O.P. Schnabel and Leon Creek - The Best Place to Ride in San Antonio?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 มี.ค. 2018
- Taking a look at O.P. Schnabel and the Leon Creek trail system. Also riding with my friends and doing some trail side maintenance!
If you’ve been with this channel a while, you may notice I’m often riding alone. Not to say I don’t have any friends, but I’m usually stopping a lot to fiddle with my camera or just enjoying a mild ride by myself. Today though we are riding with all around cool friends Jess and David at O.P. Schnabel park. A lot of my videos are filmed at McAllister park because it’s close by, hosts a lot of the bike demos, and I know the trails a lot better. I’ve been to O.P. a good amount over the last 5 years, but just not as consistently. Luckily David knows this place well and is a fun guide to watch as he spends a good amount of time on one wheel.
O.P. is quite a bit rockier and challenging than McAllister, so it’s a fun change of pace. This place has a little bit of everything. A boat load of singletrack, some downhill sections that lead into jumps for those bolder than I, a sweet flow track section, and even a manmade bmx area….again for those more savage than the average biker. You can literally spend hours out here and cover a good 20-40 miles and never be bored. If it is your first time out here I highly recommend taking someone who knows the area. It isn’t labeled, a lot of the trails just spit you back to the pavement, and it’s pretty easy to get lost. It is true chaotic poetry in the woods. If you can’t get anyone to go with you, there is a good chance you’ll run into the local Texas Trail Ninjas. You can easily spot them because they will have a fairly large group, be sessioning a feature, and probably having the most fun out there. They are a very welcoming bunch. You could also gather a crowd by doing some trailside mechanics. Thanks to all of you who stopped to assist. O.P. and the entire Leon creek greenway system is one if not the largest mountain biking destination in San Antonio, only rivaled by McAllister park. I love both of these locations, but if you want to be challenged a bit more and elevate your riding skills, you’d be foolish not to check out O.P.
I also notice riding with others always makes me a better rider. When I follow better riders I sometimes hit moderately fast speeds…so much so you may forget you’re watching a Cobra Kyle video.
For you San Antonio locals do you prefer McAllister or O.P. and why? If you’re not from around here, how do these trails look in comparison to your local trails? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for watching. Subscribe to the channel if you aren’t already, give it a like, and share it with your biking buddies. Until next week, stay rowdy within reason! - กีฬา
I recently got into riding again and I appreciate your video's!! I went to op once by myself kinda got lost and just left lol. Gonna try it again this week with a little more confidence after watching you.
I agree best place to ride in SA.
Good call Jeremiah!
Getting lost is part of the fun!!!
Thanks for the video and Park recommendation. I’m visiting from Rochester, NY and plan to ride here today. If anyone wants to meet up I expect to get to there around Noon.
Kyle, as I've mentioned, previously, your demeanor and presentation is one of the things that make your vids great!
Also, as I've mentioned, as a road biker, these trail rides scare me to death - I'd hit more trees than I could count.
Even so, keep doing the vids and, please, keep up the great content!
Thanks! :)
Thanks Michael! I always imagine I sound too dry haha. Glad you enjoy them!
And to think MTBs are afraid of the Cars
Good video
Great video, thank you!
You're welcome! Thank you for checking it out.
Looks really smooth with very little elevation but extremely fast and flowy.
Yeah it's really flat here, but can definitely build your speed/flow skills. Major fun in Texas!
I like McAllister better but I think thats just because I know the trails. They were much easier to follow. McAllister is also much closer and easier to get to for me. I live in Cibolo/Schertz area so its 16 miles to Mac but OP is 32 miles from my house and I have to get through some of the crappiest traffic in the city. OP has some really cool spots though, I just filmed a ride there but couldnt do much. Partly due to the weather and not having any idea where I was half the time haha. I need to join more group rides to work on my speed. The last time I did a group ride there it turned into an "intermediate-advanced" ride. My ass was officially kicked. It was miserably hot and humid and these guys were fast and familiar with the features. If I got behind I'd catch up and they'd all be rested so I didnt get much of a break. I had to wash my bike just because I sweat all over it hahah. Hopefully you can make it to Austin this weekend!
The traffic to O.P. is pretty unbearable. Can't imagine coming from Schertz! You're doing Walnut Creek on Saturday right? I hope I can make it up there...would be fun!
I’m just ge back into mountain biking and I went to McAllister today did the blue loop , some fast spots I like but this video looks way more fun and was wondering which one do you prefer to ride?
I saw Jesse and Gilbert was there to help.
Looks so smooth
The trail or the footage? I'd say this trail has some good chunky areas, but overall is relatively smooth
The trail looked smooth in the camera I guess.
Thanks!
Me and Chris are hosting a group ride at OP on July 14 at 8am. If you're still in town come hang out and ride!
Sorry never mind. We are postponing due to wet trails
You rode in S.A.?!?!? I live in S.A.!! Sweet!
I live in S.A. as well!
Love the monkey loop!
Me too! Great section out there.
They look very nice. Although very smooth and easy to ride. More like a XC course. I live in NYC and ride at Sprain and Graham a lot and everything is very technical with crazy drops and rollers. We are planning to moving back to SA and I think I’ll miss the parks here and friends, might have to sell my 130mm 5010 as it’s too much travel for the type of terrain. Looks like there’s a great bike community in SA. Thank you for the video!
Welcome back to SA! I ride a 130mm trail bike now and it's more than sufficient. I also have a hardtail, and this place is a blast on that thing.
Come ride Government Canyon with me!!!
I used to love riding the monkey run (flow trail area also known as the dragon's tail) Haven't been in years due to breaking both arms in a motorcycle wreck but I got a new bike otw and can't wait to get back out there. And yes, you are super right about how easy it is to get lost out there. There's a few good landmark areas but otherwise it's easy to get turned around lol. Hope to see you out there soon.
Sorry to hear about the motorcycle wreck! Glad you are able to tell the tale. What bike did you get?
Awesome video! I've yet to ride Schnable, but have managed to break my wrist on the single track at Hardberger.
Sorry to hear about your wrist! Heal up and check out O.P. Schnabel. Great place to ride.
Great stuff...see you out there!
Thanks! Shout at me if you see me out there!
Cobra Kyle heading to flat rock this Saturday to get some footage.
MTB Thru my eyez Oddly enough so am I. Going with Chris CXK. Should arrive around 10
Cobra Kyle how are you be out there? I've never been.
OP is great! So many things to do!
For sure! Always finding new gems there.
Which part of Schnabel were ya riding the last 5min??
Hey Kyle - any good place to ride in Bulverde/Spring Branch?
hey plz reply back were u using a bike in the intro or are u using one????
Leon creek trail system definitely. Very long with plenty of trails from start to finish
I think I saw your buddy riding a wheelie about 3-4 months ago at O.P. on a dirt trail. He can ride better on one wheel than I can on two.
Hey you should ride with me I live in San Antonio!
So many DEER!!!
I’m headed up to San Antonio from the RGV. Our trail system is a simple one and not too technical. My question is where should I ride first to get a feel for the trail systems up there, and are there guided tours?
Hi Eric. McAllister park might be your best bet for the first time. The trails are a bit easier to follow and have some signage. If you prefer more variety and a bit more of a challenge I would say go with O.P. If you're on facebook, the Texas Trail Ninjas is a good group to find other riders. They know these trails really well and could show you around!
Looks like a fun spot.
A reason to come to San Antonio Alden!
Kyle, do you know if the Bandara Bike Park you featured is open? If so where is it located?
Hi Jason. Bandera actually had it's grand opening last weekend. Check out their website banderabike.com. It has all the info including exact location. It's a pretty fun place!
What camera are you using I’ll be up in central Texas next week riding
Hello! I use a GoPro Hero 4 silver on an Evo SS gimbal. Hope you enjoy the trails here!
Cobra Kyle I’ve ridden them before fun I recently retired and going to ride and surf as much as possible hopefully ride with you guys soon
they also have a more compact BMX section with steeper jumps and tight turns. where was that flowy single track ? and the other BMX section ?
The flow section is right behind the driving range of the abandoned golf course, and bmx jumps are just a bit further north from there on the pavement. You'll see them off to the left as you're heading north.
Go check out Reveille Peak Ranch its pretty badass a bit of a drive if you live in san antonio but well worth it
That place is for sure on my to do list. I've heard great things. Rode Walnut Creek last week and was very impressed with it.
I’m looking at getting the trek Marlin 6 or 7 as a beginner bike would it be able to handle most of the OP paths & trails?
For the more basic singletrack trails at OP I think the Marlin would be great. If you are looking to do large drops/jumps it may not be the best choice. It all depends on your skill level too. If you take it easy and ride within your limits I think most mountain bikes can handle the basic stuff. Also check out McAllister park as it has a lot more beginner friendly trails that the Marlin would love. Let me know what you end up getting! I hope you get a ton of enjoyment out of it!
Was your buddy riding a hard tail?
Nope. He was riding a Santa Cruz 5010 full suspension.
THAT place ftw
Hell yeah!
It's s o weird to see someone on YT riding around the trails I do every single day
I'm sure I'll bump into you out there! I love riding at OP. Haven't been in a while since this whole pandemic thing, but looking forward to getting back out.
@@CobraKyle yes!! We may have already past one another at least once lmao but at least I'm more aware of how popular OP is, and that a cool bike-rider on TH-cam rides there
I feel like there’s a bunch of stuff I haven’t seen in your video and I ride op almost every Sunday... I really can’t choose if it’s better than Mac I think it’s more about the kind or riding I wanna do on a given day
It can be a real maze out there! I still find new stuff every time I go. I've been riding Mac a ton lately because it's most convenient to me, but I prefer OP when I want to challenge myself a bit more.
Kyle, I live in San Antonio area and am wanting to check out those downhills to jumps and bmx jumps. Can you tell me where I can find them in op schnabel?
Hi Jesse! Those jumps are just outside of O.P. If you head down the concrete path where it's really steep and you come to a junction at the bottom of the hill, you'll want to turn left there. Maybe a quarter mile up you'll see a dirt path to your left and if you follow that it will lead to jumps. Sorry this isn't the best description, but keep exploring and you will find them!
This where you guys were at for those bmx jumps?
goo.gl/maps/K6BzPbqm6jp
Thisis a short but fun loop too.
goo.gl/maps/v2ieC5C8uQk
Yes Chris, that is exactly where the BMX jumps are. Thanks for doing that!
Nice video. Love the area and grew up in the neighborhood(French Creek) bordering the park. My friends and I blazed the start of a lot of those trails in the 80s and early 90s. It's crazy to see how wide the trails are now and the how the area is really cleared out of all underbrush. They were all narrow animal tracks back then with close brush on either side. Those jumps right around the 1:55 mark were also much, much bigger in the 80s/90s. Like lots of kids with lots of broken bones bigger. Looks like a lot of sediment has built up over the years in the main creek channel and made them pretty tame.
I got to this video from what I think is one of your riding buddies video riding with you.
th-cam.com/video/Jnf0miPmsf8/w-d-xo.html
I posted this on his video. I think it's a pretty good history of some of those trails!
Hah, great video! This brings back memories. My friends and I made a lot of those trails in the late 80s and early 90s. I grew up in French Creek right next to the park. The creation of the Tower Climbing trails from the Pavilion to the top of the cliffs near the tower(which I climbed as a kid) are a great story. It had been OP Schnable park for as long as I remember but the city didn't started building up the park with roads and buildings until the late 80s/early 90s. We were all age 8 to 18 and pissed that they dared build things in our playground. It happened to be a rainy year(I think '91 or 92' and Leon Creek was flowing great with clear spring water through there for the whole summer. We fished and swam all summer in the creek! As you know it's usually bone dry unless it's a flood from heavy rain. The city was doing some construction on the pavilion that year and we made the Old Tower trails because we needed a path to carry the bags of cement we stole from the pavilion construction site! We carried quite a few of them up the hill, down the cliffs and to the creek by the "waterfall" area(large area of exposed limestone bedrock). We used the cement to build a dam for a deeper swimming hole. None of y'all probably care but now you know how some of those trails were made! Thanks for the memories! And we rode that stuff with 800lb KMart BMX knock off bikes!
I love McAllister. But I have only be to O.P. Once and got lost!!😂 looks fun I just need to find someone who knows the trails. I don’t have any MTB friends here in SA.
O.p. for sure needs some signage. I can still get lost out there haha
Cobra Kyle Thanks for getting back to me!! I really enjoy your videos. One of the very few guys a can stand to watch or listen to. Keep up the good work. Maybe I’ll see you out on the trails sometime!!
I truly appreciate that Jason! Always nice to hear when someone enjoys these videos. We're gonna be having a group ride soon, so keep an eye out for that!
Sweet would have been cool to.cross trails
If you ever see a dude with a gopro on his chest while huffing and puffing it's probably me. I'll see you out there sometime!
new to mountain biking. Mostly ride the pavement trials around my area but looking for a good and beginner off dirt trails any recommendations where to start?
Hello! The best beginner spot would definitely be McAllister park. It's not as rocky as leon creek, so it's a great place to learn the basics. You can find more challenging stuff out there too. Hope you're having fun riding!
Try Voelcker Trailhead off Blanco Rd.. You will be riding Salado Creek Greenway. Paved trail that lets you take some single track if you wish to. When your done try Blanoc BBQ right around the corner.
I have road OP a few times. I have a nice hard tail, but want a YT Jeffsy!
Awesome! I have a YT Jeffsy, and I want a nice hardtail to go with it haha.
McAllister is within 10 minutes of me though I probably prefer riding at OP Schnabel.
That's nice you live so close to Mac. I'm closer to downtown, so they are both a bit of a drive.
WOW that BMX track does not look that nice anymore. Could barely recognize it in this video!!
Yeah that BMX track is always changing.
Bro I just moved back to San Antonio can we go riding together??? U show me
OP i like better only cause trail is longer and a little more of everything
CRANK IT MTB I second your opinion.
Looking for people to ride with , like in the nw side in san antonio
frank ortiz I’m heading out to Leon this Sunday. I normally park and start at the fox park trail head.
Hi Frank! If you check the local Facebook MTB groups people are always putting rides on all over the city.
Please don't use the youtube stabilization on helmet cam shots. Other than that great video!
trevzor4242 I didn't use TH-cam stabilization on this. Tried it once on an old video and it's pretty awful. I wear a gimbal on my chest. Which parts in particular look weird? I'm always looking to improve quality. Thanks!
Cobra Kyle mainly noticed it in the first 30 seconds or so. I like the raw look but it's definitely a lot more stable.
Op shnable has more to do but McAllister had better trail quality
That is a perfect summarization of them haha