Hiking near San Antonio will transport hikers from the busy city streets to tranquil river walkways, beneath lush green trees, through rigid and rocky canyons, up close and personal with marshes, and even to medieval towers. Since San Antonio is filled with so many different hiking trails and hiking areas, this naturally leads to having a large group interested in hiking. San Antonio is home to fantastic hiking and many hikers.
Here is a curated list of the top eight San Antonio hiking groups you should definitely check out. Each group offers a wide variety of experiences and has different goals. While this list does not include every hiking group or hiking club that San Antonio has to offer, it is a great place to get started. Be sure to check out multiple hiking groups on your journey to find a group that is a great fit for you.
- San Antonio Outdoor Adventurers – 11,830+ members
- San Antonio Beginners Hiking Group – 2,400+ members
- San Antonio Christian Hiking and Adventure Fellowship – 2,020+ members
- Alamo Sierra Club Outings & Events – 1,540+ members
- Woman Hiking – 1,840+ members
- Hiking and Nature Stuff – 919 members
- San Antonio Plus Sized Women’s Hiking Group – 360+ members
- Energetic Hikers Age 60+ – 50+ members
San Antonio Outdoor Adventurers
Cost to Join: Free
Location: San Antonio,TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/sa-outdoor-adventurers/
Description: San Antonio Outdoor Adventurers is for those who love to be outdoors and enjoy nature with good company. Their aim is to have each hike be excellent exercise for their members and they hike a a moderate to fast pace depending on the terrain. They have hosted over 1,120+ events in the past with at least one event each week.
San Antonio Beginners Hiking Group
Cost to Join: Free
Location: San Antonio,TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/San-Antonio-Beginners-Hiking-Group/
Description: San Antonio Beginners Hiking Group is all about enjoying the outdoors and embracing nature’s beautiful hiking trails in and around San Antonio. This group has organized 430+ events in the past with two events each month.
San Antonio Christian Hiking and Adventure Fellowship
Cost to Join: Free
Location: San Antonio,TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/San-Antonio-Texas-Christian-Hiking-Fellowship/
Description: San Antonio Christian Hiking and Adventure Fellowship is for those who want to meet and be around other Christians while hiking. This group also welcomes Non-Christians too, but warns they might be discussing church and spiritual matters on the hikes. This group has had 430+ events in the past with one event each week.
Alamo Sierra Club Outings & Events
Cost to Join: Free
Location: San Antonio,TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Alamo-Sierra-Club-Outings/
Description: Alamo Sierra Club Outings & Events is for those that want to enjoy hiking, camping, biking, backpacking and more. This group has many organized workshops to learn about hiking gear, local fauna and wildlife, and more. They have hosted 460+ events in the past with one event each month.
Woman Hiking
Cost to Join: Free
Location: San Antonio,TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Woman-Who-Travel-to-Hike/
Description: Woman Hiking is a group for women that are interested in traveling out of town to hike. They welcome all skill levels for their trips. This group has hosted 8 events in the past with around one event each month.
Hiking and Nature Stuff
Cost to Join: Free
Location: San Antonio,TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Hiking-and-Nature-Stuff/
Description: Hiking and Nature Stuff is a group for medium range abilities with the occasional difficult hike. This group is not targeted towards beginners. This group has hosted 60+ events in the past with typically two events each month.
San Antonio Plus Sized Women’s Hiking Group
Cost to Join: Free
Location: San Antonio,TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/San-Antonio-Plus-Sized-Womens-Hiking-Group/
Description: San Antonio Plus Sized Women’s Hiking Group has goals to help women thrive while connecting with each other through the physical and mental benefits of hiking. They emphasize hiking isn’t about losing weight, but more about feeling good about yourself and having fun. They have hosted 760+ events in the past with multiple events each week.
Energetic Hikers Age 60+
Cost to Join: Free
Location: San Antonio,TX
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Energetic-Hikers-Age-60/
Description: Energetic Hikers Age 60+ is a group for energetic and fit hikers 60 and older. They expect you to be physically fit and keep up with the group. They typically have four weekly hikes, a shorter hike, another short hike with more ascents and descents, a longer hike, and a more challenging hike. They have hosted over 560+ events in the past.
Why should you join a San Antonio hiking group?
Stamina
If you are looking to build hiking stamina, then joining a San Antonio hiking group will definitely help with that. By joining a group or multiple groups, all you need to do is just show up since the hikes are already planned for you with the details of the hike for each event. You can join groups that focus on fitness and stamina to help you build up your hiking stamina. If you want to go all out you can join multiple groups that have events on off-set days or weekends to increase your hiking frequency.
Skills
Another reason you should consider joining a San Antonio hiking group is that you can improve your hiking skills by learning from others. You can learn a lot from other hikers regarding hiking gear, what snacks they bring, how they keep themselves cool or warm, and so much more. Learning directly from the experience of other local hikers will definitely teach you a lot. For certain groups, there are also workshops for hiking gear, camping, and even backpacking!
Exploration
As time passes and you hike the many trails that San Antonio has to offer, you may eventually want to branch out and explore. There are local hiking groups that organize events that are outside of the city. These groups will plan events to Texas state parks, national parks, or even international hiking trips. This is a great way to expand your hiking area and explore hiking areas outside of the city.
3 things to consider when joining a San Antonio hiking group
Fitness Level
Before you join a San Antonio hiking group, the first thing you should consider is the required fitness level of the group. If the group is organized they will list an expected fitness level for their hikes. Some groups will be more intense and hiking 10-mile day hikes with 3,000 feet of elevation gain while other groups will be more casual and do urban 2-mile hikes. Try out different groups to help gauge your hiking fitness level so that you actually enjoy your hikes.
Hiking Area
The next important thing to consider when joining a hiking group is what hiking area do they typically hike in. There will be groups that focus on city hikes, hikes 15-30 minutes outside of San Antonio, and even some out of state. Check out their past events to see if they are doing local hikes that you would be interested in.
Intensity
Another key thing to consider before joining a hiking group is how the group approaches intensity. Some groups will be more focused on fitness and tackling huge mountain ranges, whereas others will be more casual and relaxing. There is no right or wrong choice, but pick a group that aligns with your current hiking goals and hiking mood. You could even join both types of groups to help change up your hiking. Each group will attract wildly different hikers.
Summary
San Antonio hiking has something for all types of hikers, from challenging summit hikes, peaceful river walk strolls, relaxing hikes among the oak trees, and right up to gorgeous waterfalls. These are great sights to see, but even better sights when shared with others. San Antonio has many wonderful hiking groups that will help you create lasting memories and friendships.
This is just a list of 8 hiking groups in San Antonio, there are definitely many others you should explore and check out. This only scratches the surface of the many wonderful groups and people you can meet on your hiking journey. Enjoy all of your trips and have great adventures with these local San Antonio hiking groups!