Donkey Lady Bridge - Medina River Natural Area, San Antonio, TX USA
N 29° 14.806 W 098° 33.124
14R E 543524 N 3235408
The Donkey Lady Bridge is found near the Medina River Greenway Applewhite Trailhead at 2440 W. Jett Road, San Antonio, Texas 78264. Also described as at the Old Applewhite Trailhead.
Waymark Code: WM17HCW
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 02/22/2023
Views: 2
The bridge crossing the Medina River where West Jett Road and Old Applewhite Roads meet in a bend in the road where there is also a convenient trailhead into the Medina River Natural Area. This is the Medina River Greenway Applewhite Trailhead. The bridge is within sight of the trailhead but is barricaded to prevent automobile traffic from accessing the bridge. The local Walking and Biking path which winds past and over the Donkey Lady Bridge are the correct means to get to the bridge.
Parking is available at the Trailhead and along both Jett Drive and Old Applewhite Road. There is enough room for a bus if you want to bring a bus load of people with you. Parking coordinates are found below as Additional Coordinates.
The story of the Donkey Lady after which the Donkey Lady Bridge is named has been a local folk tale/ghost story for a few generations or so. Attached below are links to several variations of the Donkey Lady story but the variations all include certain chore elements. A short summary of the sad tale goes like this:
Long ago a poor family of father, mother and a number of their children decided to homestead along the Medina River near this Medina River crossing. At some point their house and surrounding area catches fire, or was set on fire, causing the woman to get horribly burned all over her face, arms and hands and elsewhere. The cause of the fire is argued by who tells the story, but the lady survives against all odds while the rest of the family die. Her hands and face are grossly deformed and misshaped by the fire but she lives through the healing process. When people see her, she looks line she has a face like a donkey and her burned hands and arms look like donkey hoofs.
The story varies but that is the theme. She appears on the bridge on occasion, so the town folk used to drive their car onto the bridge and honk the horn to see if the Donkey Lady would appear on the bridge. Below three links to the Donkey Lady Bridge story.
Link to Cryptid Wiki Fandom interpretation of the Donkey Lady tale:
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Link to Texas Hill Country version of the Donkey Lady Bridge:
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Link to Weird US telling of the Donkey Lady Bridge story:
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