Texas Kayaking and Canoeing

Texas kayaking and canoeing enthusiasts have a wide range of choices to enjoy this great outdoor activity. With more than 3,700 named streams, 15 major rivers and some 3,300 miles of tidal shoreline along the Gulf Coast, Texas offers myriad opportunities for kayaking and canoeing adventures of all types. You have plenty of freshwater streams, rivers, and lakes to choose from and lots of choices for saltwater paddling.

River Kayaking and Canoeing

Steams and rivers meander through 191,000 miles of Texas landscape. These vastly important aquatic ecosystems play a major role in protecting water quality, preventing erosion, and providing nutrients and habitat for fish and wildlife. Along the way, water that eventually flows into seven major estuaries, supports over 212 reservoirs, countless riparian habitats, wetlands, and terrestrial areas. Bottom line, there are lots of places to river kayak and enjoy the water, scenery, and camaraderie. Kayak fishing is growing leaps and bounds and Texas rivers have some fish just waiting for you, so give it a try.

The Guadalupe and San Marcos Rivers are world famous and provide enjoyment to tens of thousands annually. To learn more about all the rivers of Texas, visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Here is some information on some of the best Texas Rivers for kayaking or canoeing:

• Brazos River - the most popular section is below Possum Kingdom dam
• Comal River - said to be the shortest river in Texas, this 3 mile small crystal clear river flows from large springs in New Braunfels to the Guadalupe river
• Frio River - this is a hidden gem of a river with cool, clear water that flows from underground springs
• Guadalupe River - this is by far the most popular river for tubing with multiple places to tube and plenty of outfitters that rent tubes, rafts, kayaks, or canoes
• Llano River - the North and South Llano river meet in Junction and both rivers offer good kayaking and canoeing before and after they meet
• Neches - very pretty and scenic river and popular for paddling
• San Marcos River - this is a popular and fun place to tube with tubers usually starting in San Marcos
• Texas Paddling Trails - this is a new program from Texas Parks & Wildlife to develop public inland and coastal paddling trails throughout the state and support these trails with maps, signage and other information

Southwest Paddler has tons of great information on paddling the Texas rivers as well as maps of various sections of the river.

Some of the best kayaking and canoeing spots to paddle include:

• Guadalupe River State Park - Rebecca Creek (14 Miles) - 830 438-2656
• Brazos River - below the Possum Kingdom dam
• Elm Fork of the Trinity River - Hwy 12 to Sandy Lake Road in Carrollton - 972 245-7475
• Colorado River - Tom Miller Dam to Longhorn Dam (5 miles) or Little Webberville Park to Big Webberviller Park (7 miles - 512 461-7139) in the Bastrop and Smithville area (512 677-2305)
• San Marcos River - City Park to Westerfield Crossing in San Marcos (6 miles - 512 357-6113) or Hwy 90 to Zedler Mill in Lulling (6 miles - 512 353-3946)

Lake Kayaking

Texas offers some fantastic lakes to paddle on with a wide variety of scenery and sites. Two very popular destinations are Austin's Town Lake, where paddlers paddle to Austin’s Congress Bridge which hosts one of the nation’s largest colonies of Mexican Free-tailed Bats. Inks Lake is a great destination for those who want to paddle and tour Devils Water Hole. To learn more about Texas Lakes, camping, and other good stuff, check out the Lakes section of Texas Outside.

Paddling Trails

The State of Texas is has recently started "The Texas Paddling Trails which is a new program to develop public inland and coastal paddling trails throughout the state and then support these trails with maps, signage and other information. These trails provide well-mapped accessible day trips in a variety of settings and for all levels of paddling experience. There are currently seven coastal paddling trails and one inland paddling trail, with several communities in the process of applying for participation in this program." Lean more by visiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Paddling Trails.

Inland Water Trails

Here is some information, thanks to Texas Parks and Wildlife, on the Inland Water Trails:

• Luling Zedler Mill Paddling Trail - Located on the San Marcos River near the city of Luling, this six-mile river trail can be floated in two to four hours. Paddlers will enjoy a gentle family-friendly ride on this quiet river lined with beautiful trees and wildlife.
• Goliad Paddling Trail - Enjoy quiet pools and several small riffles on the first inland paddling trail to include a State Park. Located on the San Antonio River near the town of Goliad, this ~6.6-mile river trail can be floated in two and a half to four hours.
• Columbus Paddling Trail - Paddling the Colorado River through the town of Columbus you have the opportunity to see wildflowers, birds, turtles and more! This 6.5 mile trail can take anywhere from two to five hours to complete, and the peaceful waters and calm rapids will give you a wonderful day on the river

Saltwater Kayaking

Texas has over 3300 miles of tidal shoreline and a large portion of it is excellent for kayaking to explore the coast or bayous, to saltwater fish, or for eco tours.

Coastal Trails

Texas Parks and Wildlife is continually adding trails, site assessments, and map. If you need more information on these paddling trails, please contact the Nature Tourism Coordinator. Thanks to TP&W, here is some information on the coastal trails from their website:

• South Bay Paddling Trail - The South Bay Paddling Trail follows the shores of South Bay in a loop of about eight miles. This shallow, subtropical body of water consists of approximately 3,500 surface acres, bounded on the south by the riparian edge of the Rio Grande, on the north by the Brownsville Ship Channel and associated spoil banks, and on the east by Brazos Island. It is located in Cameron County
• Christmas Bay Paddling Trail - The Christmas Bay Paddling Trail is a 19.1-mile circumnavigation of this pristine minor bay on the western end of the Galveston Bay complex. This small bay is unique since it supports the largest stand of seagrass (over 200 acres) on the upper Texas coast.
• Lighthouse Lakes Paddling Trail - The Lighthouse Lakes Paddling Trail was the very first Texas Paddling Trail and is actually a series of four loops ranging in length from 1.25 miles to 6.8 miles. The trails meander through an extensive black mangrove estuary, into sloughs and back lakes near the historic 1857 Lydia Ann Lighthouse on North Harbor Island. Paddlers can glide through mangroves and seagrass flats that provide outstanding bird watching and fishing for red drum, spotted seatrout and flounder in the maze of tidal channels and flats. See a Lighthouse Trail photomap.
• Galveston Island State Park Paddling Trail - Galveston Island State Park hosts three paddling trails, the 2.6-mile Dana Cove (Lake Como) trail, the 4.8-mile Oak Bayou trail and the 2.8-mile Jenkins Bayou trail. The Jenkins Bayou trail begins at the western end of Clapper Rail Road and takes paddlers along the bayou and out to the marsh restoration terrace field. The Oak Bayou Trail is accessed along the main park road and also highlights the terrace field, as well as areas of natural high marsh where laughing gulls, various tern species and oystercatchers may be found nesting each spring. The Dana Cove (Lake Como) trail begins at the end of the main park and continues through the seagrass beds that have recolonized behind constructed geo-textile breakwaters.
• Mustang Island Paddling Trail - The Mustang Island Paddling Trail consists of the North Trail (8.5 miles), the Shamrock Loop (5.24 miles) and the Ashum Trail (6.8 miles). All of the trails follow the western shoreline of Mustang Island in Corpus Christi Bay, and cover some of the best shallow-water fishing areas in Texas. The Ashum Trail follows the shoreline of Corpus Christi Bay over a firm sand bottom and allows for outstanding bird watching as well as sight-casting opportunities. The Shamrock Loop skirts the beautiful, protected waters of Shamrock Cove, where it connects with the North Trail, which follows the shoreline to East Flats and then meanders through marsh and spoil islands to the Island Moorings marina in Port Aransas.
• Port O’Connor Paddling Trail - The Port O’Connor Paddling Trail consists of three trails totaling a little more than 25 miles. The Fishpond trail (12.3 miles) begins in Port O’Connor and travels through a number of bayous and cuts along the edge of Espiritu Santo Bay to Saluria Bayou, where it joins the 8.28-mile South Loop trail. From Mule Slough, the Fish Pond and North Loop (4.82 miles) trails continue east toward Sunday Beach on the Gulf of Mexico and to Lighthouse Cove, near the historic Matagorda Island Lighthouse. The scene of fighting during the Civil War (Confederate trench lines) still may be seen here. Camping is permitted

Conditions

Before you head out for a paddling trip, make sure that you check the conditions. Here are some sites to help you:

• Weather - National Weather Service and Weather.com
• River Conditions - Texas Parks & Wildlife, USGS, and National Water Information System
• Moon - Moon Phases or StarDate Online
• Tide - tide & current predictor or Saltwater Tides.com

Kayaking & Canoeing Resources

Kayak Organizations - South Texas Kayak, Texas Kayak Fisherman, or Coastal Kayak Angler Paddling Events - events in conjunction with Texas Parks & Wildlife Free Kayaking Trip Brochures - brochures and info on Texas kayaking trips Lower Colorado River Authority Brazos River Authority   Texas Kayak Fisherman - the #1 source for Guadalupe and Blanco River Authority Love2Paddle - home to the Texas Paddlers Forum Texas Canoe Racing Association - statewide club for persons interested in paddle sport racing Houston Rowing Club - memberships, classes, and dining cruises Southwest Paddler - comprehensive resource for information related to outdoor recreation on and near the rivers, creeks and streams of Texas Austin Kayak Fishing - information on almost every aspect of kayak fishing Coastal Kayak Angler - lots of good information on coastal kayak fishing

Kayaking Guides

There are almost as many guides as there are places to paddle in Texas. Most specialize in either freshwater or saltwater activities. Rates vary widely based on location and activity (fishing, birding, exploring) selected. The key is to shop around. The following are some popular Texas kayaking guides.

Contact us if you would like to be included on the above list.

Kayak Manufactures

Some of the more popular kayak brands being used in Texas are:

Texas Kayak Dealers

Kayaks are available from a wide array of national chains such as Academy, Sportsman's Warehouse, BassPro Shop, Sun & Ski Sports.

Additionally there several local vendors that typically offer very competitive prices.

Thanks to Texas Park & Wildlife for some of the content and pictures. By providing the pictures, TP&W is not endorsing Texas Outside.

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