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Texas | Dallas-Fort Worth
Brazos River
Fuller's Folly River Ranch to Sandy Bottoms River Trail Camp
Check current paddling conditions for this Brazos River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
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Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch at Fuller's Folly and take out at Sandy Bottoms River Trail Camp for TPWD's short leased-access Brazos float upstream of Lake Granbury. Use the Dennis gauge with BRA's conservative Brazos flow chart, then confirm access, current, weather, and private-bank limits before driving the shuttle.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Fuller's Folly River RanchTPWD publishes both endpoint coordinates as leased-access site anchors. Final water entry and exit should follow current signs, property instructions, and safe bank conditions rather than a projected mid-channel point.
Take-out
Sandy Bottoms River Trail CampFuller's Folly access is open from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset and requires at least 24-hour advance contact by email or backup phone.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- TPWD publishes both endpoint coordinates as leased-access site anchors. Final water entry and exit should follow current signs, property instructions, and safe bank conditions rather than a projected mid-channel point.
- Fuller's Folly access is open from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset and requires at least 24-hour advance contact by email or backup phone.
- Sandy Bottoms access is open from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset and requires at least 24-hour advance text contact, with a liability form before access.
- The current Dennis gauge reading during implementation was just above BRA's 200 cfs lower floor. At similar levels, expect more paddling, exposed gravel or sand, and possible dragging.
- BRA notes that upstream reservoir releases and storms can change Brazos flow. Recheck the hydrograph and weather before leaving a vehicle.
Watch for
- Flows at or below about 200 cfs on USGS 08090800, when BRA says the Brazos is below the minimum needed for paddling.
- Flows above about 1,200 cfs, rising water, upstream releases, or fresh basin rainfall, when BRA's chart moves into hazardous or worse categories.
- Private banks, ranch roads, fences, livestock areas, muddy landings, low-water bars, driftwood, strainers, and wood moved by recent releases.
- Heat, sun exposure, wind on open bends, and rural cell-service gaps despite the short mileage.
- Access uncertainty if either leased site is unavailable, posted differently, or cannot accept the group that day; skip the trip rather than inventing an alternate private landing.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Brazos Rv nr Dennis, TX |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 501 cfs to 1,200 cfs |
| Low threshold | 200 cfs |
| High threshold | 5,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Brazos River Authority paddling-flow chart |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official route shapeFuller's Folly to Sandy Bottoms River Trail Camp, 4.1 mi
TPWD says Fuller's Folly is a put-in for a 4.1-mile float downstream to the leased access at Sandy Bottoms River Company.
- Public endpoint coordinates32.619550, -97.893810 to 32.580406, -97.892005
TPWD publishes current leased-access coordinates for Fuller's Folly River Ranch and Sandy Bottoms River Trail Camp; both are recorded as access anchors and not guessed wetted-edge points.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 08090800 at 217 cfs / 2.43 ft
USGS legacy RDB current conditions returned Brazos River near Dennis discharge and gage height at 2026-08-10 21:00 CDT during this implementation run.
- Brazos flow guidance200 cfs below minimum; 501-1,200 cfs ideal; 5,001+ cfs flood
BRA's public river-recreation chart lists 200 cfs or less as below the minimum needed for paddling, 501-1,200 cfs as ideal conditions, 1,200-3,000 cfs as hazardous, 3,001-5,000 cfs as experts-only, and 5,001+ cfs as flood conditions.
- Access rules and campingAdvance contact, daylight access, liability form, separate private accommodations
TPWD requires advance contact and liability forms at both leased-access sites, limits access to daylight windows, and describes lodging or accommodations as separate private-property services rather than route camping rights.
- Image decisionNo route-gallery image selected
Bounded TPWD, BRA, Commons, USGS, and same-route web review found route-context imagery but no clearly rights-clean exact Fuller's-Folly-to-Sandy-Bottoms paddling asset selected for local reuse.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
Brazos River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Brazos River?
Paddle Today watches Brazos Rv nr Dennis, TX and treats 501 cfs to 1,200 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Brazos River route start and end?
This route starts at Fuller's Folly River Ranch and ends at Sandy Bottoms River Trail Camp, about About 4.1 mi on the water.
Is this Brazos River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.