Seguin set to unveil new $5M walk and bike trail extension

SEGUIN, Texas – The newest addition to the City of Seguin officially opens next week, but KSAT got a sneak peek Friday of the Walnut Springs Hike and Bike trail extension before it officially opens to the public on Tuesday.

“This is a game changer, sort of a multi-generational project in so many ways. This area is the crown jewel of Seguin,” Seguin City Manager Steve Parker said.

The trail extension creates a continuous hike and bike path from New Braunfels Street (FM 78) south to Max Starcke Park East, totaling four miles in length one-way, including the 0.8-mile Pecan Bottom Loop. City officials believe the trail will be a pathway for more growth.

“We’re looking at safety, looking at convenience, looking at health and all those things to be part of our city culture,” Parker said.

Construction of the trail started more than two and a half years ago. The project cost around $5.2 million, an investment city leaders felt was needed. The project was partially funded by the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) and the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

“It connects so many of our assets in the community, from the library to Park West, which has our state park to TLU and then to downtown,” Seguin Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Kyle Kramm said. “One thing that came out of COVID was a need for more outdoor recreation, and so this trail is providing that.”

Along with those locations, the extended trail provides pedestrian access to the Seguin Police Department, Walnut Springs Park, the Seguin Public Library and Max Starcke Park, including the Guadalupe River. It also recreates a historic experience for visitors.

“You can still see some of these original walls that were put in the 1930s. Some of the original dams are here and we also have the heart-shaped well, which was put in by Robert Hugman, who did the River Walk in downtown San Antonio. It’s been restored. We took it out of the creek and rebuilt it using the same rocks and same same stones that were part of that.”

The trail extension is another sign of growth in Seguin, one of the fastest growing cities in the state.

“We’re adding about 3,000 to 4,000 people a year to the city, so these assets are very important because it’s about quality of life. People want to live here. We want commercial, we want retail, but people live here,” Parker said.

Seguin city officials hope the trail’s transformation also drives more tourism.

“There’s been a lot of excitement from the community and just what that can mean for our businesses as well as just the overall health for our citizens,” Kramm said. “Not only are we preserving the history, we’re providing a place for nature and wildlife. It’s been exciting to see how it’s coming from just the grassroots community project to now a full capital investment financing.”

City leaders will cut the ribbon on Tuesday, signifying the official opening of the trail to the public for use.

The public is invited to the ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Ruby P. Vaughan Walnut Springs Bridge, located on the trail past the Seguin Public Library.

Those attending are welcome to park at St. James Catholic Church (510 S. Camp St.) and walk across the bridge to the ribbon cutting ceremony, near the creek.