See all 12 routes on Colorado River
Texas | Prairies and Lakes
Colorado River
Riverbend Park to Plum Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Colorado River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.
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
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
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 Vernon L. Richards Riverbend Park in Smithville and paddle the long lower-Colorado reach to LCRA's Plum Park. Use USGS 08160400 above La Grange with a conservative 200 cfs floor, then make a same-day call on shallow lines, wind, heat, releases, debris, and private-bank limits.
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
Vernon L. Richards Riverbend ParkLCRA publishes rounded access coordinates for both Riverbend Park and Plum Park; treat them as access anchors, not survey-grade wetted-edge launch coordinates.
Take-out
Plum Park on the ColoradoVisit Smithville describes the Riverbend access as rough dirt/brush and walk-in for canoes and kayaks. Scout the actual water-entry point before leaving a loaded vehicle or committing a group.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- LCRA publishes rounded access coordinates for both Riverbend Park and Plum Park; treat them as access anchors, not survey-grade wetted-edge launch coordinates.
- Visit Smithville describes the Riverbend access as rough dirt/brush and walk-in for canoes and kayaks. Scout the actual water-entry point before leaving a loaded vehicle or committing a group.
- This route uses the La Grange USGS gauge because it is product-live for the same Smithville-to-La Grange section. The discontinued Smithville gauge remains useful context only, not the selected product gauge.
- This route uses a conservative minimum-only threshold from lower-Colorado community guidance. If the La Grange gauge is below about 200 cfs, expect shallow route-finding, exposed bars, and a slower long day.
- Plum Park camping requires river arrival or prior arrangement. Do not infer legal camping from islands, gravel bars, or private banks between Smithville and Plum Park.
Watch for
- Low-water shallows, sand/cobble bars, slow lines, and possible dragging when the gauge is near or below the 200 cfs floor.
- High or rising water after rain or upstream release changes, especially where bends, islands, and side channels collect wood.
- Strong headwinds, summer heat, limited shade, thunderstorms, long flatwater fatigue, soft banks, floating wood, and few public exits over 17 miles.
- Private banks outside the named public accesses and any direct hazard-portage corridor.
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 | Colorado Rv abv La Grange, 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 200 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Southwest Paddler Smithville-to-La Grange table |
| 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 access sequenceRiverbend Park to Plum Park, 17 mi
LCRA lists Vernon L. Richards Riverbend Park and Plum Park as consecutive lower-Colorado access points, with 17 miles from Riverbend to Plum Park by the river-mile spacing table.
- Public Smithville accessRiverbend Park and Highway 71 bridge canoe/kayak access
Visit Smithville describes public Colorado River access near Riverbend Park and under the double Highway 71 bridges, including light-watercraft access and a rough walk-in route at Riverbend Park.
- Endpoint campingPlum Park river-arrival or prior-arrangement camping
LCRA says Plum Park is day-use for ordinary access, but camping is permitted for parties arriving by river or by prior arrangement with LCRA parks.
- Live same-section gaugeUSGS 08160400 at 95.9 cfs / 3.12 ft
USGS Water Services returned same-day values for Colorado River above La Grange, TX at 2026-08-10 14:25 CDT during this implementation run.
- Conservative low-water floor200 cfs minimum-only
Southwest Paddler publishes Smithville-to-La Grange guidance with 200 cfs as minimum, 500-3,000 cfs as optimum, and 5,000 cfs as maximum; Paddle Today uses only the conservative 200 cfs floor.
- Safety and route characterLong, wide, slow-moving river with wind and access-spacing caveats
Southwest Paddler describes the Colorado as wide and slow-moving with few whitewater hazards, but flags strong headwinds, summer heat, limited shade, and long distances between access points as practical hazards.
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.
Share your trip
Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Colorado River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Colorado River?
Paddle Today watches Colorado Rv abv La Grange, TX and uses 200 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Colorado River route start and end?
This route starts at Vernon L. Richards Riverbend Park and ends at Plum Park on the Colorado, about About 17 mi on the water.
Is this Colorado 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.