mission Reach

• Update: How it could be extended to Mission Reach

The new extension connects near the park's Lions Park Lake bridge and follows Salado Creek to S.E. Military. The trail traversed the historic Pecan Valley Golf Course, the site of the PGA Championship in 1968, won by 48-year-old Julius Boros, his third major title. The tournament was televised on ABC. Designed by J. Press Maxwell, the golf course opened in 1963 and closed in January 2012. There were talks about converting it to a par-3 course for those with disabilities; however, that fell through and the land is now occupied by a new apartment complex.

The trail ends in the vicinity of the Republic Golf Course, another defunct golf venue. It opened around 2002 and closed down in May 2020. It featured an upscaled clubhouse that served chef-inspired lunches.

This extension will make the Salado Creek 34.5 miles (56 km) from its S.E. Military location to Dwight D. Eisenhower Park. With its connection to Leon Creek Greenway, it would make its entire run to W. Military 53.5 miles (86 km).

How it could be extended to Mission Reach

Brandon Ross, project manager for the greenway trails, indicated that future plans call for continuing the trail to Brooks Park. The trail will run along Salado Creek from S.E. Military to an area located right next to I-37. Conveniently, there is a canal that runs under the freeway to the edge of Brooks Park. Once it reaches Brooks Park, it'll be an easy route via adjacent Brooks City-Base to Greenline Park. Recently, a $2 million trail had been completed at Greenline Park that connects to Acequia Trail, a spur of the Mission Reach.

The Salado Creek Greenway is to be extended further south where it will run under I-410 and then I-37. From there, it is to be routed to the Mission San Francisco de la Espada area where the Mission Reach meets the Medina River Greenway.

—SRR News Services