Nichol’s Landing Paddling Trail opens access to a stretch of the Upper Guadalupe River lined with giant bald cypress trees and sun-bleached limestone shelves. During most of the year, this section of the river is forgiving of beginners and entertaining for accomplished paddlers.
On a recent trip, I met a couple of guys on the river who are members of the Saturday Morning Paddlers of San Antonio. At least once a month, someone in the club sends an e-mail advising members to meet at such-and-such place to canoe or kayak a particular Texas river. The Upper Guadalupe is a regular meeting place because it’s close, scenic, and relatively easy.
Between Comfort and Canyon Lake, there are nearly a dozen public access points to the river. Other than Guadalupe River State Park, most access points are at country-road bridges, where parking is tenuous and it’s a long, steep climb to the water. That’s what makes Nichol’s Landing so valuable.
Nichol’s Landing is a nice place to know about, even if you’re not embarking on a river voyage. It’s a great find if you’re just looking for a place to go swimming in the river. Maintained by the Water Oriented Recreation District, the park features off-road parking, a big sandbar that chokes the river into a narrow channel, and a rope swing hanging from a cypress tree. Secondary features are a Porta-John and a Dumpster.
A word about WORD: The recreation district was approved by Comal County voters in 1988 to provide law enforcement, trash collection, and other public services on the river. Their jurisdiction covers Canyon Lake and most of the 40 miles of floatable river above and below the lake. The district is supported through park fees and a $1 user fee collected from everyone who rents a canoe, kayak, or inner tube from an outfitter in the service area.
Compared to the river below Canyon Lake, the Upper Guadalupe River is lightly used. In just over three hours, my group paddled the five miles from Nichol’s Landing to the FM 311 bridge at a very leisurely pace. It would have easily been possible to make the four miles to the U.S. 281 bridge in two hours. It is 10 miles from Nichol’s Landing to the last takeout location before the lake.
The key to any trip on the Guadalupe River is to know the river flow in cubic feet per second. On the day I went, the river was running at 119 cfs, which is enough to keep you moving over the rapids, albeit it was a bit of a bumpy ride. “Anything between 100 cfs and 200 cfs is good for recreational users,” says Paul Coleman, the owner of Guadalupe Canoe Livery. The river is considered safe for all activities up to 800 cfs. To find river flow rates, go to www.wordcc.com or waterdata.usgs.gov and look for the Guadalupe River at Spring Branch data.
At the lower flow levels, there are a half-dozen rapids separated by long stretches of lazy river in this portion of the Guadalupe. The best run was a chute off the main channel between the U.S. 281 and FM 311 bridges. You maneuver your canoe through a tunnel of tree branches and over and around boulders to come splashing back out into the river.
Nichol’s Landing is north of Spring Branch, about four miles west of U.S. 281 on Old Spring Branch Road (turn at the sign for Knibbe Ranch). The gate is open daily from 9am to 9pm. Admission is $5 per car on weekends but free on weekdays. For more information on Texas Paddling Trails, go to www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/boat/paddlingtrails.
There is something to be said for paying someone to supply your equipment and to drive you back to your car. All-day canoe rentals with shuttle service run from $30 to $40 for two people. Solo kayaks and inner tubes are less expensive.
There are at least three river outfitters operating on the Upper Guadalupe River. Guadalupe Canoe Livery (830/885-4671, www.guadalupecanoelivery.com) is at the U.S. 281 bridge and has operated a campground there since the 1930s. Guadalupe Canoe and Camping (830/885-7666, www.guadalupecanoe.com) is just north of the U.S. 281 bridge. Bigfoot Canoes (830/885-7106, www.bigfootcanoes.com) has a campground at the FM 311 bridge.
880th in a series. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of “Day Trips” 101-200, is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
This article appears in May 16 • 2008.
