Arboretum San Antonio

Join us in our journey to build San Antonio's and South Texas' first arboretum, a green space sanctuary dedicated to trees.

Arboretum San Antonio is the first arboretum in San Antonio and South Texas and the second-largest in Texas, spanning 200 acres of diverse green space. Located at the former Republic Golf Course in southeast San Antonio, and acquired in 2023, our exceptional site is situated at the intersection of four Texas ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau, Blackland Prairie, Post Oak Savanna, and South Texas Plains. The site features beautiful heritage trees, Salado Creek frontage, a recycled water pond, and four miles of existing paved trails.

Just 10-12 minutes from downtown with access to major highways and the city's trail network, our arboretum combines urban accessibility with natural serenity. After completing a one-year master planning process in May 2025, we are now entering a planned four-phase development, with an estimated breaking of ground on building projects and public accessibility in 2028. By focusing on the existing canopy, adding new tree collections, minimizing development, and restoring habitat, Arboretum San Antonio will become a haven for nature, community and discovery.

We invite you to make a gift as we begin to phase in public access and programming at the site. Your gift today enables us to realize our vision more quickly. Your generosity directly impacts our ability to launch a world-class arboretum that honors San Antonio and South Texas's cultural heritage and serves as a dynamic hub for research, education, and inspiration through nature.

At just over 200 acres, Arboretum San Antonio will be the second-largest arboretum in Texas, serving as a leading recreational, ecological, economic, and educational resource for residents and visitors of all ages. It will feature pedestrian and bicycle trails, a nursery for propagating native and climate-resilient trees, nature-based programming, event spaces, and public art displays. The site includes multiple Indigenous (Coahuiltecan tribes) seasonal camping grounds. Salado Creek runs through the site and is an important tributary of the San Antonio River and historically-fed local acequias.

The site is home to the rare Blackland Prairie and sits at the crossroads of four local eco-regions, making it well-suited to showcase the trees and ecologies of all four regions, truly making it South Texas’ arboretum. It will connect to the Howard W. Peak Greenway Trails System (a growing network of 101 miles of accessible, connected trails), adding to our city’s continuous ring of hike and bike trails.

We cannot wait to welcome you to your arboretum!