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‹ Swimming
to Mexico, Part I
GUADALUPE
RIVER
After leaving the park take 3232 to where it connects with 290 and
go west to 281. Head south (left) through Blanco
and Twin
Sisters.
South on 281 brings you to Hwy 46 where you will turn right to Boerne
and Guadalupe
River State Park. After eight miles you’ll come to the entrance
to the park. This park is one of the Parks and Wildlife Department’s
crown jewels. Tall limestone bluffs dominate the cool inviting waters
below. Tubing and canoeing are available. A two-mile hiking trail
follows the river. Enjoy yourselves, but eventually they'll ask you
to leave. |
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BOERNE
Continue on Hwy 46 to Boerne.
Perhaps the most difficult part of writing this trip will be getting
you to leave Boerne
and continue. The banks of Cibolo Creek invite you
to walk. So does the historic district with its specialty shops, restaurants
and antiques. Beside the cleanliness and the shade, there’s the fact
that real restaurants outnumber fast food franchises 4 to 1, and Beds
and Breakfasts outnumber hotels 5 to 1!
A must stop is the Chamber of Commerce at One Main Plaza (830-249-8000),
if only to see so many people so happy without being under the influence
of alcohol. Walking tour brochures are available as well as directions
to attractions nearby like The Cave With No Name. There used
to be A Cave With No Directions, but nobody remembers where it is.
In addition to The Official Guide to Boerne, there’s a handy one-sheet
listing of all restaurants and accommodations.
The local Chamber of Commerce is a good indicator of a town’s feeling
toward tourism, and let’s face it, we’re all tourists unless we always
stay home. Boerne
has a good attitude. (A bad Chamber is where they all wear T-shirts
saying "I’m not a tourist, I live here"). It is no coincidence
that towns that "have their act together" also have an active
and cooperative Chamber.
Boerne’s contribution
toward staying wet comes in the form of a town lake (on Hwy 46) and
Lake Boerne, just south of I-10 a short drive west of town.
Continue on to Comfort.
Boerne
Hotels > Book
Here |
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COMFORT
A
town comfortable with itself.
Most of Comfort
is closed on Monday. This includes the Chamber of Commerce. Comfort
is a quiet charming town with some fine specimens of Hill
Country architecture. Most of downtown Comfort
is in the National Register of Historic Places. Monday would be the
ideal day for picture taking since the historic district is practically
deserted. The library (closed Monday) has its initials etched in the
glass doors which shows the town’s appreciation for simple elegance.
Comfort
is also comfortable with vegetation. Potted plants abound, and vines
can stretch their tendrils into places suburbanites would never allow.
Comfort has a good nursery (open Monday!) with unusual but not too
exotic plants. It fits in quite well with the abundance of antique
shops and Bed & Breakfasts. It’s nice to find a town that doesn’t
treat fallen petals like litter. This town can easily be thought of
as a home away from home. Call the Comfort Chamber of Commerce, Box
777, Comfort 78013, Tel.210-995-3131 and ask them what they do on
Mondays.
Avoid returning to I-10 and take Hwy 27 to Center
Point. |
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A mural in Comfort
shows the old low-water crossing of the Guadalupe River
TE photo, 2008 |
CENTER
POINT
Here
is a place where you can linger and get wet. Or get wet and then linger,
it’s up to you. The Guadalupe River is accessible one block west of
"Downtown". A resident flock of ducks and a gaggle of geese
swim silently through the green tinted water. Early in the morning
swallows and scissortails dart across the river scooping up water
in their tiny beaks. A small dam creates a waterfall that could almost
put you……..
WAKE UP! Splash some water in your face and drive the eight miles
to Kerrville.
Kerrville
Hotels > Book
Here |
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KERRVILLE
Most people have heard of Kerrville
before they actually see it. This is due to their wildly famous folk-music
festival held every Spring. Seeing Kerrville
for the first time, most people are shocked at the amount of asphalt
they see. I suppose it’s because we associate Folk Music + Festival
= Outdoors. Well, if it weren’t for asphalt, what would we have? Mud,
that’s what. And muddy people don’t play music well, so get over it.
There is no shortage of nature in Kerrville,
and a lot of it is right off downtown. In Kerrville access to the
Guadalupe
River is in Louise
Hays Park south across the bridge on Hwy 16. |
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Kerrville-Schreiner
State Park
Just south of downtown Kerrville
on Hwy 16 across the bridge you’ll see the sign for 173. Go left on
173 and two and a half miles later you’ll come to the park entrance
on your left. This 517-acre park offers canoe and tube rentals in
the Guadalupe River. During the week it’s very tranquil and
on weekends it’s still an improvement over the crowds found on the
river back in Kerrville. Reservations recommended for overnight stay.
Annual bicycling event every Easter Weekend. 830-257-5392.
Kerrville
Convention & Visitors Bureau: 210-792-3535.
Kerrville Hotels
> Book Here |
Click here to
continue:
SWIMMING
TO MEXICO - Part III >
next page
Water: Medina, Sabinal, Nueces and Leona Rivers and Rio Frio
Towns: Medina, Vanderpool, Utopia, Concan and Uvalde |
SWIMMING
TO MEXICO
Introduction
SWIMMING
TO MEXICO - Part I
Water: McKinney Falls, Aquarena Springs, San Marcos, Blanco
and Pedernales Rivers
Parks: Blanco State Park, Pedernales Falls State Park
Towns: San Marcos, Wimberley and Blanco
SWIMMING
TO MEXICO - Part II
Water: Guadalupe River
Parks: Guadalupe River State Park, Kerrville-Schreiner State
Park
Towns: Boerne, Comfort, Center Point and Kerrville
SWIMMING
TO MEXICO - Part III ›
Water: Medina, Sabinal, Nueces and Leona Rivers and Rio Frio
Parks: Lost Maples State Park, Garner State Park
Towns:Medina, Vanderpool, Utopia, Concan and Uvalde
SWIMMING
TO MEXICO - Part IV
Water: Fort Clark and San Felipe Springs, Lake Amistad and
Devil’s River
Parks: Devil’s River State Natural Area
Towns: Brackettville, Del Rio and Ciudad Acuna
Getting There from Dallas: Paluxy River, Dinosaur Valley State
Park
Rivers Included
in This Trip
Their Lengths, Sources, and Termination Points |
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