In this episode of Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks, Susan and Monica dig into one of San Antonio's most beloved urban parks — Phil Hardberger Park — and the remarkable 175-year story behind how it came to exist.
What started as a Republic of Texas land grant to a Battle of San Jacinto hero eventually became a tight-knit community of dairy farms known as Buttermilk Hill. The last family standing? Max and Minnie Voelcker — a childless couple who milked cows twice a day, 365 days a year, and whose trust ultimately made this park possible. Throw in a mayor who spent his own campaign funds to save the land from developers, a national architecture competition, and the largest land bridge in the United States — and you've got a story worth telling.
Whether you're a longtime San Antonian or planning your first visit, this episode covers it all: the history, the trails, the wildlife, and why this 330-acre gem in the middle of one of America's largest cities is something truly special.
🌉 Largest wildlife & pedestrian land bridge in the U.S.
🌳 Skywalk treetop canopy trail
🐄 From dairy farm to world-class urban park
🦌 Real wildlife sightings — deer, bobcats, coyotes & more
🏛️ Historic Voelcker Homestead on the National Register of Historic Places
🗳️ The bond election that saved it all
📍 Phil Hardberger Park
East Entrance: 13203 Blanco Rd, San Antonio, TX 78216
West Entrance: Off NW Military Hwy
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset | Free Admission
🌐 philhardbergerpark.org
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#PhilHardbergerPark #SanAntonio #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #SanAntonioParks #TexasHiking #VisitSanAntonio #LandBridge #WildlifeCrossing #SanAntonioHistory #TexasHistory #ButtermilkHill #VoelckerFarm #UrbanPark #TexasParks #HikeTexas #SanAntonioThingsToDo #NatureWalk #OutdoorSanAntonio #HikeYourOwnHike #PodcastTexas
Chapter Markers:
00:00 Intro
00:13 Welcome to Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks
00:27 Weather talk & getting outside in San Antonio
01:30 San Antonio — the city nobody realizes is huge
02:30 Introducing Phil Hardberger Park
03:42 The origin story — Buttermilk Hill & dairy farms
05:17 The Voelcker family & how they got the land
07:45 The Voelcker Trust & its lasting legacy
08:26 The Land Bridge — largest in the United States
09:00 The Skywalk & treetop canopy trail
09:24 Mayor Phil Hardberger & the bond election
10:14 What it's like to actually hike the park
11:50 Wildlife on the land bridge (deer sightings!)
12:19 The historic Voelcker homestead on the property
12:59 Monica's detour — KLRN's San Antonio Remembered
14:19 Walking through Texas history from Republic to statehood
16:07 Is Buttermilk Hill actually hilly?
17:15 The national architect search & park design
18:09 Awards, accolades & the Salado Creek Greenway
19:11 Visitor tips — parking, trails, pets & strollers
19:44 Pavilions, bathrooms, public art & the ecology center
20:45 Wrapping up — why you have no excuses not to go
21:56 Outro — like, share, merch & hike your own hike
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