Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Just outside San Antonio lies a canyon filled with layers of history stretching back more than 100 million years.
Today we’re exploring Government Canyon State Natural Area, where a single trail reveals an incredible story. Along the way we follow part of the historic Joe Johnston Route, a military wagon road surveyed in the late 1840s to help supply frontier forts in the Texas frontier.
But that’s only part of the story.
Hidden deep in the canyon are the mysterious remains of the Zizelmann House, an isolated 1800s homestead built miles from the nearest settlement. Why someone chose to build a home in such a remote place remains something of a mystery.
And then there are the dinosaur tracks.
More than 104 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period, this area sat along the shoreline of a shallow sea connected to the Gulf of Mexico. Dinosaurs walked across the muddy shoreline, leaving footprints that were eventually preserved in limestone. Today those tracks can still be seen in the creek bed, offering a rare glimpse into a prehistoric world.
From dinosaurs to wagon roads to frontier homesteads, in this video we explore one of the most fascinating historic landscapes in the Texas Hill Country.
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►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Just outside San Antonio lies a canyon filled with layers of history stretching back more than 100 million years.
Today we’re exploring Government Canyon State Natural Area, where a single trail reveals an incredible story. Along the way we follow part of the historic Joe Johnston Route, a military wagon road surveyed in the late 1840s to help supply frontier forts in the Texas frontier.
But that’s only part of the story.
Hidden deep in the canyon are the mysterious remains of the Zizelmann House, an isolated 1800s homestead built miles from the nearest settlement. Why someone chose to build a home in such a remote place remains something of a mystery.
And then there are the dinosaur tracks.
More than 104 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period, this area sat along the shoreline of a shallow sea connected to the Gulf of Mexico. Dinosaurs walked across the muddy shoreline, leaving footprints that were eventually preserved in limestone. Today those tracks can still be seen in the creek bed, offering a rare glimpse into a prehistoric world.
From dinosaurs to wagon roads to frontier homesteads, in this video we explore one of the most fascinating historic landscapes in the Texas Hill Country.
○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures
►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures
►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1
►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures
►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
