Canoeing the San Marcos River
The San Marcos River is a spring-fed river in the Texas Hill Country. It is fed from the Edwards Aquifer near San Marcos, and flows through Luling and merges with the Guadalupe river near Gonzalez. While many people take day trips down legs of the river, this itinerary will cover the entire length of the river. It will take a very slow pace, and allow the traveller to take long breaks for meals and have several stops for swimming, rope swinging, and whatever else the wild heart desires.
UnderstandYou won't meet all that many people, short of a few drunk tubers and racers training on the river. You will see a whole lot of nature, mostly unmolested. Please help keep it that way.
PrepareYou should consider this a three-day trip through the middle of nowhere.
Get inThe trip starts in San Marcos city park, but you may wish to make supply drops along the way.
CanoeBefore you shove off, double-check your equipment. Make sure your spare paddle is securely lashed to the boat, along with your chests and other gear.
Stay safeMost safety concerns are obvious. Use the buddy system when swimming, stay away from large dams, and don't molest the wildlife or drunks and you should be fine.
Go nextIf you did not get a shuttle to San Marcos, you'll have to pick up your other vehicle. Head out PR-11 and take a left on US-183.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Canoeing the San Marcos River" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0