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Texas | Palo Pinto County
Brazos River
Hwy 16 Bridge to FM 4 at Dark Valley Creek
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 the BRA Hwy 16 river access below Possum Kingdom Dam, paddle the 19.5-mile Upper-Middle Brazos reach, and take out at the arranged FM 4/Dark Valley Bridge outfitter endpoint. Check USGS 08089000, dam releases, rainfall, wind, water quality, and current reservation/access terms before committing.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
BRA Brazos River Area #7 / Hwy 16 BridgeThe Hwy 16 coordinate is a BRA access anchor at the bridge-area river access, not a surveyed wetted-edge coordinate; follow the signed BRA access path and current parking rules.
Take-out
FM 4 at Dark Valley Creek / Rochelle's Canoe RentalThe FM 4 coordinate is the bridge/outfitter access anchor. Rochelle's current website describes the trip and shuttle but access is reservation-dependent; confirm the exact landing, fee, parking, and vehicle-staging terms before departure.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- The Hwy 16 coordinate is a BRA access anchor at the bridge-area river access, not a surveyed wetted-edge coordinate; follow the signed BRA access path and current parking rules.
- The FM 4 coordinate is the bridge/outfitter access anchor. Rochelle's current website describes the trip and shuttle but access is reservation-dependent; confirm the exact landing, fee, parking, and vehicle-staging terms before departure.
- Adjoining river banks are private even though the riverbed and banks are state-owned for lawful recreation. Stay within the bed and banks and do not cross fences, yards, ranch roads, or private campsites.
- The route is remote with limited cell service and no public campgrounds. Carry redundant navigation, water, repair equipment, and an emergency communication plan.
Watch for
- USGS discharge at or below 150 cfs, falling flow, exposed gravel, repeated scraping, or shallow riffles; postpone if the actual reach is lower than the station suggests.
- Rapid rises or swift current from rainfall or Possum Kingdom releases; leave the river or reach a lawful high gravel bar before conditions deteriorate.
- Small rapids, cliffs, strainers, and private-bank hazards; never use a cliff, ranch, or unverified bridge bank as an emergency exit.
- Rochelle's reservation status, FM 4 parking/landing terms, and the availability of a confirmed vehicle/equipment shuttle.
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 Palo Pinto, 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 | 225 cfs to 1,500 cfs |
| Low threshold | 150 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 | Texas Rivers Protection Association Upper-Middle Brazos flow guidance |
| 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.
- Route shape and endpoint mapsHwy 16 Bridge to FM 4 at Dark Valley Creek, 19.5 mi
TRPA publishes the named put-in/take-out maps, length, Class I-II rating, canoe/kayak use, and year-round weather/flow caveat.
- Hwy 16 public accessBRA Brazos River Area #7, 200 Red Bluff Road, below Possum Kingdom Dam
BRA documents small-boat river access by the Hwy 16 bridge, approximately ten campsites, restrooms, picnic areas, no fee, and year-round operation.
- FM 4 outfitter endpointRochelle's Canoe Rental adjacent to the Dark Valley Bridge
Rochelle's current location page gives the FM 4 bridge approach; its trip page identifies the 19.5-mile Hwy 16-to-Dark Valley Bridge trip and vehicle/equipment shuttle. Reserve and confirm current access before travel.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 08089000 at 184 cfs / 1.57 ft on 2026-08-24
USGS Water Services returned direct discharge and gage-height telemetry for the Palo Pinto station; the reading is above the 150 cfs minimum but below TRPA's ideal band.
- Route-specific threshold150 cfs minimum; 225-1,500 cfs ideal; 5,000 cfs maximum
TRPA publishes numeric flow guidance tied to this exact reach and gauge references. Treat the floor as a conservative go/no-go screen, not a safety certification.
- Camping and legal accessRiverbed/gravel-bar camping allowed within state-owned bed and banks; no public campgrounds on the reach
BRA states camping is allowed when confined to the bed and banks and warns about private adjoining property and rapid rises. Rochelle's says there are no parks or public camping facilities; carry all gear and use only lawful riverbed sites.
- Image decisionNo route-gallery image selected
The implementation ships without a gallery image until a route-specific, rights-clean asset is verified; no third-party image was copied into the repository.
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
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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 Palo Pinto, TX and treats 225 cfs to 1,500 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 BRA Brazos River Area #7 / Hwy 16 Bridge and ends at FM 4 at Dark Valley Creek / Rochelle's Canoe Rental, about About 19.5 mi on the water.
Is this Brazos River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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