Government Canyon State Natural Area

Government Canyon State Natural Area is an approximately 8,622-acre area in Bexar County, just outside San Antonio. The canyon was on the "Joe Johnston" Road from San Antonio to Bandera which was blazed by the military at Ft. Sam Houston in the 1850s. Trees such as Mountain Laurel, Ashe Juniper, Mesquite, and Live Oak abound, as well as Mexican Buckeye, Lindheimer’s Silk-Tassel, and Escarpment Black Cherry. Steep slopes provide scenic overlooks of the surrounding Bexar County and glimpses of San Antonio. Rare birds such as the Golden-cheeked Warbler can be found.