Purgatory Creek hides a thousand acres of rocky trail inside San Marcos

Lower Purgatory trailhead on Hunter Road drops quickly into the rough side of San Marcos park life. The natural area has more than 1,000 acres of single-track trail over rock ledges and tree roots. It draws mountain bikers and trail runners who want more than a paved loop.

More than 12 miles of trail climb toward Upper Purgatory off Valencia Way. Named routes include Dante, Beatrice, Ovid, and Ripheus. The preserve shows the rocky Hill Country side of San Marcos inside city limits. The city also added an ADA-accessible trail at Upper Purgatory in 2019.

It is free and open during daylight hours. Bring water; shade is patchy and there are no spigots once you are out on the trail.