As a lot of you may know, we have been working to create a set of guidebooks for the rivers of the Texas Hill Country. This summer was supposed to be filled with survey float trips but with the drought, we ended up dragging our poor kayak just as much as paddling it. Then by the end of June the flows got so low that it became too difficult to continue. Of the rivers we had surveyed, the Blanco was the one we were closest to finishing. The only remaining section to cover was a section that contained a run that I began calling the “Dry Blanco”. At the time, all I knew was that for over 6 miles of this part of the river, the water will seep below the surface if the flow drops below a relatively high rate. So we waited and hoped for a tropical storm to flood Central Texas in the fall so we could float this section once and for all.
Like a lot of other folk, we were waiting for rain that would never come.
But the long and excessive drought opened another possibility. We knew the first 6 or so miles would be dry but based on some research of historical satellite imagery, the sectioned that continued down river to the next public access might have deep pools that would be impossible to wade across. It was a risk we were willing to take, even if we have to swim we would finally finish this section.
Loaded with several liters of water each, we set off just before sunrise.
It had rained in the area a couple of days before and we would pass over tiny puddles here and there that had formed in the downpour.
There were even a couple of small pools that hadn’t completely dried up yet. They did not appear to have anything living in them however.
The recent rain had also triggered a lot of wildflowers to bloom. It was odd, seeing such brilliant life springing forth in the middle of this desolate riverbed.
The hike was starting out fairly easy. For the most part we were crossing sections of flat slabs or small rocks and gravel. Given our speed, I began to think this might be an easy day.
As the sun began to climb, the humidity in the air became more apparent. This combined with random sections of rough terrain began to slow our progress even before it really started getting hot. I began to worry that my 3 liters would be insufficient. I knew it would be enough to make it safely but I really hate hiking with cottonmouth.
By the time we made it to The Narrows, it was only 7.6 miles into the hike and the heat was already starting to get to me. I was feeling old, fat and out of shape. None of which was untrue.
The sun was up high and reflecting off the light colored rocks. This combined with the humidity was making it feel a lot hotter than it actually was. Luckily, we had just arrived at The Narrows, like finding a oasis in the desert, we eagerly made our way down to its cool water.
As we descended, the dark pools below looked inviting but were almost black in color. I couldn’t decide just what was causing the visual effect. It was deep between narrow cliffs, perhaps the shadows were playing tricks? It didn’t appear the water was brackish.
When we climbed down to the bottom, it became obvious. The water appeared black because it was crystal clear and REALLY deep. I mean black hole deep. I didn’t know it at the time, but these were not separate pools but rather openings to large underwater cave system called pot holes. The water here was blissfully cold. I wanted to spend the rest of the day here exploring and just lounging about.
To illustrate the clarity of the water, compare this same gin clear water in an adjacent shallow pool to the color of the water in the pot holes.
I have no idea how deep the caves go but they do seem to shallow out the further we went down river.
After a hundred yards or so, the water picked up a green tint. We didn’t go down here but I assume that the water was warmer here.
The cliffs are actually an exposed coral reef that dates back to before the dinosaurs went extinct.
Just down river of The Narrows the landscape is far more lush than we had seen all day. Evidence that at least some water has been continually flowing.
- Another Wildflower (click to enlarge)
These wildflowers lined the river just below The Narrows.
Leaving The Narrows behind, we felt refreshed. We proceeded wading in ankle deep water down river for a while until the pool gave way to more rock and gravel. We assumed that this was the last of the water and the remaining hike would be relatively easy over dry river bed.
We could not have been more wrong.
What we found were pool after pool being supported by series of small trickling springs coming out of the limestone. Never enough to create a significant flow but just enough to keep the pools from drying up. Great for the fish and other animals that relied on the water. Bad for a couple of hikers trying to get from point A to B.
To make it worse, the terrain between the pools was getting increasing difficult, slowing us down even more.
Oh, and did I mention how hot it was? So its not like we felt the need to hurry through the pools anyway!
We never did have to swim but it came close. About 2 miles from the finish we had to hold our packs above our heads and just barely made it by wading.
All in all, it ended up being a 13.6 mile hike. We finally got the final piece to complete the Blanco River Guide despite the drought. If you want to know what’s its like to go from where we started that morning and hike the 7.6 miles to The Narrows, just watch the video below. You’ll get to make the trip in about 6 minutes!
Remember if you are thinking of traveling the Blanco River to the Narrows, the Blanco River Pocket Guide is available: http://pocketguides.www.texasriverbum.com/
A great followup read was written by Bret Cox: http://www.texasriverbum.com/narrows
What a rare opportunity to see this river in this state. Your report and photos will provide a wonderful history for the future. Hopefully, this dry state will be rare. Thanks for taking the time and sharing.
Great video. I wonder when the last time was someone saw the caves and pools as you captured in the vid. Like Rita said, its a great way record it for the history books– and hopefully it will be a very long time until it happens again as it inevitably will. Thanks.
Awesome stuff David. I guess even the drought can have a bit of a silver lining…Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Mark and might I say that’s a mighty fine hat you got there!
Hi, I have been trying to find the narrows and so far I haven’t been able to. Where did you start your hike? Thanks for your help and hope to hear from you.
Lauren – We started at what know as the “2nd” Chimney Valley crossing where Chimney Valley Road crossing the Blanco River.
The coordinates for that crossing are: N30 05.273 W98 19.501
However with all the recent rain I highly doubt it can be hiked, we were only able to do so sue to the extreme record breaking drought last year.
Dave
David,
Did you park off of Chimney Valley Rd just west of the river crossing then? Where did you park?
Jose,
Actually we parked east of the river, off to the south side of Chimney Valley Road.
Dave
Thanks for the quick reply! I definitely want to do what you did. I would love a mixture of wading through water and hiking. I imagine that’s how it is currently.
Jose,
Although I do not know its current condition it was September 22, 2011 when we hiked it. The gauge at Wimberley showed only 8cfs and it had been below 10cfs for 3 months. Now, the same gauge shows about 78cfs (http://www.texasriverbum.com/the-rivers/blanco-river) and was over 100cfs a mere few days ago. So I guess I am saying if you proceed, do so with an abundance of caution and be prepared to turn back if prudent.
Dave
GPS coordinates for this site? PLEASE! We were hoping to go this weekend but are having a hard time finding directions!
Victoria – I just got back from a long day on the water or I would have replied sooner. I’m sorry to kill your birthday plans but as I just mentioned to Lauren that with the recent rains riverbed is certainly blocked with pools between the access point and The Narrows. However if you want to visit the The Narrows you might be able to by contacting the Natural Area Protection Associtional whom maintains a trust over that property.
Here are the coordinates you asked for:
2nd” Chimney Valley crossing – N30 05.273 W98 19.501
The Narrows – N30 03.388 W98 17.262
Just to give everyone a look at the difference some rain makes, here is a photo of the access point from 3/31/12 – compare it to the first (sunrise) photo in the story. I’m not saying that the water is flowing all the way to The Narrows but it will have large pools from recent rains. This section is not something you can hike right now, you will just have to wait until the next drought if you want to be sure it is really dry.
First of all thank you so much for all the info! I really want to go explore down there but need to know where to park and how to actually find the narrows.
Levi, at this point I would wait until September and see if it continues to be dry. If so, you will likely be able to hike it. We started at what know as the “2nd” Chimney Valley crossing where Chimney Valley Road crossing the Blanco River. The coordinates for that crossing are: N30 05.273 W98 19.501 – however you would do better to use our Blanco River Pocket Guide if you decide to make the hike.
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Also check out this story for additional info: http://www.texasriverbum.com/narrows
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Pocket Guide info can be found here: http://pocketguides.www.texasriverbum.com/available-guides/blanco-river/
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Dave
Is there a closer entry point to the Narrows or is that the only one you have found? Thanks again for your help!
As far as public access it is approximately 1/2 between the Chimney Valley and Valley View crossings. These are the only possible access points other than from private property. More information can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/6ss2nns
I have just a few more questions, did you drive to Chimney Valley? When we drove out to there two weeks ago to look for the Narrows we didn’t know where to park or where to start at. Also do you suggest things we should bring (water, sunscreen, ie.) and how long did your trip take? You have been such a big help in planing our trip so thanks again!
Yes, we drove. I have parked at the 2nd Chimney Valley crossing several times. Just north of the crossing, at least 100 yards from the river, park well off to the side of the road. Since that area doesn’t get many visitors the locals are pretty friendly and there aren’t many no parking signs.
I advise you read my article on legal access so you will be aware of the law: http://www.texasriverbum.com/legal-access-texas-rivers
If you are really intent on doing this, I recommend taking a kayak (a small tandem or canoe if there are 2 of you) and trying to paddle/drag your way to the next crossing at Valley View Road. Its 7.5 miles to The Narrows, but if you can make that far you’ll be able to (more or less) paddle the 6.2 miles down river in much more plentiful water and pull out at the Valley View crossing.
Valley View Crossing = N30 02.209 W98 13.372
If the river completely drys out on the way to The Narrows, leave the boat and hike the rest of the way there. When you decide to return, hike back to your boat and drag/paddle it back up river to the Chimney Valley crossing.
All of this means you’ll need to leave one vehicle at each crossing to shuttle yourselves.
Dave
Nice article David! Love the pics, felt like I was there.
I grew up fishing the Blanco River, and know all to well how easily the water can dry up leaving just pools of water on this precious water resource. I think the Blanco can be one of the most beautiful areas, even when it is in a dry stage (just like in your photos.) I no longer live in the area, I live on the Western edge of the hill country know, but my heart still lies around there. Thanks for this post, it reminded me that I need to make a trip back there.
Thanks Pat,
I am hoping to have a whitewater kayak by next spring and make the trip again in high water conditions. Should be an interesting contrast!
Dave
Hey Dave,
Great article. We will be in the hill country all weekend and would love to check out the Narrows. Im still confused if it’s private property or not. I was told to go to the narrow rec area. Any further info on the site would be greatly appreciated.
Edward, some friends of mine tried to paddle to The Narrows last weekend but the water does not make it before seeping underground. So you could paddle until it goes dry, hike to The Narrows, hike back to your boats then paddle up river to the put in but it’d be a tough day.
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The Narrows Recreation Area is on the Colorado River and managed by the LCRA. It has nothing to do with The Narrows on the Blanco River.
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Road access to the The Narrows on the Blanco River is private and the area is managed by the Texas Land Conservancy.
This is incredible footage of this area. I’ve been researching and trying to discover more about the Narrows for a book I’m writing. This information is gold. Thanks for sharing your experiences. One question – other than the deep pools – underwater caves, are there any above ground caves along its length?
Thank you.
Blessings,
Jodie Wolfe
Jodie, Thank you for the comment. We did not see them but as I understand it there are caves in the immediate area but not along the canyon walls.
Dave
Dave,
Do you happen to know where the above ground caves are located, or who I could ask? I have a very important scene in my book in the area of the Narrows, and would love to incorporate a cave too, and above all else I want to be able to describe it accurately. Do you know who I could ask that is familiar with the caves? Also, in the section of the Narrows, are there places you can actually walk?
Thank you so much.
Jodie Wolfe
Jodie,
Sorry I do not know the location of those caves. You could ask the Texas Land Conservancy but I do not have any contacts there. The only place to walk the Narrows is up on the canyon’s edge. looking down. It is private property and only accessible with permission or portaging by right of navigation.
Dave
Thanks, Now I am homesick for Texas!
Hi,
Do you have an estimate at what flow rate it would be a good idea to take a kayak? I see today (May 9, 2013) that the gauge at Wimberley is showing 10 cfs, and from what I’m gathering, that would probably be hikeable. I’m curious as to at what point the flow rate would make it impractical to hike.
Thanks,
Bret
Actually my daughter tried to hike it a couple of weeks ago (end of April, 2013) and found it to have too much water to hike but too little to paddle. I think it will take a month or so of hot days to dry it out. Assuming we don’t get significant rain that is.
Dave
So this week probably wouldn’t be the best time to try to hike it?
Possibly not even this year, we will have to wait and see.
Dave
I’m trying to find out who I need to contact in regard to permission to use a photo from this article.
Thank you,
Jodie Wolfe
digging4pearls(at) comcast (dot) net
Jodie, I just sent you an email.
Hey Dave, I made the trip yesterday, (June 8). I would like to send you an email with a quick report of some of the things we encountered, It’s amazing to watch your video of the hike and compare it to how different things were when we saw them. I thought perhaps you may like to hear some of these things. I also have a question or two that I think you may be able to help me with. You should have me email address from where I just entered it, correct?
Bret
Bret, thank you for sharing your adventure with us at: http://www.texasriverbum.com/narrows
Hello David, we were hoping to hike the Narrows this weekend, but what has me worried is the recent rain, but more so the trespassing. How likely is it that we would run into anyone, whether it is an owner or sheriff? Thank you!
Maria, I suggest you read Bret’s story (http://www.texasriverbum.com/narrows) as he made the trip a couple of weeks ago. You can legally hike the riverbed and can read more about that here: http://www.texasriverbum.com/legal-access-texas-rivers. If you decide to make the trip, be sure to let us know how it went! – Dave
A couple friends and I are wanting to hike to the narrows in a couple weeks, any updated info on the river would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Dustin, sorry but I haven’t been out there this year at all and haven’t gotten any reports for around 2 months. It *might* be okay to hike, it seems to have been hot and dry enough but in the end you will have to take a little risk that there might be an impassable pool. I don’t think that is likely however and you should be fine if you hike in from the 2nd Chimney Valley crossing and return back to there.
David,
This is cool stuff you’ve put together. I’ve always heard of the narrows but never really thought it was an option with it being private now.
I wanted to pick your brain a bit on kayaking to the Narrows. Do you think it would be possible to kayak it most of the way from the drop-in point to valley view crossing if you catch it right after a good rain? Here lately we’ve been getting good rains, and I imagine that if you catch it the day after a good rain (not during any chances of flash flooding of course) there would be enough water to get a kayak all the way with minimal dragging. Your thoughts?
Thanks,
Matt
Matt,
You can absolutely paddle it the entire way in those rare cases when the waters is high enough. It just so happens that this is one of those times. It will not last long unless we get more rain. I suspect that after next weekend the river will begin to dry up again through that section.
I suggest you pick up a copy of the Blanco River Pocket Guide (http://pocketguides.www.texasriverbum.com/buy/) and give it a try! – be sure to portage around the Narrows themselves unless you are ready for a Class IV whitewater drop.
Also be sure to take lots of photos and let us know how it went!
Dave
Hello Dave,
Have you received any recent status report about the riverbed? Thanks for providing this helpful guide! Also, it would be helpful if the comments had timestamps!
Thanks,
Henri
Henri, sorry for the late reply it is always a bit of a guess on the Dry Blanco’s riverbed but it looks like the rains from a week ago are receding quickly. I still think you would have to paddle part of the way before hiking the rest.
I would love to have timestamps! I’ve asked the WordPress theme’s developer if its possible.
Anyone know if the blanco river is dry enough to hike up to the narrows?
thanks
Robbie, I serious doubt that it would be a good idea to even try. We had recent enough rains that the river will be flowing well past the crossing and then there will be large pools after where ever it seeps underground. You might be able to paddle pretty close to it then get out and hike the remaining bit but not sure.
Thank you david,
Is it possible to hike along the edge of the water when there are large pools? My friends and i are determined to get there as soon as possible!
Robbie – no, it really has to be the driest part of summer to hike it. Otherwise you will end up doing a lot of criminal trespassing, which will likely get you a hefty fine. We did it at the worst part of the 2011 drought. If you read the article that Brett Cox wrote: http://www.texasriverbum.com/narrows you can read how his group had to paddle half the way there before hiking the rest.
I’m so glad u stubble upon this ! I’ve been reading the comments/replies and such which have been helpful, but I was wondering what’s the quickest way to get to the Narrows? And how much walking is involved? I’m trying to go out there with some friends but have no idea where to start
Jack, re-read the story for details but its very hot 7.5 mile hike down a dry riverbed. What can I say?
Are there any guides in the area to do a day hiking trip to see this?
Sorry Steven, there are not. I can’t imagine that anyone could find enough clients to do the long and difficult hike down that hot riverbed.
Dave
Hey everyone . Here is an update from a hike to the narrows on august 1. Big thanks to David for giving me his input so now I’m thanking him by giving mine.
1) do not park on any property that is not public (they will tow you)sadly I had to learn the hard way. The only thing to do it ask local residents if you could park on their property . (Unless someone can drop you off ) *chimney valley road*
2) be prepared . You need lots of water . And make sure you are capable of walking through rocks of all sizes , climbing , and jumping for 15.2 miles . It was more arduous than we thought .
3) There are big metal fences in the river bed preventing you from going forward . This made me think I was trespassing (maybe I was but oh well) be prepared to bend some metal fences / climb
4) we got lucky no one was at the narrows . Some people own it and set up picnic tables and such. right when we got there, we saw people leaving in cars . Idk if they would have kicked us out . There were “no trespassing” signs at the narrows
5) the narrows is the most beautiful sight in Texas . If you go, be respectful of the nature there .
Robbie, glad to hear you made the hike successfully. I had a couple of questions:
1. What problems did you have with parking. I went out there last weekend to confirm that some new signs have been posted at the low water crossings. (see attached image) But they only refer to the ambiguous “No Parking Near Bridge” which I would assume means that if you parked out of sight of the sign and bridge and walked to it would make it fine. Where did you park to get a ticket?
2. As long as you did not stray far from the riverbed, you are allowed to go over/around obstructions to navigation.
David, I read that as long as you are below the flood plain(aka. the river bed) it is legal to go to the narrows. Even if the people own the property around the narrows, they cant legally own that part of the river itself. Is it true that as long as I enter the river lawfully and stay on the riverbed I’m allowed to be there even if they tell me to leave since they cant actually own the river, just the land around it? Very curios to know the legalities behind it. Thanks!
Cody, take a look at this write-up I did and be sure to follow the link to the source material to get a full understanding: http://www.texasriverbum.com/legal-access-texas-rivers
To answer your question; it is legal to walk riverbeds of steams that are navigable by fact or statue due to they way Texas navigation laws read. The riverbed is NOT defined by the floodplain, it is the bed within the cut banks or in the case of a gradient bank it is 1/2 the distance from the waterline to the high water mark.
Thanks for the info! I know that you specified on where you parked your vehicle above. You said you parked on the northside of the crossing about one hundred yards away from the river. So did you just park right on the side of the road?
I saw those 2 signs and parked outside both of them. There was a large area with no house but just long uncut grass. I parked on the first property east of the river
Robbie, is that where you parked when you got your vehicle towed? It would be awesome if David could post a picture of the crossing from a sky view and show us right where he parks! I just don’t want to park there, come back, and my vehicle not be there. I just want a safe place to leave my vehicle. I plan on going at the end of this month and need to know exactly where to park without my vehicle getting towed. Robbie, how did you get your vehicle back when it did get towed?
Robbie, I’m really confused. It sounds like you parked well away from the bridge along the side of the road. If so, I can’t understand the justification for ticketing or towing you. What did the citation say?
Cody, those signs were recently installed but I parked at the location indicated in the image: http://puu.sh/aJpRq/054db90aa5.png – its was about 100yds southeast of the bridge with all 4 tires just barely off the road.
Legally, I believe that parking in the easement of a county road is legal anyway unless otherwise posted. The signs at the bridge use the word “near” which is fairly vague but it seems completely reasonable that 100yds and out of view of the bridge is not “near”.
David – How about a VRBO or BNB that sits along the river near by?
David or Robbie,
Could you list the exact coordinates or the address where you park and start the hike? thank you!
David – How about some info on this Wellspring Retreat Center. I cant find anything……..
The Wellspring Retreat Center will not accept patrons outside of their ministry network. Nor will they allow private parties access for a fee.
Where would we park if we entered from the 2nd Chimney crossing?
There are obviously some misconceptions about unqualified and open ended use of county roads. There is no parking anywhere near low water crossings in Blanco. Those are tow away zones. And a driver can’t simply park their car on a county road and leave it there for however long without some valid reason, like a real break down. Chimney Valley was originally a private road that the county took over maintenance some years back. The ranchers put the original road in, and own the property where the road is. Unlike a lot of roads that were put in originally by the government, the property lines on a road like Chimney Valley are different, and the road way is narrow, too narrow to park. Most of the ranchers or property owners don’t hesitate to call the tow truck on violators, or parked cars that are making the road un safe or that are on private property.
County roads may be maintained by the counties but the parking laws are determined by the state. Please check out the TXDOT site regarding parking regulations. Essentially it states that it is legal to park in the easement unless a condition prohibits it. Usually that condition is a local parking restriction marked by signage.
Now regarding the signs Chimney Valley Road, how is “near” defined? If I were to stand a few inches to a person, most people would consider that “near”. If I stood 50 feet away not many would say I was near. The parking signs say “No Parking Near Bridge” but that is not an definition that would hold up in court. What I would like to see Blanco County do is what every other county has done with parking signs; put up signs that say no parking between signs. This sets an exact boundary where parking is prohibited.
That is an interesting question. They recently put up signs that say “No Parking Near Bridge” but I have no idea how “near” is defined. I would recommend calling the Sheriff’s department and asking them for a definition of “near”. Seems that if they are enforcing it then they would require a definitive distance.
Be prepared to joust with them about legal access to the river, it seems like they are being directed by the Sheriff or County Commissioner to dissuade people from hiking the riverbed. They know its legal but will likely try to convince you its a bad idea.
BTW; depending on your skill, fitness and expectations they could be right.
There is nowhere to park. You can’t leave a car unattended on a county road like chimney valley road. You can stop to look the flowers or put livestock back in a pasture or talk to a neighbor, but you can’t just leave your car unattended and go marching off into the wilderness. Your car will be towed
David,
Completed the strenuous trek 9/13/14. I was lucky enough to make the hike during a low mist, so the heat was bearable, but had to take extra care not to slip.
Thank you for the coordinates! Tough hike, but worth every mile once you finally reach the narrows.
I parked past the 2nd crossing on the right side of the road where there were no signs. I was a little nervous, but my car was there waiting for me. I did speak to a local on the way out while entering my car and he informed me the Sheriff has been adamate about preventing people from The Narrows.
Brian, how long did it take you?
Brian, yes it seems like they are using some intimidation to stop people from making the hike. Check out the recent write called Hike and Hassled to The Narrows.
Hey David,
Would you mind sharing with me directions/ coordinates on where you parked and hiked. I am planning to do this hike this weekend. Did you make the entire hike in one day? I am bringing my camping gear in hopes I can camp along the way as well but am unsure since people seem to be mentioning a bit of trouble with legalities of parking etc.
Any help would be so appreciated!
Brittany, read all the comments in these 2 other writeups:
http://www.texasriverbum.com/narrows
http://www.texasriverbum.com/hike-and-hassled-to-the-narrows
There should be more than enough information for you!
Best of luck on the hike,
Dave
David,
Is there any information about who owns the property to talk to them about letting people into the narrows? In Bret’s article he says a church group had easy access because they talked to the owner, so I’m sure there is some way. Thought I’d ask and see what you knew. Understandably, I would just rather not like to hike a million miles to get there.
Does anyone know more about the underwater caves and how deep and extensive they are? I love freediving 30 or 40 feet into jacobs well and would love to try free diving the narrows. Even more luring though would be the prospect of some sciba diving out there. I know it would suck to try and get diving gear oit there, although it should be good to paddle all the way there sometime soon so that would help. Anyone ever heard of anyone scuba diving here?
David,
I live in Maryland and will be in Texas in second week of March. I am an avid outdoor person and would love to go there to appreciate this gem. I wonder if it is possible for me to use kayak and paddle all the way to the narrows? My understanding is that the water level will be around 3 feet in the month of march. Or you would consider it to be too unsafe?
let me know 🙂
Hey Scott Lehmann I would like to know if you were able to make the trip? If so details would greatly be appreciated. looking to visit the Narrows in the summer. Thanks in advance!
Seriously considering chartering a helicopter to ferry us in and out. Anyone else interested? Your thoughts? It would eliminate the long hike, which I understand is part of the experience, but, what the heck, you only live once. I’ve been working on checking off many bucket list items (Sky diving, acrobatic air stunts, Blue Angels, Powerboat racing, marathon relay…) in my 51st year (driving 153.61 wheeling a race car) and added The Blanco Narrows to my list this week!!
Della, not really an option. A helo would not be able to land in the riverbed and it would be highly illegal for them to land on the adjacent private property. You could however do a fly-by, if I remember correctly the FAA regs limit the height to 500ft above ground level unless there are people present in which it is 1000ft.
Hello all,
I have a question regarding the navigability of The Blanco river bed in its current state. Im from Pennsylvania and I added The Narrows to my bucket list about 2 years ago when I came across pictures of it on the Web. Now, I have finally set off on my epic American road trip and would like to see the Narrows but am not sure that I will be able to.
I arrived in central TX two nights ago (5/21/2016) and had the pleasure of experiencing the torrential rains that have been pummeling the area. I’m wondering if there would be any hope of being able to traverse the river bed on foot from the Chimney Valley Rd crossing down to the narrows.
I am aware that it very well may be flooded, I’m just wondering how much is too much?
A hard hike doesn’t scare me; I’m 27, good shape, avid outdoorsman. Also, I’m not afraid to wade or even swim part of the way if I have to. I came a long way to see this after all.
I consulted this diagram to get an idea of flow rates: http://www.texasriverbum.com/the-rivers/blanco-river
BUT, since I am not familiar with the river, these numbers don’t really mean anything to me. Is it even worth going out to look at the river, or should I not even think about it right now?
And lastly, if a hike down the Blanco is not advisory at this time, are there any other comparable swimming holes/areas one would recommend I see while in the Austin, TX area?
I hope to be on the road toward Colorado by Sun June 6(or earlier). I know this is short notice, but I would very much appreciate information that anybody has to share before then!
Thank you,
Sebastian
Sebastian,
When we hiked the riverbed to The Narrows the flow at Wimberley was a mere 5cfs! Just a trickle in terms of flow and during the worst of the Texas drought. I wouldn’t even consider a hike unless that gauge was showing 50cfs or less. Now, with the current flows you could do some class V whitewater kayaking but otherwise I’d stay clear.
Best of luck, Dave
I was wondering about the current state of the river along the hike to the Narrows?
I would like to find a tour guide for 6 to the narrows, where can I find this service? Can children go to the narrows? I’ve head of a kayak tour. Any info would’ve appreciated. Thanks!