About
Guadalupe River, Texas — 1755 Spanish Mission, 1840s-1880s Logging, 1987 Guadalupe SP 250-mi Kerrville. Cold tailwater flows from Canyon Dam create 12 miles of trout fishing through the Texas Hill Country before the Guadalupe River warms into the tubing capital of the state. Below the dam, water releases average 680 CFS and stay cool enough to support rainbow and brown trout — unusual for central Texas. The section from Canyon Dam to Gruene holds the coldest, clearest water, while the eight miles from Gruene to New Braunfels warm considerably and draw hundreds of thousands of tubers each summer through Class I–II rapids. Above Canyon Lake, 30 miles of Hill Country canyon offer Class II–III water when flows cooperate. The Guadalupe runs 230 total miles through Comal and Kendall counties, with optimal paddling between 150–500 CFS on gauge 08167500. Tonkawa and Comanche peoples used this corridor as a crossroads for centuries before German settlers founded New Braunfels in 1845. Commercial outfitters including Gruene River Company and Rockin R River Rides handle the heavy summer traffic through the lower sections. Guadalupe River State Park protects some of the undeveloped corridor, and the river carries Texas Paddling Trail designation.
River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and access points may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level.